The 'E' Type Forum

About to mount frame's permantly to body should I run some sealant between the frames and body ? Cheers for any ideas

Probably no need. Factory didn't apply anything.

I certainly haven't.

Besides, it will just add weight!

Cheers.

I just coated mine with Dinitrol cavity wax over the paint to keep the rust at bay.

Paul

The factory did put a sealant between frames and body. Don't know what it was but it is black and hard now.

When dismantling mine for restoration, there was some sort of mastic around the edge of the joint, but nothing between the frames and body
Judging by the overall condition of the car and the bolts, I am fairly confident they had not been removed before.

Paul

Paul, l stand corrected as l haven't stripped the frames down. I assumed it was put between frame and bulkhead but as you say, it might jyst be applied after the frame was bolted down.

Hi thanks for replies , but hands up after posting I got on with the job , and didnt look at phone again , what I have done is smear a film on the mounting faces , whats the worst that can happen

The only snags to putting anything between the joints is that it will put your bonnet gaps fractionally out, and it may just allow the frames to "work" more on the bulkhead. For the same reason, it is unwise to paint the mating faces. Hutson's were most insistent about this when I rebuilt mine - it is surprising the difference that say 1mm paint thickness can make

Hi fair comment. But I've only smeared some on . And my bonnets brand new so I've got to cut it to fit any way ........ or do I shim the frames until the the bonnet fits ,??? ..... yeah about 15mm of mastic should do it

You have to order mastic in barrels instead of the standard box. Negociate with your dealer

The union between frame and bulkhead should be both unpainted and have no mastic or other material between them. This is because the torsional rigidity of the car will be compromised as over time the substrate material will 'creep' resulting in the retaining bolts losing tension. If you have paint or mastic in these areas it would be wise to check the bolts are still tight after a period of use or standing.

Hi . Yes I would definitely recheck tightness periodically with paint or without . When I stripped the frames on my wife's 64 E we re nut and bolted it and all the bolts into the bulkhead were not tight ( not loose ) but slack . It just seems wrong not to put anything there on a car that can rust and is a difinate structural area

Having just taken the engine frames off my 63 car there is original paint on both the frame end plates and the bulkhead

Mine had paint on the frame ends and bulkhead too.

Paul