Supra - A view from below

Having bought myself a 2 post lift the first car on it is my Supra. Gratifyingly solid for its age still leaves some preventative measures that without getting up close and personal you'd never see for yourself.

A main area for surface rust has been just in front of the rear wheels on the pinch seam and sill. Wire brushed and treated ready from zinc primer and paint.

The brake lines look like new except for one area that isn't quite protected by the exhaust heat shield. All the lines have lost their coating protection for a length of around 10cm and are heavily rusted. I'm not doing anything with these as the plan is to swap all lines out for Copper next spring and also fit new flexible hoses at the wheels.

Above the rear diff, the boot floor has some very minor rust pitting. That'll be treated, primed and painted.

I decided I've got too old now to be rolling around garage floors and having a full height lift as well as giving a new angle on the cars makes inspection a whole lot easier and almost enjoyable. I'd recommend that anyone who has the space and hasn't got one, gets one (£2,000 fitted, 4T) or looks to hire some ramp time from a local garage. I had negotiated £35 a day with my local garage but in the end decided to simply buy one that I can use anytime.

I'd give that a really good steam clean first. You need to aspire to this standard now you have a ramp :

http://www.chriswilson.tv/r32/r32.html

I'm just about to move. I will have a double garage then. I don't think it's tall enough for a 2 post, but I will be getting a scissor or 4 post ramp.

Totally envious you have a 2 post ramp at home.

I have a good commercial steam cleaner for my plant equipment and cars and may well give it a blast once I've got the prepped parts painted up to see if anything else comes to light. Only thing holding me back is there is no water drainage where the ramp is sited so it'd be a very wet floor. Maybe I'm just being lazy but I'd never go as far as seeking that new look underneath on a 19 year old car, not possible where I live with permanent mud and cow excrement on the roads.

I was planning on a scissor lift but the ground works would have to be extensive to get it sunk to floor level. Also cheap scissors suffer a lot of failures at the pivot points due to not raised sufficiently before engaging the load (there is an HSE report online).

The 2 post supplier turned up to survey the site, drilled a pilot hole that found the floor was 7 inch concrete and then sent his team over a few days later who just bolted straight onto the pre existing floor in 2 hours. You can get far better access to the underneath using a 2 post than you ever will from a scissor or 4 post. I'd look to hire a local garage lift if there isn't the required head room in your own buildings. Unless you are short or don't mind crawling around under a mid-rise lift.

I'd give that a really good steam clean first. You need to aspire to this standard now you have a ramp :

 

http://www.chriswilson.tv/r32/r32.html

Surgically clean!

Compared to many UK hospitals it certainly is

I was planning on a scissor lift but the ground works would have to be extensive to get it sunk to floor level. Also cheap scissors suffer a lot of failures at the pivot points due to not raised sufficiently before engaging the load (there is an HSE report online).

 

The 2 post supplier turned up to survey the site, drilled a pilot hole that found the floor was 7 inch concrete and then sent his team over a few days later who just bolted straight onto the pre existing floor in 2 hours. You can get far better access to the underneath using a 2 post than you ever will from a scissor or 4 post. I'd look to hire a local garage lift if there isn't the required head room in your own buildings. Unless you are short or don't mind crawling around under a mid-rise lift.

A ramp of some variety will be going in, even if I have to sit on a stool to do the work. Far more access and comfort then a jack in the road or on the drive.

Most importantly, it will be in the dry.

I'd give that a really good steam clean first. You need to aspire to this standard now you have a ramp :

 

http://www.chriswilson.tv/r32/r32.html

Put some effort in Chris thats filthy

Bit off topic

But Chris is that oil cooler laying flat ?

What's it for and guess it's fin flat ?

Put some effort in Chris thats filthy

I don't do shiny and clean, in fact over the years having an appallingly filthy car has saved a fortune as only desperados ask for a lift

Bit off topic

But Chris is that oil cooler laying flat ?

What's it for and guess it's fin flat ?

Yes, it relies on pressure differential to flow the air. How efficiently it operates is anyone's guess.

Cool

I never question you just every post you do is a learning post

Thanks

This is how mine looks now after tackling the surface rust I found!!

2soops is that a drop the subframe and refurb job?

This is how mine looks now after tackling the surface rust I found!!

Wow thats clean!

This is how mine looks now after tackling the surface rust I found!!

Holy sh*t that's amazing!

I'm so jealous.

Want mine looking like that now

This is how mine looks now after tackling the surface rust I found!!

That's awesome! What prep did you do and what paint did you use?

I have never owned a car that was that clean on the INSIDE, let alone underneath

I thought mine was immaculate underneath, but that's insane!

Well, at least I know what needs to be done after going single!

To do a proper job yes.

Yes subframe out along with everything else that attached to the floor.

Any surface rust was taken back to bare metal with a dremel, then 3 coats of POR15 paint followed by 2 of rubberised stone chip. All the suspension arms were done the same apart from some I replaced with new. Most bolts replaced with Oem or stainless, new shocks from Chris Wilson, new fuel tank cover (painted as above even though new), new UK brakes all round and many other bits. Subframe was sandblasted, powder coated and then painted as I didn't like the finish. Super dragger was sanded and heat painted too

All done on axle stands in my garage over many hours. It started as a lets pretty the floor and subframe up following the MOT and went mad from there. I'm glad it's done but wouldn't want to do it again

Not as good as 2soops but not bad

I found once I'd wire brushed off an old lifted waxoyl coating that the rear sub frame was the most rusted part of the car. It's quite pitted in parts. Gave it a good dose of Aquasteel rust convertor followed by a thick coat of zinc etch primer and two coats of matt black paint. Decided not to re-wax. Not as surgical as your tackling but as good as I could get it with everything in situ. It should keep the rust bug largely at bay and I'll just check it over once a year now I have a lift to hand.

Seeing these cars are now 20 year old relics people need to be on top of what's happening underneath.

Yes subframe out along with everything else that attached to the floor.

 

Any surface rust was taken back to bare metal with a dremel, then 3 coats of POR15 paint followed by 2 of rubberised stone chip. All the suspension arms were done the same apart from some I replaced with new. Most bolts replaced with Oem or stainless, new shocks from Chris Wilson, new fuel tank cover (painted as above even though new), new UK brakes all round and many other bits. Subframe was sandblasted, powder coated and then painted as I didn't like the finish. Super dragger was sanded and heat painted too

 

All done on axle stands in my garage over many hours. It started as a lets pretty the floor and subframe up following the MOT and went mad from there. I'm glad it's done but wouldn't want to do it again

My neck and back are aching just thinking about that. Stunning job, but I can understand why you say you wouldn't do it again The results are quite exceptional.