Time for an overhaul of my 1.9 '98 BMW Z3 Individual

[Matt Barnes]

Yep, reviews I read could be summarised as POR bad, Bilt Hamber and epoxy good. Happy to report that internet was right about the good. Can’t objectively comment on the bad, as stayed well away from it haha

I'm wondering if the POR15 I've got is duff, as I'm convinced it shouldn't be like water when you put it on...feels it should be more like Hammerite which is more gloopy

 

[AntStark]

Is there different versions for spray application versus brush on ?

 

[Matt Barnes]

Is there different versions for spray application versus brush on ?

these are both brushable mate but I guess it can be sprayed as well...POR15 grey is very watery but the black version is gloopy like Hammerite...just re read the description about it drying rock hard, immune from chipping and cracking...yeah immune to anything apart from rust !

 

[DrWong]

cheeers @GZed ...I get bombarded with Lanoguard Ads on Facebook, the reason I shied away was it claimed it kills rust whereas my standpoint was it'll stop it returning once you've ground it out or cut it out first..might give it a crack though....my plan was POR15, the epoxy primer, then top coat...watching sone Redish Motorsport vids on Youtube, their POR15 was much thicker, almost like Hammerite, whereas the grey I'm using is like water.

Often wondered why Redish favour POR, given they must be aware that many people have had it fail on them. They might just have sussed out the preparation side of things, although they can't be doing anything radically different from the average DIY'er?

 

[Matt Barnes]

Often wondered why Redish favour POR, given they must be aware that many people have had it fail on them. They might just have sussed out the preparation side of things, although they can't be doing anything radically different from the average DIY'er?

I've watched a few of their vids and did some research, and I did the prep (clean surface), used POR15 Metal Prep (which leaves a dull zinc coating), then POR15 Direct to Metal in Grey on top...the only thing I didn't do was put in an epoxy primer as I knew I'd be doing cutting and welding...I've got 2k Mipa primer for that bit when I've finished welding the sills.

 

[DrWong]

I've watched a few of their vids and did some research, and I did the prep (clean surface), used POR15 Metal Prep (which leaves a dull zinc coating), then POR15 Direct to Metal in Grey on top...the only thing I didn't do was put in an epoxy primer as I knew I'd be doing cutting and welding...I've got 2k Mipa primer for that bit when I've finished welding the sills.

Definitely wasn't casting aspersions on your preparation mate. Just didn't want to comment about the possible number of POR failures that a commercial business might have had. Because we just don't know, for the avoidance of any doubt. If you catch my drift...

 

[Matt Barnes]

Took a day off today but wasn't going to spend it all in the garage.... but.... as I was in there..... decided to try and fabricate the end of the sill... this is 2mm plate by the way...

first up was the template the end piece, and this is how it currently looks... like piranhas has been at it...

My standard three layers of masking tape !.. I suggest that's a minimum to prevent it tearing...

After cutting out, I offered it up to the sill and bent it to the right angle

Then lots of fettling with a pin hammer.. I couldn't find a ball-peen hammer.....

lots of offering up, banging with a hammer... lots more offering up

and finally getting a decent sort of shape

Not going to cut it out as weld it in until I' mentally ready again !

a mock up of how I hope it ends up...... end... geddit... end....

 

[Peter1450]

Fair play, that’s far more time and effort than any garage is going to put in!

 

[Matt Barnes]

Fair play, that’s far more time and effort than any garage is going to put in!

Thanks Pete... never done any fabrication before starting on these sills, really pleased with how it looks. Just hope I don't b******** up the welding !

 

[Peter1450]

As long as it’s solid it doesn’t really matter what it looks like as it’s behind the sill covers and arch liners, but if your like me you’ll at least try and make it look good!
Took my wife’s old MX5 for the usual rear sill rust to be sorted ,when I picked it up they’d just whacked another plate over the hole with no attempt to make it look good. Your better off having a go yourself most ( not all) seem to want top money for sub standard work in my experience.

 

[Matt Barnes]

As long as it’s solid it doesn’t really matter what it looks like as it’s behind the sill covers and arch liners, but if your like me you’ll at least try and make it look good!
Took my wife’s old MX5 for the usual rear sill rust to be sorted ,when I picked it up they’d just whacked another plate over the hole with no attempt to make it look good. Your better off having a go yourself most ( not all) seem to want top money for sub standard work in my experience.

exactly Pete.... I want to do as good a job as I possibly can. I don't want to be one of these "cover it in filler" types... it's not the 80's anymore ! I'll do as best I can to make it look very decent and structurally sound. and have bit of pride that I did it..

 

[Duncodin]

. . . .
they’d just whacked another plate over the hole with no attempt to make it look good.
. . . . .

And they likely didn't cut the rusty bit out either. So it's still under there rusting away.

 

[Matt Barnes]

Ups and downs this weekend in the garage but....I was very happy with the results from my latest go at plating.. had a stab at the Driveshaft bolts and brackets..

These were their original state

then you have to wire wheel and grind to get rid of all the rust before the plating process

The copper wires are for hanging on the copper cathode as part of the circuit

After the degreasing and acid etching, the zinc process can take about 30 minutes....... or a large Gin and Tonic

out of the zinc bath and into the yellowing passivate...actually these bolts I ended up redoing by grinding off the black spots

and here's the end result !... if they were in a more prominent place, I would grind those completely clean of any pitting and redo them. The white powder is just water marks that will polish off.

 

[Matt Barnes]

Well it's another Friday afternoon...so I thought I'd practice some more welding. I think I'm getting there.... think....

learning to clean as I go and not try to weld with loads of powdery flux laying around..

penetration still not brilliant... had to whack the voltage up to max to get through the other side

Then I decided to clean up and paint the ends of one of the driveshafts.

Then offered up my newly zinced bolts and brackets. definitely doing the bolts again as that pitting upsets me