Looking at a Grantura

[Vixen]

Is there anyway to test the frame on a Grantura since it’s wrapped in fiberglass? I will be looking at one next week but it seems you can’t tell if it’s a good frame unless you dig it out of the fiberglass.
Thanks,
Martin

 

[Grantura_MKI]

Simple. Where the frame is wrapped, the pipe will expand if rusted. The fibreglass will not usually crack.
Check chassis tubes in the tunnel, out riggers and door plates.
What year car?

 

[Vixen]

Simple. Where the frame is wrapped, the pipe will expand if rusted. The fibreglass will not usually crack.
Check chassis tubes in the tunnel, out riggers and door plates.
What year car?

It’s a 1963 Grantura. So the fiberglass wrapping will be cracked if the frame is rusted? Would this be visible under the car or from the inside if you pull up the carpet? Thanks

 

[Grantura_MKI]

Please read my reply again.
The tubes will be visible under the car for the tunnel and behind the inner wings at the front.
Is this the red one with a yellow stripe?

 

[Grantura_MKI]

I removed all of these tubes with out removing the body.

 

[Vixen]

Yes it is the red one with yellow stripes

 

[Grantura_MKI]

Nice one, but I haven’t laid eyes on it. If you want to PM me pictures when you view, I will try and help you.

 

[Rocky_LC]

Did you buy it?

We’re all dying to know!

Rocky

 

[Grantura_MKI]

Car finished on flea bay with out any bids.

 

[Vixen]

Obviously I did not buy it, did not go in person to look but some of the pictures indicated possible frame rot and he did say the rear cross member was cracked. On the other hand I did but another 1971 Vixen picking it up this weekend.

 

[Grantura_MKI]

A 2500 Vixen?

 

[Vixen]

Yes but it now has a Mercur turbo engine with a t5 gearbox and a Nissan 300z differential

 

[Vixen]

I have a 302 and correct bell housing going in this fall.

 

[billspohn]

The early chassis with the fiberglass wrapped around the frane tubes were set up for eventual failure, it just took a few years. When I restored my Mk 3 Grantura, I cut the body off the frame, replaced all the missing/rotten frame tubes and fabricated new tunnels out of FG so that the body would socket over the frame, as well as mounting plates welded across the frame junctions so that bolts could be passed through the body and frame plates for mounting - a good way to ensure the serious rusting never recurred and also to enable easy demounting of the body if necessary in future.

It was a lot of work but had to be done and I itched for weeks. The car became a track car and AFAIK is still racing in the UK. So rust in those tubes does entail a lot of work to restore but shouldn't require a replacement frame.

If you contemplate a 'body wrap' car I'd recommend that small squares of glass be cut out with a Dremel or wheel so that the chassis tubes can be examined, but I'd also anticipate that on any car that saw much street use, the restoration as I outlined it will likely be necessary.

 

[Grantura_MKI]

No need to cut the body off the chassis. Most of the cars, once restored will never see rain again.
Not sure the seller would let him cut holes in the fiberglass.
Have restored many cars with this method.

 

[billspohn]

No need to cut the body off the chassis. Most of the cars, once restored will never see rain again.

Fair point - if it going to be a garage queen then the chance of rust recurrence is minimal.

Even TVR finally realized that the wrap method was not desirable - it just took them until the Series 2 Vixens came out in 1968 to implement the new bolt on mounting.

 

[Grantura_MKI]

You have a nice day.

 

[billspohn]

Forgot to mention that Elva went through the same development curve with their Courier - early cars had FG bodies bonded to the frames but they switched to bolt on after experiencing issues.