GBMUD Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 ...to change the chassis and bulkhead on my 90? I plan to change the chassis and bulkhead on my 1987 300Tdi auto 90. It is pretty standard with only a few mods, no roll cage or anything big. I will probably end up changing lots of bushes, brake pipes etc. as I go which is bound to take time. I have access to plenty of tools, air compressor, engine crane (possibly a forklift too) and friends to help lifting. So, who has done it? How long did it take between undoing the first fixings and driving out of the workshop with the new chassis? I need to put time aside between needing to use the car ideally. ...of course, all I need to do now is to find a good, complete and rust free bulkhead. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 I've done a 110 chassis only swap on my own it took me just over a week but it can be done a lot quicker with help. I would put a galv bulkhead on if I were you. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiWhite Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 I've just changed a chassis in 5 days. Drove into the barn on monday lunchtime and out again saturday morning. That was with new (hence unsiezed etc) bolts. I lifted the body complete. No reason a strip of a 90 shouldn't take much longer - it's fitting bolts, anti sieze paste etc that takes the time. Give yourself a week off work, and with the weekend either end you'll be sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallfry Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Space is the problem, but you mention a forklift so i guess you have access to a barn or industrial unit ? Undoing bolts is most times not that easy and takes time, and they break, so make sure you have some new ones available. I have done it on my own in three days. Its normally the brake pipes and fuel lines that are time consuming. What I did was to fit all new parts to the vehicle in the preceeding weeks while it was still running, thus freeing off bolts, and spend some time loosening, replacing and retightening others. Then when you come to the main event it is relatively easy with minimal downtime. Having someone to help though is a real boost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_grieve Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Normally you lift the body off complete and as said, you can swap everything over in a few days but as you're changing the bulkhead that is almost as big as changing the chassis and requires a complete strip down. A good rattle gun to take everything apart will honestly save you days as will cutting off anything stubborn and then deal with the fixing with the better access you'll have with the chassis out of the way. Make sure the rivnuts for the steering column are in the new bulkhead and tapped out if you do get it galved before fitting it. Putting in a good bulkhead will add years to the life of the vehicle. As said above, have new fuel and brake pipes and flexi pipes to save hours of messing around and not forgetting the clutch flexi if the auto bit wasn't a typo and maybe a new speedo cable. Now's the time to run any winch wiring or cutoff switches / security dooh dahs. Use grade ten bolts with coppaslip and don't use stainless on anything load bearing but good for the floor fixings into those plastic things. An impact driver on the door hinges is about right if they're worth saving and a long wobble bar is great for getting the wings and down pipe off. I'd change the hinges and look at new studs where the down pipe bolts on to the turbo when you've got easy access. I wouldn't hurry it as it sounds more like a rebuild than a simple rechassis and give myself an easy month of it after work and suchlike and allow plenty of time to get any bits you need. I'd also say whatever you think it's going to cost, I'd add an extra grand onto it for all the things you decide you need before it goes back on the road. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4444244 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I would also echo the above, run new brake fuel and wiring looms etc down the new chassis first while you have excellent access to it, and start un bolting everything un-necessary off the car now, eg tow pack etc to save time later Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Brock Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Un-doing bolts is the worse bit, and I'd replace all the bolts with new with lots of copper slip for future dismantling etc, try and isolate differnet metals to stop galvanitic(sp?) corrosion New brake lines - how much of the rest it really upto how far you want to go How long.......I'm not even going to answer that given my track record Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 This has been covered many, many times before if you search back. It can be done in a weekend with help & preparation. There's plenty you can do beforehand to make your life easier on the big event - both in prepping the new chassis and in pre-loosing-up of bits on the old one. Lots of bits are not worth transferring, if you are doing all new bushes then for a few quid extra you can buy new/good used arms (for example) to put the new bushes in, as most of the effort is in getting the old ones out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_grieve Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 It can be done in a weekend with help & preparation With the best will in the world, there's no way unless he was doing it on a daily basis and knew every bolt size, location and colour of every wire I would tell the OP he could change a chassis AND bulkhead in a weekend. How many additional hours to strip the roof, front wings off, windscreen hinges, clean and make the windscreen frame seals again, swap the heater, wipers, dash, brakes, doors, windscreen washers, floor panels, tunnel front panel, vent flaps and seals and screens, heater controls not to mention the siil panels and channel you would normally leave in place. Then you have to line it all up again on reassembly that you normally don't have to do. The point I was making before is that there's a huge difference between changing a chassis or doing it with a bulkhead. Just changing the chassis doesn't involve dismantling the whole vehicle structure and controls and yes, it is possible in a weekend with a bit of planning, I'm not going to disagree with that but telling the OP who I'm guessing hasn't changed a chassis before that he can do it in a weekend I don't believe is that helpful to him but rather misleading him into thinking there's not that much to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 We have normally had this video posted by now ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Sounds like you need a work party Chris! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 That was 47 hours... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 Thanks for some good advice and experience guys. I will not be going for a galvanised bulkhead as many of the ones I have seen suffer from distortion. I also have misgivings about the idea of galvanising a used bulkhead as the rust already present in the box sections will remain after galvanising. I would prefer not to buy a new bulkhead but want to look for a really good used one complete with wiring loom, dash, heater etc.. The wiring in the car currently needs replacing so buying a bulkhead with all attendant wiring appears to be the way forward. I will be sure to have a good supply of new fixings and a pot of copper-slip at hand. Sounds like you need a work party Chris! I am thinking so James! A week with some help from friends will hopefully see it done. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiWhite Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Drop me a line when you need the engine crane back - I'll drop it round and turn some spanners for a few hours... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 Thanks Si, I may take you up on that! Not till after we move though. What I should have added to my comments about bulkheads its that it is my intention to thoroughly treat all cavities and concealed surfaces of a new (good used) bulkhead with Waxoyl or similar in the hope of avoiding the need for any repairs in the near future. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 On the bulkhead galvanising : If you had it chemically stripped first it would remove any rust hidden in the cavities - and really the only warping you should expect to see on it would be across the footwells ... Which would disappear as soon as you have mats or sound proofing down. I think it's well worth doing ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4444244 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I got my bulkhead electroplated for £40, it's a cold process so no warping, nice finish too. It cost me £40 to get blasted first if you don't fancy stripping it yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Could you share any more details on that Mike, what the playing was etc ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Brock Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Galved my bulkhead, blasted first, then chemical dipped and braced it with 2" angle iron no warping ! -well worth the effort if your keeping it, you dont want to be doing it all again any time soon McArthur Bristol - not that ou'll be anywhere nears there soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I got my bulkhead electroplated for £40, it's a cold process so no warping, nice finish too. It cost me £40 to get blasted first if you don't fancy stripping it yourself Does the electroplating process get the rust out of the cavities? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_grieve Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Does the electroplating process get the rust out of the cavities? Yes, the chemical dip before the plating process does but one problem with electro plating is that it doesn't do inside box sections like hot dip does. I had my Austin Gipsy bulkhead electro plated and it has been good but not as good as dipping it would have been. I could have cured any distortion far easier than the rust when it comes back. The dip cleans everything back to bare metal then how do you paint it? I poured paint into it and bunged the holes up with paper and rolled it about the place but I wish I'd got it galvanised. I also wasn't aware of the zinc paints you can get when I did it. Galvafroid poured into an electro plated bulkhead might work. I painted the Land Rover bulkhead I made with it and it's amazing after being left out in the rain for the last 4 years it's still hardly got a speck of rust on it. http://www.nwepaints.co.uk/acatalog/Galvafroid%20Data.PDF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4444244 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 so it was blasted then I did a minor repair patch then it was dipped and chemically stripped, it then got zinc plated and ended up looking galvanised, I was hoping for bling gold colour! seems to have done inside as it was totally submerged in the tank Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_grieve Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 so it was blasted then I did a minor repair patch then it was dipped and chemically stripped, it then got zinc plated and ended up looking galvanised, I was hoping for bling gold colour! seems to have done inside as it was totally submerged in the tankMike That's exactly what I did with mine too. Submerging it in the tank doesn't make any difference, the acid dip cleans off the rust but electroplating doesn't take place inside tubes or long cavities without stringing electrodes inside. You might actually find you have lost corrosion protection around the vent flaps and in the middle of the door pillars and are simply relying on the depth of coating on the outside to sacrificially protect the inside. That's why I filled mine with paint and rolled it about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Yep , EP doesn't get into cavities as Jamie says . galv dip is the only way to get inside cavities practically I'd definitely recommend galvanising the bulkhead when doing a galv chassis and bulkhead change cheers Steveb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 EP is not a patch on ot dipped galv for durability. Just look at a standar dbolt or screw they are nearly all electorplated in some form or other. Go for HDG Chris. Warping can be fixed bit hammmers and heat afterwards if you get any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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