The elise is ALL aluminum minus bolts, so no rust. Also I believe they have switched over from the cork, to more modern rubber and teflon embedded gaskets along with O-rings.
Auminum corrodes, and without inner fender liners, will corrode a heck of a lot faster.
I was speaking about powertrain and suspension bolts.
Since most British cars rust out before their time, I assume the Brits policy of using 6 bolts instead of the usual 2 will keep the parts attached to what remains of the body a little longer.
I've owned more than my fair share of British piles, so I ain't just a whistlin' Dixie!
__________________ Bill / Retired Ford Partsman (1962/97) / SoCal Chapter Member.
Part Number Research: Trucks: 1928/2000 // Cars: 1928/79.
I love the snow! I would never move. I hate heat, over priced, and crime infested places.
And it is not just the salt that is doing the rusting, it is fords lack of rust preventative that makes them rust so fast. What kind of company sells trucks with bare metal parts?
I love the snow! I would never move. I hate heat, over priced, and crime infested places.
And it is not just the salt that is doing the rusting, it is fords lack of rust preventative that makes them rust so fast.
What kind of company sells trucks with bare metal parts?
What parts are bare metal?
You better tread very lightly because parts are one thing I know one hell of a lot about...and I bought a '92 F150 brand new, so I'm quite familiar with this body style.
Not all of CA is crime infested, it's just like most places that have large cities, and tons of illegal immigrants.
What are the crime rate figures inre to population in: Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, or Oshkosh by gosh?
__________________ Bill / Retired Ford Partsman (1962/97) / SoCal Chapter Member.
Part Number Research: Trucks: 1928/2000 // Cars: 1928/79.
fuel lines, brake lines, pumpkin cover, oil cooler 7.3 diesel, gas tanks. All have rotted and been replaced on our 94, some parts replaced more than once. I work on all kinds of vehicles and I know for a fact that ford is one of the worst for rust prevention.
I live in stevens point where crime is almost non-existent.
fuel lines, brake lines, pumpkin cover, oil cooler 7.3 diesel, gas tanks. All have rotted and been replaced on our 94, some parts replaced more than once. I work on all kinds of vehicles and I know for a fact that ford is one of the worst for rust prevention.
I live in stevens point where crime is almost non-existent.
The engine was painted originally and while these other parts are not painted, or have any sort of rust protection...including the drive shaft...
What other automaker in the world uses rust preventative (cathodic protection in the trade) or paints any of these parts?
I don't know of anyone that does this, and I've owned 327 new and used vehicles since 1956, and they haven't been all Fords, either.
I live in Hacienda Heights, a bedroom community located in the hills of SE LA County where crime is almost non-existant.
__________________ Bill / Retired Ford Partsman (1962/97) / SoCal Chapter Member.
Part Number Research: Trucks: 1928/2000 // Cars: 1928/79.
Honda has excellent rust prevention! The even go as far as running brake and fuel lines threw the interior to prevent rust. Their entire undercarriage is rubberized and ALL of their nuts and bolts are zinc plated. Even where brake lines and fuel lines run outside the cab they are wrapped in rubber sleeves and painted for protection.
The interesting thing about aluminum verses steel when it comes to corrosion....
When iron (steel) oxidizes the oxidized layer flakes and does not protect the metal, which is why exposed iron will rust rapidly.
Aluminum, on other hand, acts completely different. A thin layer of oxidation will form on it and that layer actually inhibits further oxidation. Aluminum oxide is a pretty robust bond, verses iron oxide. Take for example a 30 year old motorcycle with an aluminum engine case... it'll turn a nasty dull grey after a few years and then stay that way. It'll be decades before it actually oxidizes through.
Most aluminum corrosion on automobiles isn't from exposure, is from galvanic corrosion, beginning mostly where it comes in contact with dissimilar metals. The problem with autos is the sacrificial metal in the galvanic reaction tends to be the aluminum, verses the steel it touches. Coating the aluminum with zinc makes the the primary sacrificial metal the zinc. With steel, you coat it with zinc for a different reason (although part of the reason is to be sacrificial).... it gets a slight oxidized layer like aluminum which has a fairly good bond and inhibits further corrosion. If the aluminum is isolated from other metals and doesn't touch them it can pretty much last many decades unprotected.
Uncoated aluminum can get pitting if exposed to certain salts as well, but this is minor compared to steel oxidation.
__________________ -Ken
If you need to get in touch with me email me at ftsservice at gmail dot com or via AOL IM: motorhavenken. The best is yet to come....
This forum is owned and operated by Internet Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation. It is not authorized or endorsed by the Ford Motor Company and is not affiliated with the Ford Motor Company or its related companies in any way. FordŽ is a registered trademark of the Ford Motor Company.
-Ken
