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Guidance needed re refurb

Posted: Mon, 17 Aug 2009, 6:40 pm
by Misty Meg
Not sure if this is general discussion (put here as I'm asking for opinions rather than posting anything useful :roll: )

I am debating whether it is worth the effort to take "Poppy" off her chassis and clean it up - or is it likely this will do more harm than good? The alternative would be to try and clean it up where it is - planning to wax oil it. It all currently looks rather rusty, although surface rust (the wheels were almost seized but after a general clean up of the drums they spin great).

I like going a bit over board, but don't want to break anything which I won't be able to fix and I'm concerned with the age of the fibre glass she won't appreciate being taken this far....

Any recommendations gratefully received. :)

Chassis finishes

Posted: Mon, 17 Aug 2009, 10:21 pm
by txfsealord
Hi Meg,

Speaking as a professional car restorer, it's been my experience that the best thing to apply to severe surface rust underneath a vehicle is oil! I'd say, unless you have to remove your chassis to get at repair areas, leave it in place & spray it with Waxoil or a light-based rustproofing fluid such as Supertrol or Dinitrol. Particularly with Waxoil it's advisable to wire-brush loose dirt off first as Waxoil (heavy-based) doesn't penetrate heavy dirt build-up very well.

Removing the chassis just for reasons of painting is uneconomic of effort, in my opinion. Where the hull rests on the 'chassis' (or A-frame) whatever paint you apply & however much time & effort you put into preparation, wet dirt will build up in these gaps & bring your paint off. Oil-based products seem able to prevent this; I've never found a paint which can.

You may possibly recall looking beneath my Ansfold at Beaulieu, the one with the extra chassis structure? No proper paint in sight, just surface rust (which makes an excellent 'key' for oily gunges & stops them from being washed off by winter salt, etc).

I daresay there will be folk strongly disagreeing with me over this. I can only say, this has been my experience, over some 26 years now.

Steve Lord

Posted: Tue, 18 Aug 2009, 12:30 pm
by Ian
Hi Meg - you needn't worry about the fibre-glass, unless you mistreat it in some way it will probably outlast you :wink:

The longevity of fibre-glass is a regular subject addressed by the yachting magazines and the experts/scientists have come to the conclusion that, barring some sort of abuse, the half-life of fibre-glass has not been established. In other words, unless it is physically attacked in some way, it will last for a very, very long time. After all most fibre-glass boats exist in a much harser environment than the average Portafold (ham-fisted owners are a Portafold's natural enemy :roll: )

The beauty of GRP is that it is very easy to repair and any damage will almost certainly be localised as GRP does not buckle unlike metal structures.

mishaps...

Posted: Tue, 18 Aug 2009, 7:38 pm
by Misty Meg
It's more the thought of it twisting /cracking I am worried about, and the hinges. They look OK but I am beginning to learn I can take things apart quite well - it's the putting them back together so they work as well as they did that tends to be the issue! :lol:

I haven't used the Portafold yet due to cracking on the roof corners - I'm worried they might split further, even with the knowledge they're there and trying to treat gently. Planning to try and reinforce before it's maiden voyage.

Does fibre glass split easily (where there is existing damage to get it going) or am I being over concerned?

Posted: Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 8:07 am
by Ian
Hi Misty,

I would suggest that you are being over cautious.

GRP tends to come as two layers: the resin-impregnated glass mat (which is where the strength lies) and the largely-cosmetic gel-coat (the smooth outer layer on the roof and panels).

In the era when Portafolds were made the GRP mouldings tended to have over-thick gel-coat layers which leads to cracking/crazing as time goes on because the gel-coat is somewhat brittle.

Don't let a bit of crazing and the odd split stop you using the Portafold - buy a GRP repair kit and have a go at a repair - it really is low-tech and well within the possibilities of home-repair.

Ian

Cracked roof corners

Posted: Wed, 19 Aug 2009, 11:22 am
by txfsealord
Hi Meg,

My Ansfold roof has both corners busted on one side, the result of being folded incorrectly. The 'van's folding side panels are slightly different angles along their undersides - 'underside' being the visible outer face when folded. Ansfolds have to be folded left-hand side (nearside) FIRST. I don't know but I assume this is the same on Portafolds.

My thanks to Paul-3 who first pointed this out to me at Wroughton 2008.

If the offside is folded first, the outer edge of the nearside tries to push the roof over to the left when it's dropped down, stretching it against the folded end-panels. Standing still, it withstands this; vibration & hull flexing when travelling strapped-down seem to be what does the damage.

I only recently realised the reason for this folding-order myself, when I took my 'van to another Ansfold owner's house & we had them next to each other. The difference in side angle is quite noticeable like this but you don't see it on your own 'van in isolation.

A previous owner has bodge-repaired mine; I've been using it like that for 3 years now & it's no worse, so I'd agree with Ian that it isn't a priority job.

Steve Lord