ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

So, the time has come to set about a complete nut and bolt restoration of the Jag's front and rear suspension assemblies. Now I want some of the big bits coated with something that'll protect (long term), make it look nice and bling and will stand to the test of time like salted roads and ill-placed trolley jacks.

Everything is steel by the way, mix of formed sheet metal and cast, except the rear hub carriers which are cast alloy (which I may polish as they can be seen behind the wheels)The more complex bits include wishbones and swing arms. Now these have steel bushings and needle-roller bearings pressed in, so care needs to be taking with whatever coating process doesn't cause tolerance issues with the holes for the bushings and bearings.

And to make matters more confusing I'm unsure which process is the cheapest, most expensive or most cost effective. So really I'm after some advice of which process is best for what, with the fors and againsts etc

I don't really want to having somthing done like plastic coating, only to find that a few years later that salt/water ingress on a minor chip causes huge rust bubbles forming beneath the plastic coating (this is whats happening as of current ).

Oh yes...and to clean up the metal prior to finsihing...chemical dipping or blasted?

I hear all sorts of techniques and I'm totally lost...chemical blacking, zinc plating, passivating, anodising, hard anodising, nickel plating, enamal, plastic, painting. Ummm help!

tony de wonderful

Wax oil. Easy, cheap, penetrates well and you can see what is going on like if it has worn off or corrosion is starting. With coatings etc it could rust underneath and you would have no idea.

I have often wondered why you cannot galvanically isolate a car like you can with other metal structures to stop corrosion.

mart360

Because you run a voltage through the thing, making it a huge electric circuit

all that lovley neg pos ion transfer

That coupled with lots of disimmilar metals in close proximity, gotta love the galvanic table

Mart

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Waxoyl is better for body cavities where it won't attract dirt and grime IMO: All the body and chassis cavities are already heavily waxoyled though (was done about 20yrs and again about 10yrs ago)...Its the the only thing thats stopped it turning into a pile of brown dust

Car will eventually be going "full concours" (chassis and body already done) so I'd prefer the suspension parts to be blingy rather than gunky.

Subframes and suspension are already stripped awaiting for me to fathom what to do with them. Here's what they are before stripping (these are a set I purchased to restore ready to swap, so I can keep the car on the road whilst doing the work):





and this is how I'd like them to look:

tony de wonderful

Can't you just bolt some magnesium to the chassis?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Apparently this was one of the reason why cars stopped using positive earth...as it makes them rust faster! Probably not that severe though, but it maybe caused lots of electrical gremlins from rusty earth points.

tony de wonderful

I remember back in the 80's every car had those things hanging down from the rear bumper to discharge static or something?