Full of foam

[bikeboyz]

Prepairing to waxoyl the old 504 today, I removed the plastic bung from the front wheel arch that leads in to the seal. It is full of foam, but not the hard stuff you get on those "bodge-it" type spray cans. Its soft squashy stuff, so I am not sure how far along the seal it goes, or wether the waxoyl will react to it? anybody know?

[Stuart McB]

Why has it got this foam in side of the wheel arch? Never heard of any rust prohibitor like that before. I have owned several MG Bs and Roadsters over the years and never come across this befor. Could it be some form of an attempt to sound deaden?

[bikeboyz]

Well its not in the actual wheel arch, as you look at the front wheel head on, its to the right hand lower side of the arch, leading in to the bottom of the seal. I found another one on the rear, but no foam in that one. Could slide my waxoyl pipe about half way up. The foam must be put in during construction because I cannot squash it up to get it out of the hole!

[oilyspanner]

Foam filling voids is a rally prep trick, stops muck and water flying up and making the car heavier, it was also mooted as acorrosion protaction/sound deadening tactic. Was going to waxoyl my BX this week but the can had rusted through!
Stewart

[bikeboyz]

Thats an interesting piece of information. The 504 was owned by a rally co-driver to Basil Wadman, who you may recal passed a number of years ago during an international rally. When I collected the car, parked up for many years also was a 504 Coupe V6 rally car in Peugeot Talbot colours, and 504 Cabriolet RHD, and yet a spotless 504 Injection saloon. The rally link could explain the foam in one of the seals. The seals are original and solid so hopefully I will never need to replace them, the high power torch into the inspection hole shows spotless paint.