15 replies to this topic

[Catalina Park]

http://www.ppconline...l/how-it-works/

History of Vehicle Corrosion

Before the 1950′s, automobile owners reported no evidence of corrosion related problems. The first signs of automobile corrosion appeared on the year 1955. As the years pass by, localized corrosion of 430 stainless steel (1960), Galvanic corrosion (1965), Body perforation (1970), Corrosion of anodized aluminum (1980), and reports of 434 stainless steel marginal performance (1985) were all gradually recorded. By the year 1990′s, regular reports of body perforation has already evolved to become a major problem in the automobile industry.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Did cars fall apart before they could rust in ye olden tyme?

[cheapracer]

It must be because of Global Climate Change.

I will immediately seek funding to investigate this foregone conclusion and the relation to the endangered North Equadorian Orange Spotted Nesting Blowfly.

[Bloggsworth]

In 1963 I bought a 1936 Rover 10, I recall no particular rust. The 1935 Standard Flying 9 we owned showed no paricular evidence of rust. My neighbour inherited a 1939 Rover about 10 years ago, it was in parts polished down to bare metal, no sign of rust on the bare surfaces. A metallurgist told me in the 60s that modern cars hady steelwork on the 10% principle, 10% steel 80% slag & 10% of steel again, hence the reason they rust so quickly. I lived on an LCP (Landing Craft - Personnel for the use of), it had been in the water for 15-20 years, its bottom had never been looked at. If you leave a piece of mild steel bought from a stockist lying about for 40 years it may have a light dusting on the surface, but it won't be rusted away. We had 40 year old mild steel tool mounting plates which barely needed a wipe down before use. We stripped down 2 Austin 7 chassis without seeing a rust problem, so yes, the problems probably did start in the 50s and 60s.

Edited by Bloggsworth, 24 February 2011 - 20:56.

[jimjimjeroo]

Poor quality metals being used now, also know as 'cheaper'

[Lee Nicolle]

I think some of you blokes have been reading PPC brochures.

I need that grant so I can show after several years that enviroment and maintenance cause vehicle rust and always have.
Plus ofcourse the manufacturers built in obsolescence where the cas are designed to rust.These days that doesnt have to happen as by the time the heater. aircond and shockers need repair/ replacement the car is thrown away And all the paint has fallen off.

[johnny yuma]

Monocoque construction made rust a serious issue.Combine that with a leaking windscreen which kept the underfelt nice and wet,and vehicle owners who took little if any interest in the state of their car as long as they went and you have the classic situation where my father lifted the floor mat on his 1953 Holden for the first time in 1965 after a scare story in the press and had quite a good view of the driveway.

[cheapracer]

I note people are mentioning the 'old cars' that are still around but what happened to the ones that aren't ........

Environment including your own driveway and/or garage, your traveled route and where you generally live has a lot to do with it, I was recently in Adelaide and you would fall over at the condition and how many 'old cars' are still driving around in very good, rust free condition.

[Magoo]

Ambient conditions are the variable. Here in the American Midwest we have always had rust. Generally in the same places too -- wherever moisture and sediment can collect in the chassis and bodywork. Road salt was introduced just before the second world war, which didn't help matters.

[Grumbles]

I play with early Holdens; cars that were seemingly designed to rust as quickly as possible. Maybe Lee is right about built in obsolescence or maybe the manufacturers were simply too cheap to care. Most of the sheetmetal surfaces that weren't readily visible had no coating at all - just bare metal. Inner guards, doors, sills and other boxed in sections were very poorly sealed and quickly collected mud and dust. Windscreens leaked and demisters were either non existent or so ineffective that you drove with the window down when it rained anyway. None of this mattered of course - in the mid 50's Holden couldn't make them quick enough and literally every second car on the road was one of theirs.

Edited by Grumbles, 25 February 2011 - 06:41.

[Bloggsworth]

It was often said that small leaks from a twin-cam were excellent for keeping a Lotus Elan chassis rust free. My Vauxhall Cavalier Coupe was undersealed and rust-free after 9 years, my Manta GTE wasn't and had to be scrapped after 13 years. I believe pre WW2 cars were made from better quality steel in thicker sections. Most of the old cars disappeared because they were passé and people wanted something more modern. They kept better if they were used, if you left them in a field, yes, they would rust away. We got rid of the 1950 smething Ford E93A we bought for £9 and used from 1965 to 1970 because the boot lock failed, and it would have cost £12 to get a replacement, rust wasn't a problem.

Interestingly, these old vehicles give a sizable clue as to why British Leyland/Rover went broke - In 1993 ish I went into my local Mann Eggerton one Saturday and asked for a pair of door handles for a 1964 Austin 1100 for my Elan +2, he tapped his computer for a few seconds then said "Can't have them here till Tuesday" - Can you imagin Toyota or Honda holding stock for 30 years?

Edited by Bloggsworth, 25 February 2011 - 09:08.

[cheapracer]

one Saturday and asked for a pair of door handles for a 1964 Austin 1100

I went to the wrecking yard and asked them for a pair of door handles for a 1964 Austin 1100 and the guy said to me "only if you tow it here first and even then I think you're getting the better part of the deal".

[Tony Matthews]

I went to the wrecking yard and asked them for a pair of door handles for a 1964 Austin 1100 and the guy said to me "only if you tow it here first and even then I think you're getting the better part of the deal".

Give that man a Carlton!

[Bloggsworth]

I went to the wrecking yard and asked them for a pair of door handles for a 1964 Austin 1100 and the guy said to me "only if you tow it here first and even then I think you're getting the better part of the deal".

You'd have to go a longway to find an FWD car which handled better than an 1100.

[Terry Walker]

Alfasud. Mind, it was built a long way from Birmingham, so you're probably right. I used to own a 105 Alfa, 1750 GT. Many years later I sold it, went out to buy a neat 4 x 4, and came home with an Alfasud sprint. I was amazed to discover that the fwd Alfasud Sprint felt exactly the same to drive as the rwd 105 - albeit a loss less powerful.

[Bloggsworth]

Alfasud. Mind, it was built a long way from Birmingham, so you're probably right. I used to own a 105 Alfa, 1750 GT. Many years later I sold it, went out to buy a neat 4 x 4, and came home with an Alfasud sprint. I was amazed to discover that the fwd Alfasud Sprint felt exactly the same to drive as the rwd 105 - albeit a loss less powerful.

Alfa Sud was the first FWD car I ever drove that oversteered - The window winders rusted shut after 6 months.