Should I galvanize OE Chassis?

[mongoswede]

The benefit of the galvanizing is that it will get the inside and outside of the frame and all the little overlaps and tight corners. Powder coating will not get into the inside of the chassis and it can have trouble getting into overlapping metal and tight spots. Those prices sound really good to me.

[Monkeyboy]

Coming from part of the country where we do have rust issues....I'd advise against the powdercoat.

The smallest flaw and you'll have moisture under it and rust you won't see until its darned advanced.

I galvanised an old frame that we repaired, revised and made fit the way we wanted it to.

The one you've got???? Man, I'd have to keep it cleaned, painted and waxoyled.

But that's just my opinion. It's your vehicle.

[yank]

I think that frame belongs in a museum, or the record book at least.

[I Leak Oil]

Did you buy the truck as an investment? I hope not...
Unless there's something special about the truck itself that original frame isn't going to add a whole lot to the price of a run of the mill series truck, original vs. Marsland or other new galvy frame. It will save you some money using it vs. buying new though.
Put two identical series trucks side by side, one original painted frame and one galvanized frame....I'd take the galvy one 8 days a week.

Galvanize it, put it together and work it like the Rover Gods intended. They're tools not displays.

[NRutterbush]

The only way this is an investment might be as a place to get rid of cash that would otherwise be used for stupid stuff... like mortgage payments.

As soon as this truck is road worthy again, it will be used for groceries now and then, Sunday drives in the mountains, and hauling the family camping on the trails in the Sierra Nevada. I'm sure it will end up parked at a car show or two, just because of the relative uniqueness of a rover in a line of mustang and camaro restorations.

If the chassis is really that rare to find, I could just clear-coat it for everyone to marvel at .

Anyway... I'm pretty sure there is a trip to the galvanizing guy on Tuesday.

[disco2hse]

The only way this is an investment might be as a place to get rid of cash that would otherwise be used for stupid stuff... like mortgage payments.

As soon as this truck is road worthy again, it will be used for groceries now and then, Sunday drives in the mountains, and hauling the family camping on the trails in the Sierra Nevada. I'm sure it will end up parked at a car show or two, just because of the relative uniqueness of a rover in a line of mustang and camaro restorations.

If the chassis is really that rare to find, I could just clear-coat it for everyone to marvel at .

Anyway... I'm pretty sure there is a trip to the galvanizing guy on Tuesday.

Good choice. Galvanise the thing and enjoy it.

Land Rovers aren't meant to be clean and shiny. They (and yours) were built for use on the farm and in the building site.

If it were something really unique, like a long lost prototype or something then that might be a different story.

[NRutterbush]

After a lot of thought, I drilled about 14 3/4 " holes in the bottom of the chassis, hitting everywhere I thought was a low point, or a closed box.

When I got to the Galvanizing Shop, the guy told me that they would have to drill some more drains in one side, because they dip the parts sideways not flat.

DOH!!!!!

Anyway, I'm sure that my "drains" will help with water crossings at least.

The chassis is due back here on Tuesday or Wednesday, and the estimate was between $250 and $300 for galvanizing.

He has a pretty cool setup. You drop your trailer, he unloads, dips, and re-loads the trailer. Of course... my little car / equipment trailer looks a little out of place in a line of big-rig flatbeds full of cool shiny zinc industrial equipment, but it was a nice setup.

Thanks for the advice.

-Nate

[disco2hse]

Hope it all goes well for you.

[shock]

Take pictures!

[RoverForm]

Take pictures!

YES!!

pics of this process would be good to post!

[NRutterbush]

Finally! It is Shiny!

Now I understand why my wife loves to receive shiny things so much.

Total cost was $272 for hot-dip, $180 for blasting.

There are a few flaws in the dip, but not enough to be worrisome. I think most of the issues are at the rear crossmember inside the chassis rail. I wish I would have opened that up and blasted through it with sand and / or water to clean it well prior to galvanizing.

The whole process was relatively painless, and I'm ready to get on with the suspension set-up now.

I asked about taking photos of the process... sorry no go. Insurance keeps me, the lowly customer, from getting to play in the same room with a giant vat of molten zinc.

Enjoy the pictures.

[disco2hse]

You can probably get at those flaws with spray on zinc before you go too much further in the build process. Easier to get at them now than later and if you don't you will always be thinking, "if only..."