Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Rods2 on 02 March 2014, 20:23:13

Title: Aluminium
Post by: Rods2 on 02 March 2014, 20:23:13
Ford is going to make their best selling (in US) pickup truck from aluminium from 2015. The truck will shed 700lb and go from 22 to around 30mpg. There are already several luxury cars made from aluminium, but will this be the start of a trend for mainstream cars?

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/the-report/tomorrows-truck-loses-weight-but-at-what-environmental-cost/?tag=nl.e662&s_cid=e662&ttag=e662&ftag=TRE383a915 (http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/the-report/tomorrows-truck-loses-weight-but-at-what-environmental-cost/?tag=nl.e662&s_cid=e662&ttag=e662&ftag=TRE383a915)
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: hotel21 on 02 March 2014, 22:26:41
The 2014 Range Rover and RR Sport have shed circa 500 kgs plus each by a change to ally body parts.  Both cars drive like stink without significant engine mods so fairly sure the blue oval will see the same differences as ye olde green one....

ps - the 2014 RRS with 5 litre petrol supercharged goes, well, quite well.....   :o

Hopefully a subject on Top Gear one day soon....   ;)
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: vauxlooney on 02 March 2014, 23:55:21
I think using steel for making car body shells will start going out of fashion as time goes on. Especial as you start seeing more hybrids/ electric cars that could really benefit from the weight saving.

Think tesla make their electric cars fully out of aluminium
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: dbug on 03 March 2014, 02:07:12
My X350 Jag is all aluminium construction - apparently bare Jag shell same weight as bare Mini shell (so I've read)
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 03 March 2014, 08:07:08
Oh dear, a future of land rover body rot to look forward to......and more expensive repair bills  :'(
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 03 March 2014, 10:02:41
Oh dear, a future of land rover body rot to look forward to......and more expensive repair bills  :'(




I can paint the whole shell inside outside with ship epoxy for 20 layers that even a bullet cant pass ;D :P


but you have right , aluminium even the special alloys can corrode..
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: omega3000 on 03 March 2014, 10:57:07
Oh dear, a future of land rover body rot to look forward to......and more expensive repair bills  :'(




I can paint the whole shell inside outside with ship epoxy for 20 layers that even a bullet cant pass ;D :P


but you have right , aluminium even the special alloys can corrode..

Yes cars should be made of Epoxy  ;) ;D
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: 05omegav6 on 03 March 2014, 11:13:38
Oh dear, a future of land rover body rot to look forward to......and more expensive repair bills  :'(




I can paint the whole shell inside outside with ship epoxy for 20 layers that even a bullet cant pass ;D :P


but you have right , aluminium even the special alloys can corrode..

Yes cars should be made of Epoxy  ;) ;D
Aluminium burns readily enough without covering it in plastic ::)
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: tigers_gonads on 03 March 2014, 14:06:14
Old news  ::)
Audi was sticking aluminium panels on the 100 over 25 years ago  :)
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: aaronjb on 03 March 2014, 14:15:40
Old news  ::)
Audi was sticking aluminium panels on the 100 over 25 years ago  :)

And long before them - AC cars, Jaguar, Austin Healey etc..
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 03 March 2014, 14:31:01
Land Rover etc.

But it does corrode, any aluminium/steel interface results in nicely preserved steel !
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: 05omegav6 on 03 March 2014, 15:48:59
I guess Landy chassis are insulated from the aluminium bodies then :D
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 03 March 2014, 15:57:48
I guess Landy chassis are insulated from the aluminium bodies then :D

Nope, classic place to check is the rear body corners near the lights, the side panels are aluminium and there is a steel plate that fits on the corner, give them a tap and white dust falls out.....the steel being beautifuly preserved!  ;D ;D

The toruble with the chassis is they fill with water which increases the weight nicely.....whih then reduces again as the inner sections of steel exit stage left!
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 03 March 2014, 22:44:38
Oh dear, a future of land rover body rot to look forward to......and more expensive repair bills  :'(




I can paint the whole shell inside outside with ship epoxy for 20 layers that even a bullet cant pass ;D :P


but you have right , aluminium even the special alloys can corrode..

Yes cars shoul be made of Epoxy  ;) ;D


just an experience, last week a large stone hit drivers door  when driving at xxx miles per hour scaring me.. it wiped whole laquer and paint at some point but epoxy under it remained intact.. :y
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: omega3000 on 04 March 2014, 09:54:38
Rest our case  ::)  ;D Epoxy is king  :P
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: 05omegav6 on 04 March 2014, 10:42:42
Aluminium is a bugger to get anything to stick to, chemically speaking, as it corrodes the instant it is exposed, so really needs etching and anodising in the same process so that it is sealed as it is removed from the bath.

Once sealed you can then paint it any colour you want. :y
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: Stemo on 04 March 2014, 11:33:01
Aluminium is a bugger to get anything to stick to, chemically speaking, as it corrodes the instant it is exposed, so really needs etching and anodising in the same process so that it is sealed as it is removed from the bath.

Once sealed you can then paint it any colour you want. :y
But you can only paint it white  :P
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 04 March 2014, 13:38:28
No no you've all got it wrong!  ::)  They won't be using aluminium, but aloominum!  ;)  ;D
Title: Re: Aluminium
Post by: 05omegav6 on 04 March 2014, 13:51:05
Aluminium is a bugger to get anything to stick to, chemically speaking, as it corrodes the instant it is exposed, so really needs etching and anodising in the same process so that it is sealed as it is removed from the bath.

Once sealed you can then paint it any colour you want. :y
But you can only paint it white  :P
True, but you could paint it any colour you like... such as fuchsia or Daewoo Digger Orange ;D