RichardUSA Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 I've been considering putting 2 or 3, 1/2" diameter holes through the inner panels in order to easily suck out grot and spray in anti-grot in the Grot Cave. Besides the obvious (don't drill through the skin or the frame), has anyone done this? seems a few such holes with plastic plugs would make it much easier to maintain. Stupid/needless/ too much time on my hands? Is that a new noise or did something else go quiet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBob Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Hi Richard, I don't know about sucking the grot out, but I'm about to fit guards in front of them in my new build Driver's side passenger side But I wonder why this is not done routinely. Can you shed any more light on the intricacies of the grot trap? Will I just be trapping grot in there and making things worse still? As for getting it out once it's there, have you considered a pressure washer or conventional hose, with the nozzle well-in to flush debris out toward the front? See my Build Cam for progress on the Roadsport Sigma build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardUSA Posted October 29, 2007 Author Share Posted October 29, 2007 BadBob, I'm a bit in the dark as well regarding the severity of the issue or how to respond. I have a 2004 car and don't drive in the wet so not a big issue now (to my knowledge) but like most things it's easier to prevent something than repair. What you are proposing seems reasonable for keeping significant amounts of dirt / organics out which might tend to hold moisture longer. Water would still be able to enter but appears that there would be enough ventilation to allow it to dry quickly. I've read of some who proposed foam but I don't think that would be a good idea. Personally I wouldn't come near the car with a pressure washer and getting access to the area once the motor and all is in place is tough. (I don't think you'd be washing it out but washing it around in the cavity). Since you have access now I'd proceed with your approach but spray Waxoyl or similar in first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 29, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted October 29, 2007 This is the kind of crap that gets behind the panels. My car is a '99 chassis, and the biggest issue is not the grit and dirt but the moisture that it can hold causing corrosion between the steel tubing and ally outer skin. This is the same area after attacking the corrosion and giving it a healthy dose of Waxoyl. Also adding plates to the front as Bob is doing will certainly help against the ingress of the worst of the cr&ap - IIRC RiF has done something similar. Richard - rather than drilling holes in the panels, it's not so big a job to remove the whole panel and treat the complete side of the chassis. The small rear quadrant panel comes out first followed by the full length inner skin. Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen grant Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 [slight hijack] My car is a '98 and, although it's generally in excellent condition, I have a patch of corrosion bubbling visible on the driver's side, at the bottom, roughly in line with the front of the seat. I need to remove the panels and take a proper look this winter but, given that the side skin will obviously need replacing to get rid of the bubbles, is a trip to Arch my only option for a new sideskin? [/slight hijack] stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 29, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted October 29, 2007 Stephen - a trip to Arch is the only real option for a new side skin. However, if the rest of the skin is in good condition, have you considered attacking the inside to stop the corrosion then having the outside filled and painted as a temporary measure? Once you start replacing the side skin you're probably better doing the lot, and the car surely isn't old enough to justify it If you remove the inner panel and gain access, even if you break through the outer skin removing the corrosion, it's easy enough to bond an ally suporting plate to the inside then have the outside repaired, either by a local bodyshop or do it youself if you have the confidence? This can effectively be temporary until a re-skin can really be justified? Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen grant Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Thanks Stu - that's a good game plan. The rest of the bodywork is in superb condition but, like many 7's of the late 1990's, the powder coating on the chassis is beginning to go. To date i've POR-15'ed those areas that I can get to, but I suppose eventually the whole lot will need to be stripped back and sent to Arch. There's no way that it needs doing yet though (TSK did a prep and respray a couple of years ago and it still looks like new on the outside) and so I think your plan sounds like a good idea. Regards, stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardUSA Posted October 31, 2007 Author Share Posted October 31, 2007 Thanks for the images and info sforshaw. I believe you that the panels are not too difficult to remove but I always seem to have my plate full doing other 'stuff'. I may take the panels off someday but little ports seem a lazy mans approach (which means I may deal with it more often). Another one of those issues that CC could try to address? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK FLASH Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 This topic has started me worrying, thanks guys ! I' ve got a 1987 chassis and I suppose that the former owner hasn' t done anything in the field of rust prevention. I own the car now for 2 years and 3 months and apart from treating the surface damage to the external of the exposed tubes with rust primer and a new coat of chassis paint I haven' t done anything else. The chassis is in quite good condition - I haven' t seen anything that looks like rust - and I never drive it in the wet. The former owner also kept the car always dry, so I hope this has helped. I was thinking of giving the inside of the tubes a classic anti rust treatment this winter, so drill some small holes and inject the whole chassis with a liquid or wax. Is this the right thing to do or not ? ! Taking off the scuttle to have a look under it at the same time when doing the anti rust treatment was also planned, but I' m a little bit afraid of tackling this job. Concerning the hollow space between the outer skin and the interior panels, how easy is it to remove the interior panels and what is the best way of doing it ? ! Use a small dril to remove the head of the rivet. More important how do you mount the interior panels back on the frame ? Just with normal rivnut pliers or do you need special tools ? I think that the idea of RichardUSA is not bad because you can easily check up the condition of the hollow space. Could somebody explain where these plates or guards should be fitted ? To be honest, I have no clue ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 31, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted October 31, 2007 JF - follow the link in my signature to the bit that says "the rebuild". There's 3 pages with pictures that should give you an idea of what's involved. Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Yes - drill the head of the rivets. The hidden part of each rivet will drop inside the chassis tubes, but if you squirt some waxoyl into the holes, they shouldn't rattle about too much !! Replace panels after treatment by using a manual rivet gun (available quite cheaply - in the UK at least !). The suggested plates go at the front end of this space - between the side skin and the front end of the footwells - to stop the flying water/dirt getting down the small space. 7 related photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK FLASH Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 OK, things are clearing up now. Another job on the neverending to do list. Just a last question. Is it a good idea to treat all the tubes inside with a product like Waxoyl or something similar or should I leave the tubes with no rivets (no holes) in them alone ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicky Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 I have a 97 / 8 chassis and when I got the car the side skins had very bad bubbling on them, almost the all the way along the side of the car (both sides) Eventually took the car to Tony @ TSK who did a fantastic job of patching the side skins up. A couple of bubbles have come back but nothing like there was. He said that in an ideal world I need to take the car back to Arch for new side skins as they are so thin now, but as it stands I am pretty happy with the result. When I got the car back I did spary a lot of waxoil down in to the grot traps and that seems to have kept the bubbles under control a bit, and I use the car in all weather. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 I replaced my engine and when the engine bay was clear I had a go at the GROT TRAP, amazing the amount of CARP that sits in there, made a tool up, rod with "L" shaped end flattened to get it all out, flushed out with some engine cleaner then a healthy dose of Waxoyl. A must do for any 7 owner. Helping and encouraging others rather than putting them down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK FLASH Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 So I must definitely buy a (cheap) manual rivet gun. Can anyone recommend a type or make ? I' ve seen that Machine Mart list a Clarke 66 Piece Hand Riveter Kit for only 9.39 GBP. This kit consists of a 60 assortered rivets, a hand riveter, 4 nozzles (3/32", 1/4", 5/32" and 3/16") and a spanner. Is this kit any good for a Caterham owner or is it just too good to be true ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Sounds a bit like the cheap ones you can buy from most DIY stores, or car accessory shops. No doubt not as good as a professional one if you have to re-skin the whole car every so often, but I have had such a cheapie for years, and does my occasional use just fine. 7 related photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted November 2, 2007 Leadership Team Share Posted November 2, 2007 The rotating head version would be my choice although it is more expensive. It would make much lighter work of the awkward rivets down the footwell. You'll need to buy some black rivets anyway - for the few you'll need you may as well call Caterham. Stu. www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBob Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 I've installed the protective panels I fabricated as splash-guards to the grot-traps on my 7. This was easy as it's a new build and the engine wasn't in yet. Pictures of my approach to this problem here and here. Ask me in 10 years time if I've done the right thing See my Build Cam for progress on the Roadsport Sigma build. Now with photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Nice job. What silicone are you using? Helping and encouraging others rather than putting them down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBob Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 I just used some RTV silicone I got from the motor factors to 'glue' them on. Now pondering whether to put some bolts through from the inside. I think I'll wait and see how they fare. See my Build Cam for progress on the Roadsport Sigma build. Now with photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Silicone is pretty strong stuff - they use it to stick sheets of glass together when making huge aquariums these days - we would have relied on an external angle-iron frame and putty, now they just run a bead of it up the inside of the join !! 7 related photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK FLASH Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 So the conclusion for me is : buy a rivet gun and get these inner panels as soon as possible out of the car to have a look inside. I have no idea what a rotating head version is, bit I' ll find out when visiting MachineMart. The use of protective panels sounds logical to me and I wonder why CC doesn' t incorporate it in the chassis design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiF Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Don't buy a cheap rivet gun. They really don't last and with that number of rivets you will stuggle. An air one is well worth thinking about as an option, they really are so easy. We also sell parts to close to footwell traps and I installed some on my car 4 years ago. I also injected through a drilled hole Waxoil or similar. Really is the answer and should be done at build stage. Mine I used a mastic adhesive on. See the 2 web sites below as I have just done it on my wife's seven as well. RiF Driving one of the first Duratec 7, and building CA07BON for Henrietta 😬 😬 😬.for pictures of 7 and carbon andCA07BON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK FLASH Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 RiF, you' re right about the cheap rivet guns. I took a good look at the ones sold by MachineMart and I must confess that there is a reason why they are so cheap. The job is something for beginning next year, so I' ll start a market research for a good quality rivet gun at a decent price for a hobbyist. I might even consider of introducing some CF parts on my car, so perhaps I' ll contact you in the future to have a look at the parts you produce and sell. I' ve got a standard S3 chassis (short cockpit Ford live axle). Have you got CF parts for this chassis "of the shelf" or is it a special order ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiF Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Hi, most parts are made to order but some odd bits are in stock. RiF Driving one of the first Duratec 7, and building CA07BON for Henrietta 😬 😬 😬.for pictures of 7 and carbon andCA07BON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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