Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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mikeC
Joined: 31 Jul 2009 Posts: 1776 Location: Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:51 am Post subject: Rusty Classic Cars |
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A recurring theme in current threads is the suggestion that certain cars which we now consider as classics were notorious for rusting: Minis, Lancias, Fiats, Renaults, Japanese cars - they all seem to have earned a reputation for rusting away.
But really, was there any car from the forties, fifties, sixties or seventies which didn't rust as soon as they hit the road? Anything, from Anglias and Escorts, through Victors and Minxes, to Rovers and Mk6 Bentleys, all could be seen rusting away before ones eyes before they were four years old.
The few exceptions were probably the fibreglass bodied separate chassied cars like Lotus Elans and Reliant Scimitars - but they were just hiding their sins for later ... _________________ in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on! |
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3831 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:36 am Post subject: |
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I recall always being told that postwar Vauxhalls were particularly prone to rust due to poor material quality. Wether thats true or not I don't know? _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1131 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:09 am Post subject: |
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The first 1957 Vauxhall Victors were notorious for rusting. Almost as bad as the 1960's Datsuns. They were a very smart modern design in their day but were beset by ferocious rusting. The exhaust pipe ended through one of the styling circles at the ends of the rear bumper. The whole lot would rust away!
Keith _________________ 1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7124 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:10 am Post subject: |
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I think 1950s/60s Victors are very thin on the ground relative to their competitors from that period.
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22458 Location: UK
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Miken
Joined: 24 Dec 2012 Posts: 544
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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In the 80's a friend of mine had a newish Fiat Panda (hardly a classic i concede)that would rust badly, not only in all the usual areas, but also in places like the middle of the roof panel or bonnet for no apparent reason. |
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47Jag
Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 1480 Location: Bothwell, Scotland
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | The first 1957 Vauxhall Victors were notorious for rusting. |
I emigrated to Canada in 1964 and an abiding memory was in the first days that I was there I had to go and register at the Dept. Of Labour. Outside the building there was a Victor and it had rusted through in a line from the rear window to the wheelarch and it was held together by a length of perforstrip and the rear springs.
That’s what’s missing from Rick’s Datsun picture. Perforstrip.
Art |
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1585 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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In 1983 a friend, passionate about Alfas, took me to Roger Clark's showroom at Narborough to look at a new GTV. I had been doubtful anyway given the history of Alfasuds and Lancia Betas but went along eyes wide open. The car was sitting there, resplendent in red with beige interior - and the headlamp reflectors were already brown with rust. Needless to say I gave it a wide berth. |
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Ellis
Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 1382 Location: Betws y Coed, North Wales
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: | Lancias were famous for rotting away in the 1970s
RJ |
In the May 1971 the son of one of our neighbours bought for himself one of these brand new, A Lancia Fulvia 1.3s Coupe in white :
When he submitted it for it's first MOT in 1974 it passed after extensive welding to the nearside sill and floor and was warned about imminent rust about to break through in the front and rear wing arches.
He part exchanged it shortly afterwards for a new Vauxhall Victor FE.
By the way, looking at Rick's Nissan Navara photo, the problem isn't confined to Nissan, have a look at this chassis from a modern Isuzu 4 door pick up.
_________________ Starting Handle Expert
1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet |
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emmerson
Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 1268 Location: South East Wales
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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I've had five classic Range Rovers, all of which suffered from rust, but the last two were special long wheelbase models, called LSE. Both of them rusted to oblivion, but in places which could not be detected without stripping out carpets and seats, so could not be an MOT fail until it was too late. |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4117 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:46 pm Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: | Lancias were famous for rotting away in the 1970s (didn't the company end up buying many of the Betas back again?).
You'd think that the rust situation was well under control now (electronics usually being the most fragile part on an ageing modern), but Nissan bucked the trend with rampant chassis rot on their mid-2000s Navara pickups. Recent(ish) Citroens have also had their rust issues.
https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/advice/2017/nissan-navara-snapped-chassis/
RJ |
Nissan also offered to buy back or repair these Navara's...albeit after some negative publicity, still very surprising that a post millennium vehicle would suffer this way.
Back to classics I remember my dad cursing that his 3 year old Austin 1300 failed its mot with corroded sills.
Dave |
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kevin2306
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1359 Location: nr Llangollen, north wales
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 10:29 am Post subject: |
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I can pretty much guarantee that, at each show or meet I go to in the Singer, someone will take great delight in telling me how the floors always rotted out of the various roots offerings.
Mine however has never been welded nor does it have any rust, it does have lots of grommets through which the previous owner used to squirt oil. I don’t think it ever seen roadsalt either.
Kev |
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2480 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 11:27 am Post subject: |
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I know Vauxhall did have quite a reputation in the seventies, which was probably carried over from earlier cars. But it wasn't for lack of trying - they made a big thing about how much corrosion protection was put on the vehicles, to the extent of printing a brochure about it.
protectors_spread by Mike Edwards, on Flickr
I wonder whether that led to a false sense of security, with owners not bothering to check the underbody sealant for damage. I know on my cars (Viva HC shell) there are shields behind the front wheels to stop mud getting in the wings, but they rot, so mud gets trapped behind the remains of the shields where it can't be seen. If the shields couldn't be made of something more resilient, they'd almost have been better off not fitting them, so it would have been easier to clean out and inspect. |
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victor 101
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 446 Location: East Yorkshire
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: | Lancias were famous for rotting away in the 1970s (didn't the company end up buying many of the Betas back again?).
You'd think that the rust situation was well under control now (electronics usually being the most fragile part on an ageing modern), but Nissan bucked the trend with rampant chassis rot on their mid-2000s Navara pickups. Recent(ish) Citroens have also had their rust issues.
https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/advice/2017/nissan-navara-snapped-chassis/
RJ |
My local breakers yard has hundreds of these that are ready for breaking, No doubt they are all buy backs from Nissan. |
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Vulgalour
Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 475 Location: Kent
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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A major contributing factor in the rust reputation on all models is the treatment of the car. Many cars gain a reputation for being either bulletproof or rubbish and it is these that get neglected the most and by the time a problem is bad enough the car cannot be used, it usually is much too bad to warrant fixing.
It works the other way too, there's a belief that Reliant Scimitars never rust because they're not made of steel. A similar belief exists that Landrovers aren't prone to rust due to their aluminium panels. We all know how wrong both these beliefs are.
That said, Herald era Triumphs are temples to iron oxide. I'm yet to see a Herald, GT6, or similar that hasn't got rust problems in the floors, arches, valances, gutters, and windscreen surround. The obvious exception being those cars that have been meticulously restored, of course. |
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