Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Tex · Joined: 02 Nov 2012 Posts: 20

I'm converting a '75 850cc Reliant Supervan into a trike. All the fibreglass body has been chucked and I'm going to be using some exterior grade ply for a floor.
Will I be okay just painting it with some underbody seal or should I use some wood sealer first.

Any tips or suggestions?

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4866 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Hi
Might it be preferable to use marine grade ply?

I'm not sure of the difference, but I bet there are boaters on here who would know.

I found this after I typed the above

welshrover · Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 326

id have thought any type of wax will stick and soak in,waxoyl type of thing. i usually paint my shed with old oil and its lasted for years . varnish id have thought would need redoing after a while, cracking etc could possibly paint it first with a decent wood preserver /primer .

i like trikes /bikes myself ,built a few bikes over the years chops etc i used to run c&j customs making billet and one off parts .
i built a trike about ten years ago all one off bits forks etc . with a beetle engine it was a 2.0 litre with scat cam and was built by vsm in manchester they build engines for racing /drag beetles .ill put up some pics when i find them .it was in back street heroes and 100%biker mag at the time Cool

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4242 Location: South Cheshire

Tex · Joined: 02 Nov 2012 Posts: 20

WelshRover. Love the trike. I'd give my left nut for a set of springers like that.

I've also looked into marine ply. I've been told that as long as I won't be immersing the trike in water it's not worth the extra expense (sarky or what?). Some model boat builders apparently use the exterior ply and seal it with a clear resin. A bit costly for the size I'll be using.

Basically what I've gathered is that as long as it's sealed properly It should be fine. i was looking at something like Cuprinol followed by some brush-on underbody seal.

Apparently Hammerite do an underbody seal with added waxoyl. I'm a bit wary though 'cos I know normal Hammerite doesn't handle oil and petrol too well. I'm guessing that this deals with it better, but I'd like to hear some reviews if anyone has tried it.

Hammerite with Waxoyl

welshrover · Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 326

thanks for that .
i made the girder forks my self they were made out of stainless steel.
the only things bought in was the engine and the wheels everything else was handmade.
hope to see yours when its done .reliant engines are great for trikes .my mate grommet had one, it looked like a bike trike with a box at the rear for tools and most important beer for rallies etc. the engines follow their name reliant .as you can rely on them engines, bullet proof ,nippy ,reliable .also the gearboxes and diffs are solid too.
keep on triking
craig Cool

Roger-hatchy · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex

I presume your both familiar with PapaSlut of S.L.U.T. fame ( South London Uncomitted Trikers) Grunt, as it was called is the only 5 wheel trike in europe, so we are led to believe..
Had a Ford 2.8 V6 drive train.

Since Berts passing the bike has returned to it's constructor somewhere in Essex.

Taken in Conningsby, Linc's in May 2009

http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n101/Hatchy-62/Civvy%20street/?action=view&current=DSCF3327.mp4

Roger-hatchy · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex

Sorry about that
I digress

It might be worth trying around some shipping / import haulage and warehousing yard.

I got a lot of Marine ply that had been used for packing cases,
to build a workshop, from a shipping company next door to the haulage company I drove for.
most places just skip it

I still have a sheet leaning up against the shed for 10-5 odd years not been painted still no sign of delamination etc.

Tex · Joined: 02 Nov 2012 Posts: 20

That's a top tip Roger, thanks mate. I'd definitely like a look at Pappa Slut's trike, unfortunately the link seems to be down. Any chance you can post a pic? The name rings a bell though, was he in in BSH a few years back?

Tex · Joined: 02 Nov 2012 Posts: 20

Found one. It's from his funeral procession.

That's quite a beast.

Kelsham · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:28 pm Post subject:

I use bitumous black paint, used to use it on the bottom of a boat I owned a few years back. Cheap and durable.

Regards Kels.

baconsdozen · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.

I don't know if the elf and softy people have banned it because I haven't seen any about for a long time,but we used to use 'tar varnish' on the bottoms of river boats (steel and wood). This lasted well and gave a shiny black tough coating.
It's probably the same stuff as in the above post.
_________________
Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

Bitumen Boy · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:15 pm Post subject:

I think you'll find it's not quite the same thing. Ordinary black bitumen paint will, when exposed to sunlight, go from shiny gloss to a matt finish in a very short time - can be just a couple of weeks in high summer. The black tar varnish is (or was) formulated to oxidise more slowly and is reckoned to stay shiny for all of six months or so... Rolling Eyes

If you want black paint to stay shiny in the longer term you really need to use a decent quality oil based gloss or enamel. In this application, however, the ordinary black bitumen will work fine though if you want maximum protection on woodwork creosote can be applied first and left to dry, it acts as a sort of primer which then sucks the bitumen into the timber, but if you go down this route be aware it will stay sticky for a good while before going off properly. Some may be wary of treating ply with creosote, but I've been doing it for years with no problems - wouldn't trust it outside with no further protection, but it's stopped the reclaimed ply shelves in my garage suffering with the damp for a good few years now.

Tex · Joined: 02 Nov 2012 Posts: 20

Cheers everyone. I'm definitely leaning towards the bitumen paint option. Checked the price on flea-bay and it's pretty reasonable. Unlike the wood sealers and varnishes, I'll also be able to use it on the undersides of my mudguards, which will be a bonus.

colwyn500 · Joined: 21 Oct 2012 Posts: 1745 Location: Nairn, Scotland

I am beginning to realise where "Bitumen Boy" gets his name from. I use basic bituminous paint, very cheap, easy to apply and available at DIY shops, on all underbody bits and pieces. I believe that it is what chassis and underbonnet bulkheads etc. would have been painted with in the 1930's (although I stand to be corrected). It certainly seems to be what my car was painted with. It's not the toughest finish but is very waxy and doesn't seem to skin over. This means that as long as visual appearance is low on your priorities, it can be easily and effectively painted over when you want to refresh things. I just give a light wire brushing and then go for it. I find that if you use red oxide when you first paint the metal the finish lasts longer.