galvanized chassis, paint or no paint?

[kenny]

Hiya, felt the urge to get back into the Lotus fold and have just purchased a rolling chassis/body fitted the rest in boxes early + 2.

My first question on this forum is (and I appologise in advance for the millions more questions over the coming winter months ) the Lotus replacement galvanised chassis is new and unused and has not been painted at all.

Must admit it does look sharp from underneath but is this usual just to leave it bare. I've asked a couple of Lotus bods and one has said paint it grey and the other said leave it alone as the originals were only painted grey as they were not treated.

One more ask, Is it obligitory for me to lose my nice 50/xxxx chassis number for the million digit one on new chassis when changing logbook details?
I had a Banks Europa once and although it was a Banks chassis logbook remained the same apart from the engine number swap.
Cheers,

Kenny

[Robbie693]

Painting is down to personal preference I guess, although you may need a particular type of paint to stick to the galv - I'm sure others will advise better than myself...

DON'T tell the DVLA you have changed the chassis! Technically it is a subframe and as such they need not be informed.

[kenny]

Thanks Robbie, that's my aim re.DVLA. I've heard the subframe argument before and will do as you say. After all the chassis plate was on the bodytub bulkhead.

Re. my question of painting the chassis, I'd obviously prefer not to as the shell has been nicely mounted and is painted, was just hoping it wasn't detrimental to the chassis to leave it unpainted.

[Emma-Knight]

Hello Kenny,

if You want to keep the car, paint it what You like. Galvanised steel will rust, sooner or later (think of the bolts and nuts). Silver would keep the metal look - there are nice Hamerite dull powdersilver paints. Dark colours
make working on the car more difficult: You can't see too much then. The baby Elan chassis were oxide red with dull black bitumen coat - black cat in the dark... Powder coating sometimes results in big flakes chipping off, holding some water to the metal before. And You can't repair a powder coating after having scratched an edge when pulling engine/gearbox parts out...

Original or not depends on Your restoration scedule or if You want to sell it. Otherwise green with yellow dots...


Anna

PS just read it: You could keep it "natural metal". A bit of anti corrosion oil / wax in the turrets and a bit of oil wiped here and there might help.
Caution with winter salt: it works its way through zink and stays moisture holding. I use Ballistol for cleaning and slight conserving - its a bit more sticky than WD 40. Also copperslip on bolting points keeps rust out.

[kenny]

Anna totaly agree with your points re. various coatings. I think unless 100% perfectly applied they could cause grief and hide a multitude of sins in the future.

On an earlier Caterham I had the powder coat on the chassis was flaking after 18 months, and I dreaded to think of the moisture it was holding around the bad areas and it was virtually or even totally impossible to cure without an expensive reskin.

That's it, I'll leave it as it is although your green with yellow dots idea has got me thinking

[M100]

I painted my galvanised chassis many years ago, mainly for looks and something to hopefully prevent me having to replace it again if it ever got used though the winter (I've managed to resist) After consulting with the ICI paints technical department I essentially followed their proceedure used on galvanised vehicle bodies used at the time by Porsche and I think Audi.

Basically a zinc chromate etch primer followed by a 2 pack primer filler and then a top coat of 2 pack satin black. All were standard off the shelf auto products then. With the situation with hydrocarbon solvents and the banning of chromate based products the processes will have changed a lot in the intervening 15 years or so. My chassis is still holding up fine, a few chips on the topcoat here and there but no galvanising showing through.

The final chunks of my Elan chassis were still showing the original red oxide primer and rubber based coating some 30 years after first being applied. The chassis was completely knackered after about 15 years though and spent the rest of its life behind the garage as a haven for wildlife.

[ppnelan]

The one word answer for me is 'Waxoyl'.

Just think how long the original chassis lasted, and it was probably not even galvanised...

Matthew

[john.houston]

If I had a galvanised chassis .I would be happy.

[Dave-M]

Waxoyl for me, once a year
Regards
Dave

[fatboyoz]

Kenny,
Obtain a set of number stamps, ask the group where on the +2 the original chassis number would be located (on the S4 Elan it is near the front r/h suspension upright), grab a hammer and add the number. Oh by the way, tell no-one.
Regards Colin 68S4DHC.