Fords aluminium body

[jyoutz]

The hood, front fenders and tailgate on my 1993 Volvo 960 are all aluminum. There is a slight amount of corrosion (bubbling paint) on the tailgate but not anywhere else that I've noticed. These cars have been described by an enthusiast's magazine as "remarkably immune to rust" I'm a bit skeptical of using it on the actual body due to it's difficulty of being repaired if damaged.

Most body damage to aluminum panels can’t be repaired; the panels must be replaced.

 

[Rustyiron]

Most body damage to aluminum panels can’t be repaired; the panels must be replaced.

I'm not certain, but I believe the day's of hammers and dolly's, (actual repairs) left us over 20 years ago when it was nearly 100% steel. Other than the "paintless" ding popper, that are almost magical, the parts/panels are cheaper than the disappearing craftsman with the skills to make a repair.

 

[deserteagle71]

No rust or corrosion visible anywhere on my 2016 F150.

But then I live in Nevada where nothing rusts...check out this fine machine I found that's been laying out in the desert for the past 80 years:

When's the last time you fueled through your taillight??

 

[oliver1555]

When I was a kid, we had a 1956 Chevrolet station wagon. The left light flipped down and that’s where you put the gas in the tank.

 

[oosik]

desert eagle - that old body even has a moon roof.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Any feedback on the corrosion results? I haven't kept up with the calendar, but didn't they start with the F150 enough years ago to have an opinion?
I'm skeptical but what's the owners responses.

I have a 99 with aluminum. No corrosion.

 

[Rustyiron]

This all is encouraging.
With the insane (vehicle) prices, I'd be bothered to no end driving in the winter. The frame portion is pretty simple to protect with fluid film or similar. It's also very accessible and visible to inspect, where the bodywork.... by the time you see it, it's too late.
I'm beyond the new truck every 4 years for depreciation purposes (only) and the dollars involved, I'd rather buy more real estate or rentals.

 

[yanmars]

sd455dan mentioned some Pontiacs in the 60s had aluminum bumpers. Tried to pull a guy out of the snow and attached with a hook like one did on steel bumpers. Pulled right through it. It was a Pontiac of the 60s, maybe 65. Perhaps AL.

 

[Richard001]

Yes, I don't know what the engineers were thinking. I had a 1979 Olds that I bought brand new. I even went thru the extra expense of having the addition of a rust-proofing coating applied to the bottom of the car and inside of the doors. The car had aluminum bumpers bolted to steel brackets with steel bolts. I live in MN, so we get a lot of salt on the roads. In about 5 years, I could see that the bumper was just about ready to fall off. The aluminum corroded around the bolts that held it on to the car. I put large washers on the bolts but that only accelerated the corrosion process. The entire car, frame and all started to just disappear. Finally sold it for scap after the engine timing chain jump a few teeth.

 

[Boss 302]

Aluminum is great and by the way panel replacement has been in play for years not just in the aluminum platform.

 

[gsganzer]

I have a 2014 F150 and no issues, but it's not a work truck. I also have a 2020 F250 that's a work truck and I've noticed it will dent easily. Little dings etc. I haven't checked to see if they can do "paintless" dent repair on dings with the aluminum body.

 

[s219]

2015 was the first model year Ford went to the all-aluminum body. Prior to that, Ford and many other companies used aluminum for selected panels (often hood, roof, and trunk/hatch) but not the entire body. Chevy/GMC have used aluminum hoods on their trucks for a while and now the doors are aluminum too. But the rest of the body is steel. Ford is unique in doing the entire body in aluminum, which is a big difference.

 

[sd455dan]

2015 was the first model year Ford went to the all-aluminum body. Prior to that, Ford and many other companies used aluminum for selected panels (often hood, roof, and trunk/hatch) but not the entire body. Chevy/GMC have used aluminum hoods on their trucks for a while and now the doors are aluminum too. But the rest of the body is steel. Ford is unique in doing the entire body in aluminum, which is a big difference.

Right, Ford had the 1st full "truck" body in Aluminum.

Tesla Models like the S are almost all Aluminum as well

Early pioneer of Aluminum
Range Rovers and especially the Land Rover (thinking Late 60's and 70's) had a lot of Aluminum . also Range Rover's were powered by Buicks Aluminum 215 V8 engine

 

[skipmarcy]

Right, Ford had the 1st full "truck" body in Aluminum.

Tesla Models like the S are almost all Aluminum as well

Early pioneer of Aluminum
Range Rovers and especially the Land Rover (thinking Late 60's and 70's) had a lot of Aluminum . also Range Rover's were powered by Buicks Aluminum 215 V8 engine

I was working at an Alfa Romeo dealer back in the mid-70s and we had a customer bring in his 1965 GTA production race car (street legal) and it was all aluminum bodied. The reason he brought it in was to get it ready for sale and the major concern was that he had left it in his driveway a day or two and the ACORNS fell on it and there were hundreds of tiny dings in that fire engine red paint job!!

I had a '61 Olds F85 that had the 215 V8 that I had purchased for $25 - the car was in excellent shape except for one spark plug hole that was stripped clean-out. I used a greased tap and tapped it for an 18mm Ford spark plug (GM used 14mm spark plugs) and drove it out of the guy's yard and the next couple of years. That was one screaming small block with the factory 4 bbl.

 

[fishdrivel]

I was stuck in a bad hailstorm a couple of weeks ago. My F150 was pelted with quarter sized hail and when I got home, there were no dings whatsoever!

 

[Rustyiron]

Bet that was a nervous ride home.

 

[Tomtint]

I have a 17 F450 4x4 dump truck, so the cab is aluminum. Its out in foul weather and when the roads are covered in salt and mag chloride. ..Replaced the exhaust manifolds at 5K miles due to rust and the front as well as rear roars at 5k due to rust. Its brutal. This spring I need to blast and paint the frame and dump hoist to save it. ..The cab..still looks perfect.

 

[Rustyiron]

Holy crap Tom, both rears rotted?

 

[BravoXray]

I think he meant rotors/

 

[Kschwennsen]

You do realize that GM is also using aluminum body panels as well?

Fiber beds too, in Denali and Toyota has it in the Tundra (new for 22) and Tacoma.