GTA rear subframe

Although my GTA has done only 58k, it has been suggested that if I plan to keep the car for some time - I do - that I get the rear subframe and wishbones powder coated.

I have had the car 7 years and could probably count the number of times it has been driven in the wet on the fingers of one hand!

It was garaged in a damp garage for about five years, so I'm not sure what to do.

I guess in doing the powder coating,all the bushes will need to be changed. So an expensive preventative job, when there doesn't appear to be a problem at the moment. Although the subframe could be corroding internally?

They are normally pretty good or total shite
Give it a good looksee and scrape any dodgy looking areas ,bang it with a hammer
The wishbones will be the main worry and expense as yes they should have new bushes if you want to keep the car long term .
The subframe can come out without having to remove the engine and box if you do need to swap it .

I've refurbed all my rear gear and apart from the wishbones it was in remarkably good order , just needing a slight clean up and paint .
If you do get it powder coated then make sure it's a top job as it can then hide further rot if it gets a hold under the skin .

Although my GTA has done only 58k, it has been suggested that if I plan to keep the car for some time - I do - that I get the rear subframe and wishbones powder coated.

I have had the car 7 years and could probably count the number of times it has been driven in the wet on the fingers of one hand!

It was garaged in a damp garage for about five years, so I'm not sure what to do.

I guess in doing the powder coating,all the bushes will need to be changed. So an expensive preventative job, when there doesn't appear to be a problem at the moment. Although the subframe could be corroding internally?

Hi Andy

I have refurbished my A610 frame (engine cradle) and thought you might be interested in my approach - not saying it's the best way but it is one alternative.

You don't describe the visible condition of your frame so it's difficult to be very specific but my guess is that all the welded joints are visibly rusting - if you are lucky then engine oil/other lubricant films may have minimised the extent of corrosion but unless the visible corrosion in these areas is very heavy the extent of internal corrosion may not be too great.

I adopted the same approach as you with my A610, and once I realised that fettling the frame in situ was tantamount to impossible I removed it and derusted it myself. I could have had it powder coated but powder coating isn't always what it's cracked up to be in my experience so I went for epoxy priming and then sprayed multiple coats of smoothrite mixed to the same colour as the original (creamy grey in the case of the A610) - yours is probably black. If I was doing it again I would probably use epoxymastic 121 (you'll find it under rust.co.uk) as the base coat and then overpaint it in the colour I wanted. Epoxymastic sticks like nothing else and can only be removed mechanically. What I did do though once I had stripped the frame was to seam weld a number of the joints that weren't fully welded - you'll see what I mean on your own frame.

Or of course just have the frame grit/bead blasted and powder coated! Whatever you decide the fact remains that the original coatings did not last well and from what I have seen I don't think that the original frame welded joints were ground back/prepared with any great care therefore the finish tends to part company with the metal fairly quickly. I think it was Stephen (Dell) that told me that the factory used to coat the welded joints with grease because they knew that corrosion was a problem!

With your wishbones, you could remove them, have them bead blasted (I guess they will have some rust) and the right material should not damage the bushes (and they are not cheap to replace!). Painting is also an option here and would not of course do any harm to the bushes.

Lastly, should you decide to refurb your frame be aware that it is possible to remove the frame with the engine and gearbox in situ without having to disconnect any pipework, linkages etc - don't let anyone tell you this can't be done, I've already done it and my engine frame is back in place! If you are interested I will let you know how I went about it.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Paul T

One solution that I've personally done with a few DeLorean chassis is to galvanise and then powdercoat. The problem with any tubular structure is getting to the *inside*, and hot-dip galvanising (or epoxy dipping! ) is really the only way of doing it. It results in a very long lasting protective coating. The powdercoat only adds to it in the areas where it will be attacked with stones etc, and makes it look proper too.

[stephendell]

Definately a good idea to refurb the frame. Shotblast and powder coat or paint. Zinc treatment advisable first if possible.

We have loads of bushes in stock at the special club price (30+)

Even if the bushes look OK the two inner lower ones will probably be knackered if they are still original.

[mettersl]

There is a company in the Birmingham area that do a 7 stage process on classic body shells- it includes electroplating after neutralising the rust chemically. The then recommend you repair it and the reprocess and hot bake on a primer coat. (sorry will find the name when I get home).

If you want permanent life, this is probably the way to go, but of course you need a different approach for all the other metal parts of the car.

Lee

[BIG_MVS]

Interesting that you can change the subframe in situ, I was putting that job off until I did the clutch.

I replaced my wishbone bushes and wire brushed then hammerited them. It's the old Anti Roll Bar bushes which are the buggers. Non left at Renault so you will have to goto Simon Auto.

[stephendell]

Non left at Renault so you will have to goto Simon Auto.

We're getting some new more sexy ones made.

Non left at Renault so you will have to goto Simon Auto.

We're getting some new more sexy ones made.

I need to hear

si21

[phildini]

"Paul Tindall".............Lastly, should you decide to refurb your frame be aware that it is possible to remove the frame with the engine and gearbox in situ without having to disconnect any pipework, linkages etc - don't let anyone tell you this can't be done, I've already done it and my engine frame is back in place! If you are interested I will let you know how I went about it.......................Paul T

I would like to know how you done it........

"Paul Tindall".............Lastly, should you decide to refurb your frame be aware that it is possible to remove the frame with the engine and gearbox in situ without having to disconnect any pipework, linkages etc - don't let anyone tell you this can't be done, I've already done it and my engine frame is back in place! If you are interested I will let you know how I went about it.......................Paul T

I would like to know how you done it........

Hi Phil

Firstly support the car under the main jacking points (assuming they are OK - I used a large timber beam with rubber pads under the jack points (had recently stripped/repainted those!).

I had the advantage of a pit that I supported the car over but provided you lift the back high enough there should still be enough clearance to drop the cradle.

Next remove the complete suspension assemblies/links but leave the calipers connected - I supported them on heavy wire hooked through the bolt holes in the turret top.

Withdraw the driveshaft assemblies complete - not difficult if you take care with the removal of the locking pins - then remove all the heatshields attached to, and in close proximity to the cradle. It also makes life easier if you remove the exhaust and cat/link pipe depending on your car.

With the engine/cradle assembly pretty clear of attachments, I then drained the oil and removed the sump. I had also removed the anti-roll bar by then (yes that can also be extracted but it's tight!) - when I did that I was yet to decide to remove the cradle - of course it will come off with the cradle anyway.

You then need to make a support to take the weight of the engine on the machined flanges of the sump - a couple of heavy timbers cut to size then joined to make a 'T' piece will work - just make sure that they are about the girth of a railway sleeper! You may need to sand the top of the T piece to sit flush with the engine flange (oh, don't forget to unbolt the oil pump filter!) and then position the support in place, shimming the base with thin ply wedges if you need to tighten any gap.

Almost there!

Unbolt the gearbox mount/plates from the cradle. Then I made an additional support to take the load off the front of the gearbox with an old cast aluminium bracket. At this point you have the engine, gearbox and car body all supported in the correct position relative to each other, and the cradle can now be loosened. I had also removed my old aircon pipes which you may find helpful. Just the 6 bolts hold the cradle on, but it took some levering to free it from the turret mounting point - just leave the bolts partly in whilst you pry it free so that it holds on the bolts as it drops.

Seems a bit involved but it does work and allows access to all those areas inaccessible with the cradle in place. Putting it back was interesting! I had a little difficulty getting the protrusions on the turret bolt mounting to seat in the corresponding recess in the turret, but I probably had a little too much paint on them! Still, I did all of this single handedly so if you can coopt a little help I'm sure it would be easier.

Let me know if you want more detail or if there's anything here you can't make sense of! I basically used common sense with supports, clearances etc and everything was quite stable once the cradle came off.

Best of luck if you're giving it a go.

Paul T