Austinsevenfriends
chassis and the metal they are made from. - Printable Version

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chassis and the metal they are made from. - Mike Moule - 25-02-2018

My first post here, I tend to use social media (FB Instagram) it is instant and Photobucket can not ruin your thread.
well I posted some photos and remarked how much fun it is to remove the rear springs specially when it has been boxed.
A gentleman pointed out that most boxing is carried out incorrectly due to the fact the Chassis is made from a high Carbon steel.
Now this comment high Carbon steel intrested me some what. 
the way I see Things you have four grades, low middle and high Carbon followed by tool steel.  low being the softest and Tool being the hardest.
So making a channel out of 3.3mm high Carbon steel sheet is going to a challenge due to hardness and reluctancy to bend or being welded in cold state.
Did they hot press them in the factory? 
I myself am not sure if this is the case that High Carbon was used, as the metal is workable on the Chassis.
anyone know more?


RE: chassis and the metal they are made from. - Austin in the Shed - 03-03-2018

Perhaps the archive could answer this one,if original chassis drawings are held.
I don't think it's any kind of carbon steel otherwise it wouldn't be possible to weld them.
Henry ford's secret was vanadium,(As in chrome vanadium sockets)It is probably a alloy steel containing this.
One of the reasons our little cars survived so long was due to the quality of the materials used,ie the chassis nose forging which performs a dozen jobs.(As illustrated and described in in The immortal Austin Seven book)


RE: chassis and the metal they are made from. - cardiffrob - 03-03-2018

I'd be curious to find out what they are made from. Brazing might end up being a safer bet than welding.


RE: chassis and the metal they are made from. - Mike Moule - 04-03-2018

Well I cut my chassis in half,!! you can see the photos in FB in the specials page.
I then did a spark test on a part of the chassis. I then compared to a bit of
carbon steel I had laying around and they are the same. So with out doing a DT to find out the exact mix that's good enough.
As for welding 309 filler rod and a blue tip tungsten and off you go. Preheat as well just to be on the safe side


RE: chassis and the metal they are made from. - Mike Moule - 04-03-2018

I did a hardening test, in which you quickly weld an edge and the try and file it. Which you can buy the way so the steels not hardening under heat. So preheat is out


RE: chassis and the metal they are made from. - Tony Press - 04-03-2018

(25-02-2018, 12:48 PM)Mike Moule Wrote: My first post here, I tend to use social media (FB Instagram) it is instant and Photobucket can not ruin your thread.
well I posted some photos and remarked how much fun it is to remove the rear springs specially when it has been boxed.
A gentleman pointed out that most boxing is carried out incorrectly due to the fact the Chassis is made from a high Carbon steel.
Now this comment high Carbon steel intrested me some what. 
the way I see Things you have four grades, low middle and high Carbon followed by tool steel.  low being the softest and Tool being the hardest.
So making a channel out of 3.3mm high Carbon steel sheet is going to a challenge due to hardness and reluctancy to bend or being welded in cold state.
Did they hot press them in the factory? 
I myself am not sure if this is the case that High Carbon was used, as the metal is workable on the Chassis.
anyone know more?

Not sure why anyone would prefer Facebook over this Forum for instant and reliable advice. Facebook is a confusing jumble of postings requiring a search to find any useful information . 

As for speed when I post this it instantaneously appears following the original comment.

As for pictures -the new forum works well .

Just my view.

Sorry not much help on the composition of steel used in the Austin Seven but I am sure this has been discussed in earlier posts. 

Cheers, Tony.