Making the rear tub body cappings out of aluminium would reduce the opportunity for galvanic corrosion. I'm particularly thinking of the vertical corner cappings. Any reason I shouldn't do this? Some thick aluminium, a wooden former, and some time with the panel beating hammers ought to result in something usable?
Aluminium body cappings?
- Thread starter thetim
- Start date
This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
nesponge
Active Member
- Posts
- 487
- Location
- Northumberland
galv steel is better and stronger.
The tub needs the cappings for rigidity and strength,.
The tub needs the cappings for rigidity and strength,.
Litch
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 2,235
- Location
- Oxfordshire
Or go back to how they used to be, bare galvanised steel.
Of all the places that I have seen corrosion on the body, where the capping attaches is not one of them.
Of all the places that I have seen corrosion on the body, where the capping attaches is not one of them.
Agree that the strength is required - but the specific strength (i.e. strength to weight ratio) of the aluminium is the same as steel. You'd clearly need thicker aluminium - about three times thicker - but the end result would be neither weaker nor heavier than the steel it was replacing.
nesponge
Active Member
- Posts
- 487
- Location
- Northumberland
And the your sides and roof will sit too high relative to the doors and windscreen
zeaphod
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 3,107
- Location
- Belfast, Norn Iron
Galvanised capping are the way to go. Mine are over 30 years old and are fine. If you really want to make alloy ones as a project we'll all be interested to see the tooling you will need to make a decent set - particularly for the corners. Good luck!
wattfield
AKA Dirk Diggler
- Posts
- 27,697
- Location
- Ayrshire-by-the-puddle
Might be interesting to see if it works, but I'll be changing mine for galvanised. My 1964 Landy is in bits, but there's no rust on the cappings. My Deender cappings are holed at the welds.
For reasons I won't bore you with, standard rear corner cappings (the upright bits) are the wrong height for my tub, so I needed either to cut and weld a set, or to make some from scratch. Here's a work-in-progress shot - they still need trimming to length, drilling and riveting. I don't need taillight mounts on these:
bluedog333
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 5,442
- Location
- Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire
Looks good. My only criticism would be that you haven’t used enough rivets.
Mikewilliams
Active Member
- Posts
- 194
- Location
- Anglesey
Not much room for lights either. Looks good though.
