Asbestos in old cars

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

I have been stripping the floor pans in my car of the underseal which has done a good job for the last 56 years but is now time for renewal.

In the passenger footwell there are some very small rustholes which I was scraping over and tapping with the pointed edge of the scraper to see how bad the rust was, and there was some white stuff underneath.

Then I remembered from an earlier post someone said this is asbestos for the exhaust heat shield.

Can anyone confirm this? Let it also be a warning for other members aswell who may wish to have it removed incase it gets damaged and the fibres are released into the atmosphere.

[MarkyB]

I think it's white asbestos rather then blue, just don't grind it up and snort it, if you take it to the dump put it in a sealed plastic bag and ask the people there which bin it should go in.

[charlie_morris_minor]

if you take it to the tip do an online search as only a limited number will take asbestos, as i found out when i took the cement asbestos panels off my garage roof

[orb596]

I really don't understand why everyone gets in such a panic about the miniscule amounts of asbestos that may be found.
I always fit new old stock asbestos brake linings whenever I can get hold of them - they are far superior to modern linings - as well as proper asbestos head gaskets - once again better than the modern ones.

[bmcecosse]

Absolutely -asbestos linings are MUCH better! Don't worry about the asbestos - wet it thoroughly and put in a plastic bag - and then another plastic bag. Just put it in the trash - it's a miniscule amount and will only cause widespread panic/homes evacuated/streets closed for miles around if you take the stuff to your local 'Recycling' centre.......

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

My thoughts exactly... much ado about nothing, but it makes you wonder after all you hear about it.

I suppose we'd all have mesothelioma now the way H&S go on about it....

perhaps some of you are too old to care what happens in 20 or 30 years time, but for a 21 year old man it is slightly more worrying...

Thanks for the input it's made me feel better anyway.

[Dean]

Don't underestimate asbestos, it's a long term killer. Many people have died years after being exposed to this stuff. Like BMC says keep it wet and avoid any floating fibres.

[PhilR]

Don't underestimate asbestos, it's a long term killer. Many people have died years after being exposed to this stuff. Like BMC says keep it wet and avoid any floating fibres.

Couldn't agree more.....never underestimate asbestos. I lost my dad 2 years ago to an asbestos related disease so I know first hand that this stuff IS a killer.

Take the proper precautions and leave nothing to chance, however small the amount is perceived to be.

[DaisyMayFozz]

Just reading the workshop manual 'take a large handful of preferably wet asbestos and smother the heated area'- The days before they knew.

[aupickup]

yesit is a killer but u would have to be in contact with it for many years
it was used in the building industry for many years without knowing gthe dangers of it