Monocoque Cars Cracking Up!

[Big Jim]

For all owners of monocoque cars, have a good look around the welds on your cars, especially where the sides join to the front members, and to the scuttle area.

I've previously had mine re-welded and strengthened around the front member, but today I was cleaning it after Donington, when I found a really bad crack in front of the scuttle, all the way across the top "chassis rail" and starting to go down the side panel, as you can imagine, I'm somewhat pea'd off, For a brief moment, I even thought about scrapping it! :boohoo: :boohoo: :boohoo:

[Guest salty_monk]

That's the beauty of stainless!

Seems like you've had your fair share of hard use out of that chassis though Jim... (Although I'd expect it to last for ever too!!)

[st3v3nw]

jim,

buy a cheap 2b off ebay and transfer everything over (including chassis number) you could have it done over the winter, no sva then!!!!

 

steve

[Guest Lew]

Hi All,

 

I have a zinc coated monocoque chassis,

is this stronger than normal stainless steel???

 

Lew

[Guest alan rowe]

Jim

 

mine is a '95 S7 and has covered just over 6000 miles since built all driven very sedately - what ages is yours and roughly how many miles have you done so far

 

Alan

[ibrooks]

Hi All,

 

I have a zinc coated monocoque chassis,

is this stronger than normal stainless steel???

 

Lew

Mild steel isn't as brittle as stainless and will stand more flexing before cracks develop. Basically if you take two pieces of metal the same size but one in stainless and one in mild steel and bend them backwards and forwards. The stainless one will break first but they will both break.

 

MkIV and V Cortinas used to be prone to it at high mileages. It usually started from the aerial hole on the winng top and worked it's way down the outside of the wing - used to amaze me how far some of them got before it either failed an MOT or was fixed.

 

Iain

[Big Jim]

what ages is yours and roughly how many miles have you done so far

Built in 1997, and has now done some 42,000 miles. 4th engine (but to be fair, the last Pinto is now in the Jeep) 2 g/boxes, 4 sets of front disc's, 2 sets of calipers (originals must have been off the donor) just put 4th set of seats in.

Has been to France 5 times, has towed the Jeep (OK, only for about a mile)

I have had it up to 125mph (& still accelerating!!) before my bottle went.

I think we could say that it's been used, but looked after!

[Guest alan rowe]

I'm obviously just running mine in, in comparison !!!!!!!

 

A

[Guest battery joe]

Jim

how are you you going to fix it.. by welding?

you can buy stainless ark welding sticks or is the crack on the outside?

[Big Jim]

i'll weld it & plate it but not yet, i'll have to strip out the fuel pipes, some electrics (they go down that part! At the moment I've shut the garage door & sod it! :boohoo:

It's drinking night tonight, so I'll have a few extra.

Might get around to starting on it next week............

[Guest battery joe]

shouldn't be to hard then

good luck jim

[Guest Battery Bill]

Jim

Built in 1997, and has now done some 42,000 miles. 4th engine

But remember how much weight it has to carry "Big fella"

Also if you had the "Heavy Battery" elsewhere, the poor front end would have less to carry

Have a good drink

[Guest chris brown]

But remember how much weight it has to carry "Big fella"

You are supposed to comisorate with him not take the P***s Mr Brown

 

Jim hard luck mate but I bet it won’t be off the road for long! It sounds as if the stainless is too good, the stuff used on the 2B chassis does rust (check under the rear end of one with a stainless chassis) and a magnet will stick to it so it should be less prone to cracking

[Guest timswait]

With all the other things you've changed. isn't it time for a new chassis? After all Trigger's broom managed to last for 10 heads and 15 shafts before it needed to be replaced .

[Guest Greg]

Also 97 vintage, and maybe just as hard a life, my exmo went there a couple of years ago, welded and plated, although I got too much heat in the panel and it distorted a bit.