Rust

Dragrad · 10th March 2009, 00:37

Why have not car manufacturers changed to Aluminum based panels?

Quite a few did in the 1930/40's .... No rust. But paint lifted after time. But surely with new paint technology, aluminium would be the best material to use.. ?

A friend of mine had a Lanchester, Al. body panels, and the paint job was pristine... a few chip marks.... but NO RUST!! Was constantly polished and waxed, and he only did about a 500 miles per annum!!

Then again I guess that they want the cars to rust, then you have to buy a new one.......

Phil · 10th March 2009, 00:39

I think a lot of French cars are galvaised which is still pretty good. I think more cars should be.

W953 BJX · 10th March 2009, 00:44

Landrover use ally and always have, all the bodypanels, its ok, doesn't rust but the steel frame its fixed to does! And ally corrodes goes to White bubbly dust its horrid, plus, aluminium streches, so if for instance hypothetically, one was to sit on the bonnet of ones range rover whilst out shooting then the bonnet skin stretches and there is a permenant *** cheek shaped dent in it which I would imagine is extremely hard to get out, because the metal stretches!

W953 BJX · 10th March 2009, 00:48

Every 205 I've ever prepared has been great rust wise because they're all zinc dipped, but its a pain to seam weld, very good though, I had the chassis of my series one hot dip galvo'd then hammerited the whole chassis, that'll keep the rust worms at bay!

Dragrad · 10th March 2009, 00:52

But what if stone chips get through the galvanised "barrier"? Back to square one!!

W953 BJX · 10th March 2009, 00:59

I'm on my 4th 205 now, I build them for gravel stage rally, this one I've got at the minute has audi quattro running gear and engine, its plated out underbelly with 5mm dural skid pans and 3mm carbon kevlar plate, stone chips are not an issue! Battle scars!

W953 BJX · 10th March 2009, 01:04

If it was my road car though I'd be livid if a stone did that, I don't understand what the difficulty is with councils keeping roads in a better state than they are, if theres a shunt on track then marshalls lovingly clear every last bit of it away, if theres a bump on the road youre lucky if a policeman kicks it into the curb, why is there no pride in our road network? The Romans would go bozerk if they could see how we treat them!

Departed · 10th March 2009, 06:56

A couple of replies.

1. 75s are galvanised as well. The sheet steel is treated before it's pressed and cut. TBH, I think pretty well all cars use this these days. Spot welds and edges can still be a problem though, plus chips which get through the coating.

2. Stopping corrosion due to dissimilar materials is difficult when putting alloy panels on a steel frame. However you might be surprised how many cars have aluminium and even plastic panels in certain areas. Aluminium alloys are also difficult to press to the complex shapes that some designs require. Incidentally, Land Rover started using Aluminium because it couldn't get hold of enough steel after the war, but Aircraft aluminium was plentiful since we had stopped making planes. Also, the 2CV prototypes had aluminium chassis!

10th March 2009, 00:37	#1
Dragrad This is my second home *None DROWNED** Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cardigan Posts: 33,339 Thanks: 1,257 Thanked 1,664 Times in 1,081 Posts	Rust Why have not car manufacturers changed to Aluminum based panels? Quite a few did in the 1930/40's .... No rust. But paint lifted after time. But surely with new paint technology, aluminium would be the best material to use.. ? A friend of mine had a Lanchester, Al. body panels, and the paint job was pristine... a few chip marks.... but NO RUST!! Was constantly polished and waxed, and he only did about a 500 miles per annum!! Then again I guess that they want the cars to rust, then you have to buy a new one....... __________________ Andrew Ich Dien Problem solving is... lateral thinking SEARCH FIRST ...ASK LATER...

10th March 2009, 00:39	#2
Phil This is my second home Rover 75 CDT Connoisseur SE Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 12,227 Thanks: 469 Thanked 523 Times in 241 Posts	I think a lot of French cars are galvaised which is still pretty good. I think more cars should be. __________________

10th March 2009, 00:52	#5
Dragrad This is my second home *None DROWNED** Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cardigan Posts: 33,339 Thanks: 1,257 Thanked 1,664 Times in 1,081 Posts	But what if stone chips get through the galvanised "barrier"? Back to square one!! __________________ Andrew Ich Dien Problem solving is... lateral thinking SEARCH FIRST ...ASK LATER...

10th March 2009, 00:44	#3
W953 BJX Loves to post 1953 and 1955 series 1 landrovers, two series 3 landrovers, range rover, rover 75 saloon Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 367 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Landrover use ally and always have, all the bodypanels, its ok, doesn't rust but the steel frame its fixed to does! And ally corrodes goes to White bubbly dust its horrid, plus, aluminium streches, so if for instance hypothetically, one was to sit on the bonnet of ones range rover whilst out shooting then the bonnet skin stretches and there is a permenant *** cheek shaped dent in it which I would imagine is extremely hard to get out, because the metal stretches!

10th March 2009, 00:48	#4
W953 BJX Loves to post 1953 and 1955 series 1 landrovers, two series 3 landrovers, range rover, rover 75 saloon Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 367 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Every 205 I've ever prepared has been great rust wise because they're all zinc dipped, but its a pain to seam weld, very good though, I had the chassis of my series one hot dip galvo'd then hammerited the whole chassis, that'll keep the rust worms at bay!

10th March 2009, 00:59	#6
W953 BJX Loves to post 1953 and 1955 series 1 landrovers, two series 3 landrovers, range rover, rover 75 saloon Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 367 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I'm on my 4th 205 now, I build them for gravel stage rally, this one I've got at the minute has audi quattro running gear and engine, its plated out underbelly with 5mm dural skid pans and 3mm carbon kevlar plate, stone chips are not an issue! Battle scars!

10th March 2009, 01:04	#7
W953 BJX Loves to post 1953 and 1955 series 1 landrovers, two series 3 landrovers, range rover, rover 75 saloon Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 367 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	If it was my road car though I'd be livid if a stone did that, I don't understand what the difficulty is with councils keeping roads in a better state than they are, if theres a shunt on track then marshalls lovingly clear every last bit of it away, if theres a bump on the road youre lucky if a policeman kicks it into the curb, why is there no pride in our road network? The Romans would go bozerk if they could see how we treat them!

10th March 2009, 06:56	#8
Departed Retired -- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: -- Posts: 3,785 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	A couple of replies. 1. 75s are galvanised as well. The sheet steel is treated before it's pressed and cut. TBH, I think pretty well all cars use this these days. Spot welds and edges can still be a problem though, plus chips which get through the coating. 2. Stopping corrosion due to dissimilar materials is difficult when putting alloy panels on a steel frame. However you might be surprised how many cars have aluminium and even plastic panels in certain areas. Aluminium alloys are also difficult to press to the complex shapes that some designs require. Incidentally, Land Rover started using Aluminium because it couldn't get hold of enough steel after the war, but Aircraft aluminium was plentiful since we had stopped making planes. Also, the 2CV prototypes had aluminium chassis!