Hi All

Would really appreciate some advice - I'm in the market for a 20VT (having owned at 16VT some years ago, which has been sorely missed ever since).

I'm most concerned about rust and from the sounds of things, many cars which look rust free on the panels are hiding rust problems within! The question is, is there a practical way to check for this without taking the cars to pieces?

Many thanks in advance

Rupert

Some coupes (including mine ) suffered from water ingress through the rear quarter pinifarina badges which rots the inner sills - really you cannot inspect this unless you remove the rear quarter panel trim (which isn't difficult)

Pay particular attention to the outer sills - especially if it has side skirts fitted + usual areas prone to paint damage - rear arches etc

If not sorted properly & cut out, once taken hold inner & outer sill rust will spread to the body

Still alot of clean ones out there

It would be easier to explain on the phone,.

Give me a call when your free and i will run you through exactly what to look for.

I consider my car to be fairly clean but the one area of incoming tin-worm I can see is a small amount of 'pimpling' along the bottom of the passenger door only for some reason.
This will be rectified this year....... TBH Coupe's are nothing - try owning an X1/9!

Hi All

Many thanks for your replies and also for Johnny for taking to time to explain in detail where to look for over the phone.

I'll let you know how i get on with my search.

Rupert

Yes the Coupe fairs ok in this respect, considering the age. All cars will eventually & in 15-20 years time the only Coupes on the road will be the ones that have had full body restorations, like the MG's & triumphs of the 60's & 70's

...and they will be worth £10K+ again

or WILL there be any left on the road in 20 years..?

...or cars that have been dry stored.

I'm trying it with mine, but it is still exposed to humidity in the air. I need a Carcoon really.

The MG that I restored with new sills, wings, spring hangers etc. was only 13 years old. My current Coupe is approaching 15 with no holes yet and original paint.

Slightly going off Coupe-topic but the first X1/9 which made me fall for them was at the rear of a shop abandoned on waste land. The car actually had grass growing through the floor where the floorpan had rotted through. Looking back X1/9's only came into the UK in 1978 and this must have been no later than 1984! Moral of the story .... Any signs of decay - keep on top of before it gets out of hand....