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I've ordered a new chassis for the F4 van!

malcolm

malcolm

& Clementine the Cat
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The process for ordering a chassis from Melun Retro Passion used to involve learning French and phoning them up for a transport price in the polite French manner. I didn't have any luck using Google translate and email.

I notice the website has changed and there is now an option to buy and pay for the chassis and find out what the transport cost is later. I've just done exactly that (using Paypal just in case). I will let you know the process and costs should it all go well.

Hopefully the wonderful Claude Van-Rouge will return to the road with the new chassis. I miss Claude - he was so useful. I've got a plan to build a workshop quickly for the chassis swap.

20140913_172124.jpg
 
sounds good i will be interested to know how the changeover progresses
 
Great new!
This is first chassis ordered from Mellun that i know about.

Really interested how much will cost and how good reproduction it is.

How will you deal with chassis number?
 
Following with interest Malcolm. Is the Van chassis much different from the saloon version?
 
malcolm said:
The process for ordering a chassis from Melun Retro Passion used to involve learning French and phoning them up for a transport price in the polite French manner. I didn't have any luck using Google translate and email.

I notice the website has changed and there is now an option to buy and pay for the chassis and find out what the transport cost is later. I've just done exactly that (using Paypal just in case). I will let you know the process and costs should it all go well.

Hopefully the wonderful Claude Van-Rouge will return to the road with the new chassis. I miss Claude - he was so useful. I've got a plan to build a workshop quickly for the chassis swap.
Click to expand...

Ciel bleu fantastique
 
petak said:
How will you deal with chassis number?
Click to expand...
Forgot about that. I think I'm supposed to send them a copy of the registration document and they'll stamp the chassis number onto the new chassis. I'll attempt to compose an email at the weekend with that and to ask about postage costs. I'm not very good at writing in French.

It'll be cool to get the van going again. I'm planning to attempt to keep the faded paint and scruffy patina which would mean careful welded repairs to retain the front inner and outer wings. Will need to think about how to best preserve the rare optional rough road sump and fuel tank guards. Might paint them.
 
Vau!

That is big deal!
If they stamp your old chassis number on new chassis than transferring the body and engine is easy part.
I am always afraid (or scared) of paperwork for new chassis number. It can be nightmare.
 
It is all a little confusing for me as Melun are just as bad at English as I am at French.

The chassis can be found on https://www.melun-retro-passion.com...o-zingue-cataphorese-transport-sur-devis.html By default English speaking visitors will be shown the same page with the /fr/ changed to /gb/ The English page does not have any description but the French page has some more information.

The description on the French page references another product - "MARQUAGE". For an additional 50 euros they will stamp on the chassis number.
Frappe des numéros de châssis :
Nous sommes habilités à frapper votre ancien numéro de châssis sur le nouveau (sous réserve de présentation de la carte grise en copie par courrier, mail, fax ou originale et photo de l'ancienne frappe afin de la refaire à l'identique)(Réf : MARQUAGE)
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I'll send the registration document and a photo just to be on the safe side but it looks like they might accept either.
 
Last edited:
They seem to say AND a photo of the original chassis number, so sounds like you've the best idea.
 
AdamWilkes said:
They seem to say AND a photo of the original chassis number, so sounds like you've the best idea.
Click to expand...
On another read I see your point - thanks!

Had an email back (in English which I most appreciated as I'm really not good at French). The chassis are built to order and I've missed the next batch so I'm probably looking at May. That should be good timing - I can get the workshop organised and maybe start taking the car to bits. Quite excited as haven't done a car project since the house move.
 
The cost of shipping in France is very expensive ,it might be worth getting a quote from a English haulier for return load price, you could try a removal company they usually do a door to door service.
 
jonigel said:
The cost of shipping in France is very expensive ,it might be worth getting a quote from a English haulier for return load price, you could try a removal company they usually do a door to door service.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I've asked for a quote but will also check shipping websites - it might be possible to get a good quote if someone is over there anyway.
 
I think I've figured out the chassis coatings so worth a mention in case it's useful for anyone in the future.

I believe the 'Electro-Zinque' coating refers to a coating we know as 'zintec' in the UK. The steel sheet is supplied coated in zintec and then welded together. It is burned away around welds.

The 'Cataphorese' coating appears to be the European version of E-coat. It is a paint dip process where the chassis is dipped into a bath and the paint coats the inside of the chassis members as well as the outside. E-coat in the UK is often green in colour so there is probably some difference in the material. It is effective and the reason modern cars don't tend to rust much so well worth spending the extra.

I would have preferred galvanising like the Land Rover chassis, but that's a very hot process and would likely cause the thin R4 chassis to twist.

Technically both of the coatings available would require paint on top. I went for the Cataphorese and I'll see what the chassis looks like when it arrives but might fit wheelarch liners to protect the bottom and not paint.
 
Electro-Zinque is process of applying zink coat on metal with use of electrolysis.
Positive terminal is clean zink and negative terminal is clean metal. All in some water solution. When you put 12V electricity atoms of zink are traveling to metal. That way you cover metal with zink and prevent it from corozion.
Problem is that it is not quite good on inner sides of tubes or profiles. Zink is more likely to stick to outer side of profile

Galvanizing is much better. Putting metal in hot zink bath. Problem is as you said R4 chassis is so thin that there is big chance it will bend because sudden change of temperature in chassis metal. It can be done on thin metal but in that case metal need to be preheated slowly to reach near temp of hot zink bath, and cooled down slowly after metal is taken out from zink bath.

Cataphoresa is combining electrolysis and galvanizing as you have positive, negative terminal and bath. But bath is not hot and it is not water solution but paint and resin solution. This way transfer of paint is much better to metal.

Usually after cataphorese you do not need to paint it again. But would recommend to fill inside part of crossmembers with cavity wax, and bottom of the chassis with some king of chip-stone protection.

You made good choice Malcolm
 
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