Ultimate rust thread!

[K. Roman]

Does anyone know how to remove the very thick coating on the interior of the early cars? The palm of my hand is bruised nicely from using a paint scraper, and the wire cups I'm using with a drill seem to take forever. Also there seems to be rust everywhere, the floor pans need to be replaced and the rear seat pans have some rust in the corners that left some blackish pitting under the rust.
What should I do? Should I replace the rear seats also is the pitting OK?

How can I remove the heavy coating quicker?

Ive checked around on "search" but haven't found an "ultimate" rust section, just "ultimate" vanity stuff. Help me!!!
Pics tomorrow....

[Walko]

I used a wire brush on a four inch angle grinder a lot quicker than a drill machine but still took a day to do the inside.

Michael

[Zeke]

What really get the job done is a big, powerful 7" angle grinder/sander with a welder's cup wire brush on it. The wires are almost as big as a cheap coat-hanger and they are braided or grouped in 1/4" bundles around the circumference of the wheel. There is a non cup radial version as well. These two will throw the old sealer completely across the garage. You can do the whole floor in less than an hour. Go rent the grinder and buy one or both of these for about $15 ea.

AFA replacement goes, pitting is nothing unless you are building a show/race car and all the interior metal will be exposed and painted. If it feels strong and you can't poke through it with a screw driver, clean off the rust scale and treat it with phosphoric acid and then rust encapsulating paint.

Search for all the rust info you'll ever want to know using the words "POR 15." Or, just use the word rust and my user name. That alone will bring up enough posts to keep you busy for a couple days.

[K. Roman]

Thanks Michael and Zeke. And Zeke, I've been following your rust history for a while, your posts are the reason I've decided to take on this project.

It would be great to get a rust thread going... my GF took the digi camera to Florida otherwise I'd let you all "feel" my pain..

[Walko]

Zeke.

I agree with you on the 7" grinder but I only have a 4" or a 9" and the big mother scares the crap out of me if it bites when you are in a corner etc.

I wonder whether I should tell the better half to buy me a 7"


Michael

[jmz]

I used a torch and a scraper. It worked well.

[azasadny]

Check out this thread and go to the eBay ad, then review the links Shawn has provided. He documented the entire restoration process and provides alot of good info regarding stripping down the interior to bare metal...

A change in priorities

[Shuie]

I used a heat gun and a paint scraper. Luckily, most of th stuff chipped away cleanly in larger 3"-4" pieces once it was heated.

[K. Roman]

Wow, Shauns threads are staggering!

So, I'm going out to get a heat gun tomorrow. I did get a 7" grinder from Milwaukee and the welder's cup. It still is slow though. My arms have gone completely numb from the vibrations. I'll try and get pics up of the project soon...thanks for the replies.

[Shuie]

This is not a disagreement to anyones comments, but I would hesitate to use the angle grinder and wire brush inside the car unless the interior is completely stripped. Its going to wrok really well, but its going to make a pretty impressive mess.

The inisde is easy. Just keep telling yorself how much worse it would be to be laying on your back with an angle grinder for 8hrs removing the undercoating from the other side of the floorpans and you will be done in no time

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Walko
Zeke.

I agree with you on the 7" grinder but I only have a 4" or a 9" and the big mother scares the crap out of me if it bites when you are in a corner etc.

I wonder whether I should tell the better half to buy me a 7"


Michael

If you grab a worm drive Skillsaw or a grinder with both hands on both handles, you have to be a contortionist to hurt yourself in the upper regions. And you ought to have sense enough to keep your pants out of the way.

Go for it. Besides, a 9" grinder doesn't always have to have a 9" device on it. It just means that it can accommodate a 9" disc. You can use a smaller disc or cup on that machine.

Like Sherman said, cover up.

[Evans, Marv]

Just an FYI if you are going to buy a heat gun. Like Sherman said, I spent the time under my car, and it did take 8 hours or more - probably a bunch more. I learned that a good quality heat gun makes a big difference. I had a cheap one from H.F. and a better one from Home Depot that I had bought some time ago. I could really tell the difference between the two when trying to take the undercoating off with the gun & a scrapper (good quality on that too).

[steve185]

Here on the east coast of Canada we have plenty of rust. I have just replaced both longitudinal repair panels and am now replacing both floor pans.
I used a propane torch and a scraper to remove the undercoating. I used a wire wheel to clean up after the scraper and it worked great. A heat gun probably would be better and safer.
Replacing the panels is not as much work as one would think.

[Walko]

I haven't been game to start on the underside of the car yet.

Hopefully i will make some sort of rotissere to make life easier.

Michael

[John Block]

I removed some undercoating this weekend using "Peel Away" paint remover. You put it on thick with a putty knife cover it with a paper (provided in the kit) and wait... I let it sit 48 hours making sure it was damp throughout the period it was in contact with the undercoating. I had to scrape a little to get the undercoat out of the corners but it definitly sofened the undercoat down to the metal. I think if I had waited another 24 or even 48 hours it would have worked as advertised and just peeled off on the paper sheet. Patience is the key to a minimum of elbow grease with this stuff. Works slow but works. Google "Peel Away" I got it online

John