27 replies to this topic

[morley]

I'm blaming autocorrect

[dyshipfakta]

The fourth bridge would have been built many thousands of years ago, before paint was invented, and would have been stone. I assume you mean the Forth bridge.

touché

Surely would have been the fifth bridge not forth?

[NuFab]

I'm using POR15 in all the cavities in my mk1 restoration. Yes it burns when you weld near to it, but the rest of the panel is protected, and I intend to spray Dinitrol or similar over the top.

[Scousemouse]

They only built the 4th Bridge because the 3rd Bridge rusted out

[ti666er]

as the time approaches, and I draw close to closing up those sills like the tomb of the pharaoh, I feel a sense of trepidation. Can I really go paint free on the internal box sections.....Dare I...... 

[KaneH]

 
but you can't dip a Mini shell so we can rule that out.

You could have a shell dipped, bloody expensive mind you.

[tiger99]

No you can't, and it is nothing to do with cost. Otherwise I would strongly recommend doing it, because it would actually be cost effective, by eliminating the next 4 or 5 full restorations.

The problem is that All trapped volumes MUST be vented at the top to allow air to escape, and at the bottom to allow excess zinc to drain away. Quite large holes are necessary. Now, try to immerse a Mini upright and you have a massive problem with trapped air in the roof, so the galvanise rs put a big hole in the middle with the gas axe. Then they gave to put holes in the scuttle, scuttle closing panels, parts of boot floor, etc, and that us only for air venting.

If you, with full knowledge if a Mini shell, care to do the mental gymnastics, you will find that there is no possible orientation for galvanising which does not require seriously disfiguring and in some cases structurally weakening hole cutting.

However body sub-assemblies could be galvanised before final assembly, which would be a difficult process as far as welding was concerned. Exposed areas where the zinc had burned off could be retouched by plasma spray (but not in the seams). I for one would not drive a car which might have zinc contamination in the spot welds joining various major parts.

Sadly, as I said, galvanised shells are just not going to happen.

[ti666er]

Much later....... I did go paint free, and then injected good quality wax (not waxoyl, which is for garden gates) with a decent high pressure gun. The wax "fogs" giving total coverage. Only time will tell however.

[SolarB]

I'm blaming autocorrect

 

To right. Whoever invented Autocorrect should burn in hello.

[sonikk4]

Quite a few years ago there was an article in another car magazine where a full resto had been done on a Fiat 500. Now this was fully galvanised and guess what they did not cut a bloody great hole in it with a gas axe.

The only damage incurred to the car was some slight rippling on a panel. Now our mini’s have a greater proportion of flat panels which means it will ripple quite badly. It would be nice to galvanise the whole car but I think the outcome would be more pretzel than a straight car.

And yup Autocorrect is a right royal pain in the backside.

[KTS]

And yup Autocorrect is a right royal pain in the backside.

 

...always amuses me when i see someone intending to defiantly do something or other

 

visions of said person striding into the shop declaring 'I will buy 2 litres of dinitrol and there's not a damn thing you can do to stop me!'

[tiger99]

"Quite a few years ago there was an article in another car magazine where a full resto had been done on a Fiat 500. Now this was fully galvanised and guess what they did not cut a bloody great hole in it with a gas axe. "

 

Neil, I am intrigued. The only other case I knew of was a long time ago and the car in question was cut in half across the middle, galvanised and welded back together again. No doubt it rusted around the weld...

 

I have very recently found out that some galvanisers now have equipment to rotate the workpiece about all three axes, presumably to vent trapped air and drain excess zinc. I am not sure about rippling. The Mini shell is much stiffer than a classic Fiat 500 and that may help it to avoid distortion. There are possibly techniques that can be applied such as slow heating in air, and slow cooling afterwards.

 

I am not yet changing my opinion that galvanising a Mini is not possible, but I think it is worth keeping up with the technology to see whether it may eventually be viable.

[sonikk4]

"Quite a few years ago there was an article in another car magazine where a full resto had been done on a Fiat 500. Now this was fully galvanised and guess what they did not cut a bloody great hole in it with a gas axe. "

 

Neil, I am intrigued. The only other case I knew of was a long time ago and the car in question was cut in half across the middle, galvanised and welded back together again. No doubt it rusted around the weld...

 

I have very recently found out that some galvanisers now have equipment to rotate the workpiece about all three axes, presumably to vent trapped air and drain excess zinc. I am not sure about rippling. The Mini shell is much stiffer than a classic Fiat 500 and that may help it to avoid distortion. There are possibly techniques that can be applied such as slow heating in air, and slow cooling afterwards.

 

I am not yet changing my opinion that galvanising a Mini is not possible, but I think it is worth keeping up with the technology to see whether it may eventually be viable.

 

The car was dipped in its entirety and had a small amount of distortion. Now it could have Practical Classics but it was a long time ago and the whole build was very successful. 

 

Now the only thing i can find out about this is the third post down on the Fiat 500 forum, still no link to the actual article though

https://www.fiatforu...ised-500-a.html