Aluminium oxidation.

[magnusfeuer]

Ok.

I have some rasty bubbles popping up under the paint on the rear end alu skin. Some is centered around the center mount for the spare wheel, but other there are other that are popping up at the same level as where the honeycomb trunk floor is, but on the outside (obviously). The weird thing with these bubbles is that there is no steel contacting the inside of that spot, there is just some trimming that I glued on with contact cement.

The only thing I can think of generating galvanic currents there is that I in my stupid cluelessness used standard, rust prone, steel bolts to fasten the rear fenders to the body. These bolts are now quite rusty, but there is no alu skin damage (as far as I can see) where they go through the skin.

So, three questions:

1) Why is this happening?
I live close to the beach with quite a bit of mositure coming in at night. The garage is not heated.

2) Where can I get it fixed?
The worst case scenario is a new rear skin for $270 from Caterham, but I need someone who can rivet and weld it in place and give me a good paint job. Gert, Clark: Any recommendations? Any labor price guesses?

3) How do I stop it from happening again?
Zink attached to the alu?

Tnx.
/Magnus F.

[slomove]

It is quite odd....Is the corrosion coming from inside through the metal (i.e. can you punch through with an awl?) or is this just under the paint, maybe through paint cracks or pinholes?

Yor proximity to the ocean may play a role, especially if there is surf spray generated humid salt dust in the air. Would be like driving in Winter on salted roads all the time :) But then, other people keep their Seven close to the ocean without complaint.

For the repair, you may want to check with our new member RACmini. I met him and he mentioned to know a sheet metal specialist who could do such things very professionally. I got the rear end of my Birkin reskinned by Dale's Restoration in San Bernardino. He did a great job fixing up Clarks' car but on my car the result is borderline acceptable (maybe because Dale was very ill and barely able to work at the time he did my repair). He is also usually very busy and takes his time.

Gert

[magnusfeuer]

I just came back from European Motor Car Works who did Ken's rebuild and very, very nice paint job after the A-arm incident.

The painter wasn't there, but the local manager guesstimated the cost for stripping the rear end, priming it with something epoxyish and respray it would land between 500-800 bucks. A firm quote qill be given Monday. I would have to remove the gas cap, spare wheel center mount and the fenders. The guy was as befuddled as me about why the bubbles had appeared in the first place.

While it is there I may go for a respray of the nose cone and have it green with a yellow lip and center-line that is drawn back over the hood and the rear. Something like this: http://www.daystoamaze.co.uk/images/...amracemain.jpg
/Magnus F.

[Boxologist]

its ok w'me as long as u keep it on your coast.




best thing that can be done is having the 3M clearbra installed a few weeks after the parts have been painted.

[magnusfeuer]

Ah man. You stole my absolutely unique and never before executed paint scheme. That will be $500-$800 in copyright fees depending on what the bill ends up at with European Motor Car Works.

/Magnus F.