15 replies to this topic

[Bean]

Hi All!

We're thinking about getting my Mini, Reggie, chemical dipped once we've done the welding work.

If we chemical dip the shell (which I would love to do, I want him to stay as rust free as possible for as long as possible) - However, we're concerned about all the box sections - it would strip it back to bare metal and there would be no way of treating it afterwards.

What I am wondering is, is there any form of treatment that can be done to the WHOLE shell using the same dipping method? IE, dip the shell to strip, then dip the shell to treat. This will ensure that the box sections get coated again, to preserve them. - I'm concerned about not being able to prime the hidden areas.

Is it possible to galvanise a shell? Or E-coat the whole thing?

I'd then look to respray inside and out of the shell - but just want to protect him as much as possible as he will be used every day, instead of a modern car - so I need him to last!

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give

[Thorpsta]

I'm not an expert, and this probably wont answer your question, but I wouldn't galvonise it, someone near me (forgot his name) galvonised a front subframe and it bent it to peices, We was going to do the Dip methods, but instead we went for a whole coat of etch, then stone chip all over the floors etc, then quite alot of paint, it "should" last between 20 years and another life-time before rust starts to even get through, but we've gone extremely mad with the etching >.>

[mini.rich]

Hi Bean, I was looking at these people - http://www.surfaceprocessing.co.uk/ to do my clubman. They do the full e-coat aswell after its been dipped

[tiger99]

You can't galvanise a shell. There are two potential problems, firstly it might distort, which could probably be overcome, but secondly, you need fairly large holes top and bottom, everywhere that air may be trapped when entering the zinc bath, or where zinc may be trapped on leaving it. To do that without having holes in very visible places like the middle of the roof, the shell would have to be rotated in at least two axes while entering and emerging from the zinc, and I don't know that anyone has ever attempted that.

Your best bet is E coat, which will go everywhere that you require, just as it does in a modern car or a Heritage shell.

On top of that, you will want to use seam sealer before painting, stonechip in all hidden places, especially under wings and floor, wheel arch liners, and lots of Waxoyl in every cavity, but you were probably thinking of those things anyway. as you obviously have given it some serious thought.

[Shifty]

Its pretty expensive as well. The cost of the repairs and then dipping and then e-coatings may make heritage shell more viable? I've got a figure of about £2.5k in my head. Add to this the repairs and that's getting into new shell money.

[Bean]

I thought galvanizing was a no-no, but couldn't for the life of me remember why! Thanks for the clarification.

Rich - I've just watched that video of the whole process. Wow. Impressive, indeed! Great to watch the whole thing from start to finish, really interesting!!

E-Coat then sounds like the way to go - but at £2.5k? Really? Ouch.

[mini.rich]

Its pretty expensive as well. The cost of the repairs and then dipping and then e-coatings may make heritage shell more viable? I've got a figure of about £2.5k in my head. Add to this the repairs and that's getting into new shell money.

You're not too far wrong with that, just had a look through my emails and this is the quote I got last year. It does make a heritage shell look pretty attractive if you are not doing the bodywork yourself.

Hope this helps

Many thanks for your enquiry. The cost to process your Mini Clubman would be as follows:

To chemically clean the bodyshell including the Boot Lid, Bonnet & Doors - £745.00 + VAT

We recommend that you have your shell chemically stripped of all coatings, take it away and do your weld repair work and then return the shell to us for the zinc phosphate primer. If you choose this route you will get surface rust on the shell whilst carrying out your repair work, however, we would then carry out a de-rust process before coating your shell.

To de-rust the bodyshell to clean surface rust and contamination - £400.00 + VAT (if you have your shell cleaned and coated all in the same visit you would not need the de-rust process).

To electrophoretic coating on bodyshell - £1450.00 + VAT

To electrophoretic coating on the panelwork - £300.00 + VAT. This covers standard panelwork on a car i.e. 2 doors, bonnet and boot lid.

All prices are subject to VAT at the prevailing rate
All prices are quoted ex-works
All parts are assumed to be mild steel*
This Quotation will be valid for 30 days

[mini_in_progress]

i worked here http://www.prostrip.co.uk/car-auto developing there new dip process a years back, its a good process and is a more mild acid than hat surface process use.

when i worked there he used to be able to get ecoat done but as said above its not cheap and we only got panels done, its not flat eather so a lot of prep is required so u would be thining the coat flatting it down

he can get them zinc enriched primed tho then you just drill holes in your inner sills and waxoil ??

just a thought :)

[Sam Walters]

media blast then a coat of lechler epoxy.

You can then do all your filling work, and welding work thats needed.

Then another coat of epoxy, you can then use whatever paint system you wish.

[mini_in_progress]

media blast then a coat of lechler epoxy.

You can then do all your filling work, and welding work thats needed.

Then another coat of epoxy, you can then use whatever paint system you wish.

we tried that.... its awfull unless you want to use 20 coats of high build to get a semi decent basecoat down, keep wondering whether the panels are warped or if its sat at a funny angle and the lights making it look funny....and be forever sweeping/hoovering media out the inside

[Bungle]

have a quick search on VZI or ask the question there if you are a member

from what i have seen over there people that have had it done wish they hadn't

[Bean]

How do you mean 'wish they hadn't', Bungle?

I have to admit, the price of it has put me right off. It seems, from reading around, someone got a quote in 2010 from SPL and it was £800 cheaper than it is now, for the E-Coating! If it was £1.5k, I'd think about it, but I can't justify that sort of money!

I think I'll do without and leave all the standard coating in the box sections. I won't chemical dip without the E-Coat.

Thanks for all the help, guys.

[Bungle]

the acid seems to keep eating away at the shell and rust comes back very quickly

[mini_in_progress]

the acid seems to keep eating away at the shell and rust comes back very quickly

yea thats the hydrochloric acid dip it seeps out in brown patches yea? i know at prostrip thats not used at all now, im not sure about surface prosess, i know there ecoaters were shut down tho a year or 2 back (may have another by now), they tried nickel plating their cars instead..

if it were me and i wanted it dipping id do the repairs except outer sills.... get it dipped.... then get the car back take the outer sills off do any repairs waxoil/protect then replace sills and etch/zinc prime the car

Edited by mini_in_progress, 03 March 2012 - 01:32 PM.

[R1mini]

About 20 years ago I wire brushes/stripped all the paint of a midget, then I use an old rattle can and sprayed only the areas that needed media blasted using aluminium oxide in my case, part strip old panels off to get at the inner rust where necessary, zinc primed the whole lot after the process. I realise that inside box sections could still be hiding rust but a thorough waxoyling should hopefully keep that at bay

The end result was a rust free shell with no distorted panels (from blasting) for about £60 worth of media blasting, the car is still on the road with the same paintjob and no obvious rusting although it doesn't do a lot of miles now

Cheers
David