Looking for some help on a possible purchase of an R1 Fury.

'Car' is a '92 and looks a little, well, old & used... So I'm wondering what is a reasonable life expectancy for a chassis such as this.

Cheers

Nigel

[Edited on 20/7/10 by bonesetter]

Same as any car, completely depends on orginal build quality, use (amount and level), servicing etc etc.

All depends on how it's been looked after.

If it was well coated when it was born and used for dry-use miles, then this could preserve it for many years if it's cleaned regularly and any chipped areas are attended to.

If it's been driven in all weather and on salty roads and neglected then things could go badly awry very quickly.

The best advice is to forget numbers... ask the previous owners questions about how he's used it, how he's maintained it and if he knows if it has had a body-off re-coat since it was first put on the road.

Most importantly, get down and have a good look around the car... pay particular attention to places where water and road-crud would be expected to gather. Also look for areas where the coating seems peculiarly-fresher than the rest... QUESTION EVERYTHING! It's your money!

Its just too much of a issue. I really don't know what I'm looking for and it seems likely that for a little more than his 5.5k asking price a younger car could be found

Surely any car's worst case scenario should be engine and 'box not chassis failure?

My Sylva chassis is around 25 years old, perhaps a bit more.

Having now had it back to a bare chassis, I can confirm that the rot consisted of one patch in a 25mm square tube which you couldn't have put your finger into.
Other than that, a bit of tinworm in the monocoque where the previous owner had kept it in less than perfect surroundings and not dry stored.
This was the type of rot that your local welder would charge £30 to fix.

The above, is as bad as it gets really.

The Fury you're looking at is much newer, so should be much better.

Having looked under a modern Fury, the chassis around the rear end is very similar in execution to the Star and Leader.

So, it'll be fine.

Bear in mind that most engine / box failures can be more costly than a sectional chassis repair.

But yes... £5.5k is a lot of money and it's a buyers market! I'd hang on until you find a car that makes you feel more comfy!

Some good advice already given. Tube frames rot just as easily as any other type of chassis.
A lot of TVR's of that vintage suffer from nasty chassis rot.
However most kit cars will have done a lot less miles, and will be unlikely to have seen salty roads etc.
Not difficult to assess really, as long as you can get underneath, take a trolley jack with you.

Al