Technical Rear subframe

[bugsymike]

Once you've Jenolited it, have a look at Lanoguard as a waxy alternative to Waxoyl. It's made from sheep wool oil something, but it comes in a squirty bottle, you do an 'Enry (you'll have to ask your dad) and it dries to a clear, slightly brown waxy finish that's see-through, so you can keep an eye on what the rust is doing. It will make any rusty metal look darker, which is better when you're under there looking at it.. and creeps well into any crevices, nooks and crannies etc. so it will get into places you can't even see.

I've used it on my new X, just to give it a head start... and apart from it takes a while to dry, it seems to be very repellent. You just top it up whenever it looks like it's fading away (once every year or two..).


Ralf S.

Lanoguard, Waxoyl etc. are great if you can use them before the horse has bolted. I do recall welding a Vauxhall sill some years ago just a small patch and being very worried when smoke poured out 5 foot away at the other end of the sill, so I always kept fire extinguishers and a water hose handy.

 

[sammy19]

Thanks or your input Ralf S.

Once you've Jenolited it, have a look at Lanoguard as a waxy alternative to Waxoyl. It's made from sheep wool oil something, but it comes in a squirty bottle, you do an 'Enry (you'll have to ask your dad) and it dries to a clear, slightly brown waxy finish that's see-through, so you can keep an eye on what the rust is doing. It will make any rusty metal look darker, which is better when you're under there looking at it.. and creeps well into any crevices, nooks and crannies etc. so it will get into places you can't even see.

I've used it on my new X, just to give it a head start... and apart from it takes a while to dry, it seems to be very repellent. You just top it up whenever it looks like it's fading away (once every year or two..).


Ralf S.

Thanks for your input Ralf S I have Jenolite Rust Remover and Jenolite Direct Rust and Hammerite with Waxoyl so am contemplating using some or all of those.

 

[sammy19]

Lanoguard, Waxoyl etc. are great if you can use them before the horse has bolted. I do recall welding a Vauxhall sill some years ago just a small patch and being very worried when smoke poured out 5 foot away at the other end of the sill, so I always kept fire extinguishers and a water hose handy.

I will probably use Hammerite with Waxoyl as I have got it. For many years I used to do welding to mot standards ( oxyacetylene gas welding ) and know where you are coming from with smoke and sometimes fires, you need a watcher whilst you are doing the welding.

 

[koalar]

cleaning so it looks like the frame still has some life left in it

correct in fact some of the none critical brackets look worse than the spring cups

Looking at the pictures as a whole

There’s a fair amount of welding splatter and the bead is quite bulged

I would not have been happy with my welding if it looked like this and I am not a professional welder

But still probably out last the rest of the car after treatment

 

[sammy19]

correct in fact some of the none critical brackets look worse than the spring cups

Looking at the pictures as a whole

There’s a fair amount of welding splatter and the bead is quite bulged

I would not have been happy with my welding if it looked like this and I am not a professional welder

But still probably out last the rest of the car after treatment

I agree Kolar I have done some more cleaning and I am quite surprised at the condition, when I first saw it all I thought the axle was terminal but after the clean up I am happy to protect and keep, the rear hubs and backplates look pretty good too, some of the pics I have seen on this forum and on ebay are not good, so on reflection I am happy with the car, it is for my great Grandson but he is not quite 17 yet and I have enjoyed driving it and will for a little longer, The only thing that irritates is they seem to be a little noisy, road noise that is.

 

[TrevC]

Can't comment on that crack, but can describe what I did on the spring cups of the 2014 model we got earlier this year. Similar to above suggestions, I cleaned off all the loose rust I could get to, treated it with Kurust which turned it black, then coated the sides and underside of the trailing arm with hammerite. The spring cups and cross beam were given a generous coat of Waxoyl - I used a brush as I'd heard that the spray cans block.
I also did the sump - wire brush, Kurust, rust converting primer then Hammerite.

 

[TrevC]

Here's the sequence on the sump. The rear beam process was similar apart from the use of Waxoyl.

 

[TrevC]

Here's the sequence on the sump. The rear beam process was similar apart from the use of Waxoyl.

Somehow I switched photos 2 and 3 in the sequence above - the primer gives the matt finish!

 

[icheatatscrabble]

@sammy19 Noticed from the photos taken in your garage that you have a 500 Gucci. I am saving to buy one for a runabout, which I will then pass on to my daughter when she is seventeen, as she is always talking Gucci this Gucci that.
I used Dinitrol last winter on the rear beam of my 2020 Abarth 595 Comp and there were signs of rust creeping in already!
Certainly will be checking the rear beam when I go looking early next year.
Other than the rear beam how is your car holding out? Reliable? Any wear and tear issues?

 

[Baglady1990]

@sammy19 Noticed from the photos taken in your garage that you have a 500 Gucci. I am saving to buy one for a runabout, which I will then pass on to my daughter when she is seventeen, as she is always talking Gucci this Gucci that.
I used Dinitrol last winter on the rear beam of my 2020 Abarth 595 Comp and there were signs of rust creeping in already!
Certainly will be checking the rear beam when I go looking early next year.
Other than the rear beam how is your car holding out? Reliable? Any wear and tear issues?

Hi yes I indeed have a Gucci edition and I adore her!
To be honest except for the interior…all leather seats & black trim not the nasty grey!!! It’s pretty much just a lounge spec! Obviously you have the Gucci stripe seatbelts and automatic climate control other than that she was the same as any other ageing lounge
So when you come to looking for one just act like it’s any other car .. except do check the climate control works perfectly.. the automatic has known issues with the flap!
Thankfully mine has been ok and after three years of owning a 2011 car all is good!

I have replaced an awful lot of parts on my car but this could be pretty much any 500 of a similar age!
And as the Gucci run of 500s is now a decade old obviously check for stuff like
Sump
Timing belt water pump
Thermostat
Suspension clunks
Rear beam rust!
Ect ect
Also when buying just check the condition of the seats … wear can happen drivers side bolster … mainly cracking from leg wear getting in & out
I always pull my seat back before entry exit to stop this wear!

 

[sammy19]

Hi I bought this car for my nearly 17 years old Great Grandson he is more feminine than masculine he takes his first lesson in two weeks these cars ( Gucci branded ) where only made for two years 2011 2012 so they are at least 10 years old and thy seem to cost at least £2000 more than the non branded 500, I did pay top money for this car from a well known car dealer's Chester branch but it was by no means A1, the inside and outside look first class but with any car I have bought I give it the once over once I have it. The faults with this one now sorted where ( the selling garage advertise they do a 150 point check before sale ) the rear sub frame was corroded not terminal but needed attention before too late . both rear shock absorbers top bushes collapsed, when I got the ehicle home 45 miles checked the water needed 1 ltr. took it for a 10 mile drie needed another ltr. took it to the sellers garage in Bolton and they found it was air locked replaced coolant and removed air lock, also checked all tyre pressures when I got home nearside front was 15 lbs. should be 32 lbs. and the other three all seriously low, so much for the 150point check as advertised, the only other problem left is no stop start, the battery is 2 years old and I have only done short journeys, don't like ss anyway but I like everything to work. Having said all this now I have fixed these problems the car is an absolute joy to drive it is nippy easy to park and brings the joy back into motoring, my Great Grandson is at risk of loosing it, Also there is a Garage in Southampton which is not too far from you who specialise in these Fiats and there pries are very very reasonable, £600 to supply and fit rear axle, £175 to repair the common heater flap problem, I hae their address if needed.

 

[Baglady1990]

Hi I bought this car for my nearly 17 years old Great Grandson he is more feminine than masculine he takes his first lesson in two weeks these cars ( Gucci branded ) where only made for two years 2011 2012 so they are at least 10 years old and thy seem to cost at least £2000 more than the non branded 500, I did pay top money for this car from a well known car dealer's Chester branch but it was by no means A1, the inside and outside look first class but with any car I have bought I give it the once over once I have it. The faults with this one now sorted where ( the selling garage advertise they do a 150 point check before sale ) the rear sub frame was corroded not terminal but needed attention before too late . both rear shock absorbers top bushes collapsed, when I got the ehicle home 45 miles checked the water needed 1 ltr. took it for a 10 mile drie needed another ltr. took it to the sellers garage in Bolton and they found it was air locked replaced coolant and removed air lock, also checked all tyre pressures when I got home nearside front was 15 lbs. should be 32 lbs. and the other three all seriously low, so much for the 150point check as advertised, the only other problem left is no stop start, the battery is 2 years old and I have only done short journeys, don't like ss anyway but I like everything to work. Having said all this now I have fixed these problems the car is an absolute joy to drive it is nippy easy to park and brings the joy back into motoring, my Great Grandson is at risk of loosing it, Also there is a Garage in Southampton which is not too far from you who specialise in these Fiats and there pries are very very reasonable, £600 to supply and fit rear axle, £175 to repair the common heater flap problem, I hae their address if needed.

Yeah stop start is a pain! I have to say though I bought a varta silver dynamic battery and my SS works faultlessly only stops working in very cold weather but I agree it’s a pain and puts more wear on the starter motor!

Yes I love my car so much I’ve had new paint new stripes upgraded music system I could go on endlessly

 

[icheatatscrabble]

@Baglady1990 and @sammy19 Thanks for the tips guys. Have heard about the heating / climate issues before. Sammy, the garage you have mentioned near Southampton, I have actually used these guys before - A Ragazzon exhaust I had fitted to my car, back in the summer wasn't sitting right so I took to these guys and got them to sort it and was happy with the work.
Prices on the Gucci 500s are a little rich at the moment, so I am hoping for them to drop a little, back to prices they were a year or so ago.
Other 500 I like is the Vintage '57 - love the wheels.