Britpart's Chassis Collection

[p38arover]

From an Edd China video: What's inside our Range Rover chassis? - Edd China's Workshop Diaries Episode 55 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzMZOlsfi6Y) some of Britipart's Defender chassis collection.

181271

[POD]

There are at least 3 manufacturers in the UK turning out reproduction LR chassis of every kind, day in day out. Very common replacement over there due to salted roads and constant wet weather.

[gromit]

There are at least 3 manufacturers in the UK turning out reproduction LR chassis of every kind, day in day out. Very common replacement over there due to salted roads and constant wet weather.

It isn't 'constant' wet weather...... the rock salt used on the roads in winter causes most of the problems.

Britpart outsource so I wonder who supplies them. There is a chassis manufacturer in Poland.
https://www.maer.com.pl/


Colin

[POD]

I believe Britpart get theirs from Richards.
I read somewhere that they use molasses to make the salt stick to the roads, i.e. not get washed straight off. I wonder what effect that has on the rust- probably makes it stick to the vehicles as well.

[p38arover]

^^ I use molasses to remove rust.

[Arapiles]

It isn't 'constant' wet weather......

Officially it rains between every second or third day depending where you are in the UK (but I suspect that they're fudging what they count as rain, as it seems to drizzle more than that) and that's all year round. That's pretty constant.

[POD]

No offense intended Colin! I spent a hot, humid August in London a few years back. Lots of lovely weather for sure. Vehicle rust certainly does seem to be a problem there though, I spoke to one business owner recently in York who replaces 3 LR chassis a week in his workshop.

[gromit]

Officially it rains between every second or third day depending where you are in the UK (but I suspect that they're fudging what they count as rain, as it seems to drizzle more than that) and that's all year round. That's pretty constant.

Lived there for 41 years and there is no way it rains that often.
I visited Northern Ireland several times and there it seemed to rain a lot more often.


No offense intended Colin! I spent a hot, humid August in London a few years back. Lots of lovely weather for sure. Vehicle rust certainly does seem to be a problem there though, I spoke to one business owner recently in York who replaces 3 LR chassis a week in his workshop.

No offence taken.

Rocksalt was used for 'gritting' the roads, may have been some sand in with it but not molasses.
On icy mornings if you were out on the roads early you'd often have the gritting truck go past in the other lane and your vehicle would get peppered with salt (there's a joke there somewhere).
How Do You Make Salt | Salt Production | Salt Association (https://saltassociation.co.uk/education/make-salt/)

New cars were often treated to prevent rust. Holes drilled in sills, A & B pillars etc. and a cavity wax sprayed in. Ziebart was one name I remember.
There was a DIY version, Waxoyl.
Problematic on an older car, spray the cavity with wax and then try welding at a later date ! Ask me how I know.....

There was a guy that used to treat Land Rovers, I think he traded as Before and After.
Here he is CR and Land Rover Waxoyl treatment since 1987 (https://before-n-after.co.uk/)

About the time I left Lancia pulled out of the UK. One model was failing the MOT with rust issues after only 4/5 years (first MOT was at 3 years) so Lancia were buying them back & crushing them.
They got caught so took their bat & ball & went home !



Colin




Colin

[POD]

When I was in the motor industry around 1982, a Toyota dealer I worked at used to offer the wax treatment as an aftermarket, dealer-installed option, along with Scotchguard for the interior fabrics. There were an assortment of different wands used for spraying the goo into the various cavities. Probably not that necessary here but it was a popular option.

I wonder what it is with Italian cars and rust? I had a bit of a love affair with Alfas in my youth, was looking to buy a second-generation GTV some years later to revisit the passion and I could not find one that was not absolutely eaten away.

[gromit]

I wonder what it is with Italian cars and rust? I had a bit of a love affair with Alfas in my youth, was looking to buy a second-generation GTV some years later to revisit the passion and I could not find one that was not absolutely eaten away.

I remember hearing it was Russian steel.
Zero cavity protection back then whereas most cars are dipped now.

I ran a Renault Espace for 5 years (Matra design taken up by Renault).
Hot dipped gal monocoque with bonded on fibreglass panels. The steel channel door tops rusted !

Colin