TR7 Body Tub Restoration

Imb4u · Postby **Imb4u** » 29 Nov 2011 01:25

I am the proud owner of a 1980 TR7 and am just about to start a restoration. On the inside of the car in manufacture a black tar like material was used. I believe that this was sound proofing and water proofing all in one. I am wanting to remove this material and would like to know.
Q. Does any know the best way to remove this material
Q. Has anyone found a source where I can get this material to replace once the car goes through the dip and phospahate cover.
I am doing a true ground up restore and even though the tub is in great shape I do not want to see any rust until it is 30 years old again.LOL
Can any help/suggest/advice
Now everybody is thinking that this is the ziebart type spray material. Yes I have that too however the material I am talking about is like an eighth of an inch thick and is layed down like a big sticky mat. It dries really hard and doesnt want to lift. Does this help. Once I figure out the pic window I will show material. Oh yeah thanks for the fine welcome.[8D]

Imb4u · Postby **Imb4u** » 29 Nov 2011 04:10

Additional information. This material covers the parcel rack/bonnet rest area all the way forward to the driver and passergenr firewall. It is usually painted over when the car goes through its first paint in the factory. This is a Canadian Car so I am wondering if it is only done on this side of the pond. Also in the corners is a similar material like a caulking almost and I am wanting to remove this. I need to remove as much as possible before the dip tank as the shorter time in the tank the less the cost.
Any ideas yet.
Newbie 2 tr experience

silverseven · Postby **silverseven** » 29 Nov 2011 10:28

From the sound of it, you are probably referring to the Ziebart type coating found in all the body cavities of the car.....mine too has this inside all the body panels like the hood,trunk,doors,fenders,corners of the trunk recesses and complete chassis.
As my car was new when it entered the family I can attest to the fact that it was not a dealer installed extra.....but from what I gather possibly installed at "port of entry" or just before shipping to North-America.

I remember removing a lot of this substance's over-spray from the door jams and inner hood and trunk lids for the sake of aesthetics back when my Dad first purchased the car in 82. Over the years a lot of the inner panel coating on the inside of the trunk lid,hood underside and chassis has dried up and flaked off, exposing the fully painted surfaces underneath. I've done a few retouches on the chassis over the years with a similar rubberized spray bomb type coating.

The product is a bear to remove, you'll probably require more than a "couple" gallons of chemical stripper, and maybe quite a few plastic scrappers to clean the surfaces ...not to mention the proper safety gear for yourself (gloves,eye protection) and dispose of the toxic mess in a recycling centre.

Btw , Welcome to the forum my Canadian friend!

There's a few regulars here on the west coast who might even be within driving distance from you......

Any pics of your car???

Ron.

RUDDY · Postby **RUDDY** » 29 Nov 2011 12:13

A lot of guys I speak to that are into classic cars are shying away from dipping as there are quite a few bad experiences. I personally know of a car that jad to be sold as the owner could not stop the paint being affected years after being dipped and ecoated. The product continues to work inside box sections and sweats, the car had gone through the neutralisation process.

Dipping was , I beleive, used mainly by racing teams to get the shells as light as possible, long term paint quality was not a consideration.

If you do go ahead I am informed that after dipping/coating the car should stand for 12 months minimum to 'dry' before any paint is applied.

I had my 'new old stock' shell plastic blasted by a company that does World Rally Cars, Touring cars and classic Le Mans cars, the shell was zinc etched by the same company.

Cheers, Paul

mb4tim · Postby **mb4tim** » 29 Nov 2011 13:47

this sounds like a similar mess used on my MGB. The media blaster made short work of it. I'd shy away form the dip take, too - for the same reasons posted.

-Tim
http://www.morSpeedPerformance.com

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 29 Nov 2011 15:22

I first thought you were referring to the soundproofing mats you find on the floor etc. These can be eased off with a scraper/drywall spatula perhaps with a heat gun/hair dryer to soften it. The mats came off rather easy in TCT. Neither my TCT or Spider have the Zeibart type treatment. TCT was early '79 build date and Spider was for the Californian market (thought not to need anti rust protection?) Sound deadening sheets can be bought to replace old ones. It's heavy so you just want to replace the areas were the old ones were as that will give maximum protection with least weight.

As for dipping I have heard that nooks and crannies tend to retain the acidic or basic remnants of the dip which paint does not stick well to. That info is old and I don't know if the industry has come up with a counter measure. Beans had his shell dipped I believe and perhaps he can weigh in on his experience.

I don't know if the "nooks and crannies" can ever be completely/effectively be cleaned/painted/protected. After painting I would liberally spray these areas with waxoil (or industry equivalent) with a 50/50 mixture of it and turpentine (low VOC preferably or it will smell for a couple of weeks after) it's solvent base. Other than the obvious spots don't forget to spray the opening in the front which leads between the inner and outer fenders with spray coming out the holes behind the front wheel wells (at the bottom).

Maybe see you at Van Dusen British car show next spring?

- - - - TR7 Spider - - - - - - - - 1978 Spitfire - - - - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - - Yellow TCT

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 29 Nov 2011 17:14

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Imb4u

... Q. Does any know the best way to remove this material ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yes, [url="http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/2009/01/almost-bare.html"]Click here[/url]

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 30 Nov 2011 16:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Imb4u

... Can any help/suggest/advice ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Not if you don't read the replies to your posts properly [:p]

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Imb4u · Postby **Imb4u** » 30 Nov 2011 19:28

Well I think that Beans has given me the solution. Am still learning this site so thanks for your bluntness.
Will be attacking the car ASAP so I can head to metal.
Thanks All[|)]

Rblackadar · Postby **Rblackadar** » 30 Nov 2011 19:33

Wow! you guys got Ziebart on your car???? I checked my Speke build 7 and found all the sills, floors, and cavities completely dry where there was supposed to be "wax injected pretection" LOL. However, I did manage to acquire a 35 year old cigarette pack wrapper that some factory worker had stuck on the inside rear quarter in the trunk as the paint was still wet. Ahhhh Speke!!!!

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 30 Nov 2011 19:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Imb4u

... Am still learning ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Nothing wrong with that [;)]
And good luck with the the restoration.

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Anonymous

TR7 Body Tub Restoration

TR7 Body Tub Restoration

Who is online