delta evo floor pan and sill rot what to look for when buying

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this evo j plate was purchased for spares it is not for sale and no parts available.its a great way to point out the rust issues when buying or owning a delta in any form

the chassis box section (rear) check the fixing points for the anti roll bar and diff then follow the chassis to the front.

the sills inner and outer (if it looks solid from the outside don't trust it make sure you get the insides inspected with a pin camera especially if the dealers asking 20k plus and if he is be very careful and do your homework)

the inner rear roof sill and outer lip (best to remove the lining at the rear and inspect)

the rear boot inner both sides where the turrets meets the boot floor (remove all the linings and inspect)

open the rear doors and pull of the black felt strip and inspect the seam

pop the bonnet and look down both suspension posts rot starts here and eats into the supports

under the front arch guards remove them and check the suspension legs (tap gently with a small rubber hammer) also a major hot spot is the front panel that joins to the front chassis beam (also look at this from under the bonnet as its double skin and moisture builds up between them and rots from the inside out)

the windscreen surround is a problem so make sure you waxoyl it all the way round (bottom can be accessed from under the bonnet)

floorpan and jacking points!!!! check photos the jacking mounts failed as soon as the car was jacked up

hope these tips help

ps strip it and zinc dip! if the shell is good its worth it check my rally build photos ffi this shell had the advantage of abarth chassis plate kit and it was rot free before dipping see it at an event near you soon

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chassis rear and rear cross member.
notice the last owner had spent over £200 on poly bushes and tried to cover all the rot with more underseal.the rear shocks were new but had old springs fitted that had been painted red (and not very well)

when he noticed the car was rotten it was to late save.in my opinion it should have been scrapped before spending money on those expensive items.

it stood for a while then went up for sale as spares or repairs (no chance of repair it would have been a death trap)

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sill sections

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some more pics

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to finish on a high this is the rally car after zinc preparation.
as you can see the chassis kit makes the shell a lot stronger and all major joins are seam welded (i left inspection sections for future rustproofing and to ease repairs)

this shell was my car from new and in top condition before we started the conversion

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first pic shows the complex design of the side skirt.the main problem is moisture build up (go for a drive in the wet leave it in the garage and the moisture migrates to the box sections)
when inspected the inner sill with the holes in has a light grey paint applied not enough to stop rust in the long term and it usually shows signs of rust at its base but in severe cases its gone! this evo had half of it left and the rest was paper thin.
also note the waxoyl guide and see the inner turret (8) this area is the one to check when buying.any rot here and the turrets are weak so the shell will be.
the chassis has loads of waxoyl points and is usually in good condition but make sure all the mounting points for the diff and suspension front and rear are solid.


evos for over 30k......my advice grab an import from germany or the swiss 8v in nice condition and use the other 20k to keep it running in top form!

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sill removed note rot at base of inner section,in some cases this has rotted away.

[Bart Verbeek]

Sjeezes, what a horror story.......

A real eye-opener:

a freshly-polished Evo in the first pic and all the cancer you can get on the others.....

horrifying!

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yes the first pic is how it came from the seller who sold it cheap to us as scrap! we thought our luck was in when it rolled off the trailer and started first time! mot and sell maybe lol im not that evil! and i needed the parts for the rally car.it had been stood for a few years in very bad weather (or a river) and used on salted roads without protection.

the panels and doors were in top condition and it had a respray at some time so it looked great from the outside,a real head turner!
the alloys were new and looked all shiny,the driver seat had been replaced so the inside looked good.
even the sills looked good when i gently removed the side skirts (as you know the skirts stay on when people buy these cars and i cant stress enough if you are looking at a 8v f plate or the best last line evo TAKE THE SKIRTS OFF AND TAP WITH A LIGHT RUBBER HAMMER!!! if the seller is wary you should be).

the floor was gone! all flaky at the front under the driver and passenger footwells up to the sills.

the jacking points were there but i could bend the metal with my fingers!

i have had over 30 deltas in my time in wales as italian jobs and as my own transport and i feel people should get behind saving all delta owners cars with advice and pics (we all know mot's are going to get harder to pass as regulations get tighter for older cars)

i suggest booking your delta in with tanc barrat or your own well known delta specialists for a 1 hour STRUCTURE CHECK as most owners seem pre occupied with buying nice badges and floor mats instead of facing real issues

when these cars are on point nothing has the same smile factor and allows you to get respect around the globe from monte carlo to your local council estate car park! a mitsi evo or scooby has the boy racer image sewn up,the insurance is criminal and they are everywhere,just go to the car park at your local race track and see the waves of clubs with all the shiny alloy mmmm not for me and that's why the integrale still has and always will have a reputation for real driver owners,keep yours in top condition for the budget you have and enjoy it