Would it be possible to make a rust proof Disco

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When I was doing my rear inner wings, boot floor, cross members I used a few pieces of galv plate just because it was handy but I would have loved to use stainless steel and replaced everything but that would have been a lot of work. In the end I just used can after can of galv spray on everything then underseal.

I suppose the ultimate would be to galvanise every steel body part, Galvanise chases, strip and heavily anodise every body panel then either re paint or leave mat black anodised (cool), use passivated stainless steel fastener throughout, fit copper nickel brake pipes (stainless pipes are to hart to work and copper still corrodes).

Then all you have to do is clean the mud off and store it in an air conditioned garage.
 
Location - location - location...

as i live right next to a wonderful golden beach,
I have to suffer the consequences all year round...

during this weeks high winds, we, including the D1 doosel,
get sand blasted with very fine sand.
It gets into every crack & cranny..:eek:
then we get covered in heavy deposits of dried salt from airbourne sea spray,
that magicaly changes anything made from ferrous metals into a ****ty shade of brown..

In the ideal world, we would live in hot dry summers, no rain or winds,
but alas, I dont live in some foriegn dessert,
I just live in essex boys country....lol

The only relief we get was like yesterdays torrential rainstorms,
it scrubs clean everything that lives outside, including my shiney D1 doosel...

So,
how can "I" make my landie disco rustproof..........lol

edited - why?
for 3 months last year, I was under me disco,
cutting anything that looked "not quite right" out,
and refabricating with fresh new steel where i could.
at worst, I fabricated around rough looking metals with extra thick sheet steel,
then giving it several coats of black gloss paint then tar based roofing paint over that..

It`ll work,
or not !
 
Last edited:
All the repairs we carry out at our workshop get a couple coats of primer with some gravitex. Repairs to my old transit are still good 5 years on :)
 
A thick enough coating of any rust preventer on fresh is the way forward.

The trouble is that rust promotes rust. The only way to rid if it is to acid dip, do repairs and then heavily paint or galvanise.

In fairness a galv disco is a nice idea but it's much easier to just put a galv chassis under a rebuilt fender body and wash it regular.

Defender could last a very very long time if it had a galv chassis and a substantial wash every month.

Cheers
 
I have thought for a while that GRP is the way to go with the disco.

I have extensive experience both in the GRPmand carbon fibre fields and as soon as I have the time I will be making wings doors, boot and bonnet out of fibreglass.

I can easily imagine a GRP body which would be just a stiff as the steel and Ali one. Plus the added benefit of being much lighter.

I wonder seriously why anyone hasn't done it yet?
 
yu can already get grp disco bits - to make a truck cab - but seriously think for a minute.....
which bits rust on a disco? outer wings - no, bonnet - no.
 
GreenHornet said:
I have thought for a while that GRP is the way to go with the disco.

I have extensive experience both in the GRPmand carbon fibre fields and as soon as I have the time I will be making wings doors, boot and bonnet out of fibreglass.

I can easily imagine a GRP body which would be just a stiff as the steel and Ali one. Plus the added benefit of being much lighter.

I wonder seriously why anyone hasn't done it yet?
Click to expand...
Would it be very expensive?
 
Chunky,

I am not sure of the price a replacement discovery body would be but would imagine a GRP item would be cheaper and make better sense.

Going on what the mad hat man says, yeah I understand that the exterior panels are not the ones that need replacing through corrosion but a GRP body with a choice of standard external panels or GRP replacements would work well.

I don't know about anyone else but my doors are showing signs of corrosion plus the inner wings are always getting tin worm.

Years ago I used to produce the body shells for replica cobras and they were double skinned doors, bonnet and boot with inner wings etc and that cost price was just over a £1000 then in time and materials. Plenty of room for margin I reckon.
So who up for one?
 
a body would have to have a full roll cage built in and tested. The chances are it would make yo motor into a Q plate and subject to an IVA before yu could put it on the road, but in essence a good idea. the bulkhead couldnt be grp because it needs to be a firewall, possibly the boot as well.
 
You could argue the body is a single piece of the vehicle therefore shouldn't restrict you to a Q plate but hear what you are saying.

Firewalls can be fire retardant gels and resins with Matt to match. Probable the worst thing to over come would be, as you pointed out, stiffness above the waist line to roof level. But internal steels can be secured and sealed in against them corroding.

After all looking at the existing structure it is gaining its strength through various double thickness panel returns and boxing. I.e. internal panels returning to external edges.

It would certainly lower the C of G any how's. Of course the best would be carbon fibre. You could use the same mould as GRP so no extra cost there but you would need a massive autoclave to bake the stuff in so and the material would be a fair wedge as well lol.

Would look nice with nothing but a deep laquer finish.
 
Good option as long as it comes with boarded up glasses. Personal opinion but I can't get away from the image of Anika Rice driving one around Birmingham
 
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