Chassis

Hd1966 · Dec 4, 2016

Been looking on the classifieds for a series , and noticed loads of the series one listing as never been welding on the chassis was the steel that much better back then .

Bobsticle · Dec 4, 2016

Could mean many things.
I dont think my last one had any welding on the chassis. I had to spend a month patching it once home though.

honolulujoe · Dec 4, 2016

steel was better iirc, my s1 chassis is in better shape than my s3 chassis but it has a plate under the drivers seat area, one dumb iron has been replaced and possibly a rear spring hanger.

up until a year or two ago you could still get new chassis for them so some of the "unplated" ones could have replaced chassis

John S · Dec 5, 2016

They tend to do lower mileage and kept in garages.

divie · Dec 5, 2016

Where some of the early series one chassis galvanised or waxed from the factory ?

Turboman · Dec 5, 2016

divie said:
Where some of the early series one chassis galvanised or waxed from the factory ?

Very early S1 had galved chasssis. It was dropped after a short time, I think within the first year or so. They went to paint and a Waxoyl type substance sprayed inside.

I think you would be very lucky to find a galv one now, especially anything like a reasonable price.

Hd1966 · Dec 5, 2016

Well well didn't know that

honolulujoe · Dec 5, 2016

pity they didn't keep the galv'ing up, guess it reduced profit, surely wouldn.t have cost them much on that kind of scale?

Flossie · Dec 5, 2016

I remember reading an article , I think, in the 70s about series 1's and it stated that labour costs clearing galv from where they didn't want it was the reason.
I was only around 13yrs old but that's stuck in my memory for some reason.
I can't remember what I did yesterday now.

Turboman · Dec 5, 2016

honolulujoe said:
pity they didn't keep the galv'ing up, guess it reduced profit, surely wouldn.t have cost them much on that kind of scale?

Flossie said:
I remember reading an article , I think, in the 70s about series 1's and it stated that labour costs clearing galv from where they didn't want it was the reason.
I was only around 13yrs old but that's stuck in my memory for some reason.
I can't remember what I did yesterday now.

The reason Rover gave for discontinuing the galv chassis was that some were warping in production, because of the heat of the zinc dip.

Not seen that to be the case with such large rigid assemblies. Maybe with thin sheet steel.

My belief is that the real reason was simple.

Someone at Rover realised that making motor vehicles that last 50 years or more was not good business, because it is a long time until you sell another one.

Hd1966 · Dec 5, 2016

Pity they didn't continue with the waxing of the inside as well, because usually rot from the inside out.

Turboman · Dec 5, 2016

Hd1966 said:
Pity they didn't continue with the waxing of the inside as well, because usually rot from the inside out.

I think they did.
But nothing lasts for ever, which is why many owners put dintrol, waxoil, or oil inside their chassis.

Bobsticle · Dec 5, 2016

Turboman said:
The reason Rover gave for discontinuing the galv chassis was that some were warping in production, because of the heat of the zinc dip.

Not seen that to be the case with such large rigid assemblies. Maybe with thin sheet steel.

My belief is that the real reason was simple.

Someone at Rover realised that making motor vehicles that last 50 years or more was not good business, because it is a long time until you sell another one.

One of the large galvanisers in Manchester has stopped taking chassis due to warping issues. Making large jigs is not cost effective and they cant accept responsibility for ruined parts.

Turboman · Dec 5, 2016

Bobsticle said:
One of the large galvanisers in Manchester has stopped taking chassis due to warping issues. Making large jigs is not cost effective and they cant accept responsibility for ruined parts.

Thats inneresting. Not heard of it on chassis though I have on bulkheads.

All water under the bridge as far as the new chassis are concerned. Long gone!

Stretch · Dec 6, 2016

I've been reading up on series 2 history in the James Taylor book. "He" says that the series 2 chassis started out as being flat plate steel and was then welded together to make the box shape (page 25). I assume that the series 1 chassis was made in a similar way.

From 1971 the chassis were made from two "C" sections that were then welded top and bottom. I remember another source (can't remember who it was - sorry) was saying that these "series 3" chassis were made of thinner steel.

This makes me think that you got thicker steel on the series 1 and 2 chassis frames.

I doubt very much, however, that there are many "never been welded" series chassis frames out there. I reckon it is more likely with the rising values of series 1 Land Rovers in the last ten years they have been more sympathetically repaired and so it is harder to see if they have been welded. I certainly wouldn't be taking my pride and joy down the trading estate to see Barry "who can make it stick" with his MIG...

Hd1966 · Dec 6, 2016

I'm sure I heard that the mid to late 70,s were the worst, due to British Leyland taking over.

Turboman · Dec 6, 2016

Stretch said:
I've been reading up on series 2 history in the James Taylor book. "He" says that the series 2 chassis started out as being flat plate steel and was then welded together to make the box shape (page 25). I assume that the series 1 chassis was made in a similar way.

From 1971 the chassis were made from two "C" sections that were then welded top and bottom. I remember another source (can't remember who it was - sorry) was saying that these "series 3" chassis were made of thinner steel.

This makes me think that you got thicker steel on the series 1 and 2 chassis frames.

I doubt very much, however, that there are many "never been welded" series chassis frames out there. I reckon it is more likely with the rising values of series 1 Land Rovers in the last ten years they have been more sympathetically repaired and so it is harder to see if they have been welded. I certainly wouldn't be taking my pride and joy down the trading estate to see Barry "who can make it stick" with his MIG...

I dont know about metal thickness, that may be better too on S1.

But I do think metal quality went down steadily over the years.
Chassis on the 2 S1s whose owners I know are pretty solid. Metal quality on both my 2As was good, series 3 a little less.
90 chassis is similar condition to my mates S1, which is almost forty years older.
I see 5 year old defenders, pretty bad surface rust all over the rear chassis already!
Guess thats progress!

Stretch · Dec 6, 2016

Turboman said:
...
I see 5 year old defenders, pretty bad surface rust all over the rear chassis already!
Guess thats progress!

Dreadful isn't it?

I get really fed up with automotive advice guru's who have the attitude "well it is older than 5 years old so now you're skating on thin ice". They might be right (especially if you've been daft enough to buy something made by the French) but this "acceptance of the facts" just makes the manufacturers cut more corners.

Turboman · Dec 6, 2016

Stretch said:
Dreadful isn't it?

I get really fed up with automotive advice guru's who have the attitude "well it is older than 5 years old so now you're skating on thin ice". They might be right (especially if you've been daft enough to buy something made by the French) but this "acceptance of the facts" just makes the manufacturers cut more corners.

Throwaway society, innit!

Stretch · Dec 6, 2016

Turboman said:
Throwaway society, innit!

Yep - I remember when men were men - sheep were scared - cars were built to last (just like the Dolomite!) - footballers shook hands (!) - and all this was fields...

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