131mirafiori forum

If you came across some pretty rare but quite rusty panels ( that could be brought back to life ) say like Sport rear quarters or door skins for a 2 door etc would you consider purchasing them ??.

if you are sure they can be brougth back to life and if the price justifies this work, I would

Many old panels have surface rust on them now as they were only protected with primer.  The primer is already porous, and that gets worse with age.
As long as the panel is not completely rusted and holed they can either be gently blasted or dipped.
I have done both.  I just brought an original 131 full sill that is covered in surface rust.  I own a small sandblaster and have access to a local engineering company that could clean this completely.  The sill is curved and therefore strong enough to clean without distortion.
In the past I have used SPL in Dudley.  They clean and prime any parts by immersion.  They clean new assemblies for current manufacturers.  I have had whole bodyshells dipped and cleaned.  I have seen Porshe 356 shells and VW Campers all cleaned to an amazing standard.
I would have 131 Sport rear quarters dipped and primed as this prevents any distortion.

I can supply example pictures of both if it helps.

Good luck
Duncan

As long as they are not rotten surface rush can be removed by dipping if you can get rear panels cheap buy them mate.
Stuff like 2 door doors I would rather spend the time looking for the best you can find as there is a pile of work in getting a bad door right.
Check out SPl on google go to their website and see some examples of what they can do and make your mind up.

Thanks all for the replies  ;)

Duncan - Yeah, have heard about SPL and looked at the vid on their site too. Have you had any issue's with the shells you have had treated ?. I've heard stories about the acid getting trapped in seams and not been able to be flushed clean. Any pics you have would be much appreciated.

106usj - Thankfully the panels that I am buying only have surface rust. I seem to remember a good few years ago someone on Ebay trying to sell some, I think, 131 panels that had obviously been sanded down and re-primed. He was getting some less than favourable comments regarding his description/treatment of them. Don't want to make that mistake  ;D.

Hi Mick

There has been a lot of feedback about problems with acid left on the shells.  There are a few things to consider:

The panels and cars are pressure washed with a stabiliser after they are cleaned.  If you take a shell home bare as I have in the past it is protected from rust for a couple of weeks.

If you send wings etc to be cleaned there are no seams to trap anything.

The primer stage they use is and electrophoretic etch primer process.  They prepare new brackets and bumper irons for current UK manufacturers.  When they prime shells they are already dried and the charge attracts the primer to the surfaces and seams to cover everything.

The main confusion comes when people see a shell where the floor seams etc have been dissolved or left looking like lace.  Where cars have rubber underseal or seam sealer it can trap water  and corrode the metal.  When the shell is cleaned it comes as a huge surprise to see the seams missing.  I saw an Austin A35 prepared for classic racing.  It had new sills and rollcage etc and looked almost ready for finishing.  When it was dipped, the edges of the floors were shown to be missing for an inch, and the front and back panels were both attached by very few thin metal strips.  The car needed a lot more welding before it was cleaned and primed.

The same applies where seams are swollen by rust.  When the rust dissolved you are left with gaps between each of the spot welds.  You need to dress the seams flat and potentially add welds to strengthen the shell.

I haven't got photos on this laptop, so I'll get some later.

Cheers
Duncan

Thanks for the info Duncan  ;). Are you aware of any problems after full treatment and after the primer has been applied to bodyshells ??.

Hi Mick

Eight years ago I ran a Fiesta Zetec in the national championship.  We came 2nd in the season, but on the penultimate race a guy left the track on a corner, came back across the track and put an 6" Fiesta shaped dent into the passenger side.

At the end of the season I stripped the car and had the entire shell dipped.  I took it home bare as I needed to change the complete side section.  It stood in the workshop for 6 weeks as a bare shell as I fixed all the problems.  Then I primered and painted the shell.

The car is still in use and doing well.

Many of the cars I have seen at SPL are expensive models.  When the car is dipped and primed it goes home to be painted.  Most of these companies then use Dinitrol or Waxoyl to protect all the box sections.  If this is properly warmed it soaks all the seams and protects them for years.

Many old school boys still pump sills with used engine oil.  Heated to 50 - 60 C this provides a lot of protection.

When I discussed acid with the boss he showed me that the strength is low.  So low that there is not enough to dissolve the base metal, only chemically dissolve the rust.  They use differing materials to remove the rust, underseal, and paint.

I'll go and find pictures now and upload them shortly.

Thanks
Duncan