Rust and ding repair.

[azimm20]

Hello.... Ive watched some friends tackle body work but now I wanna try it out myself. I got an 85 gt that needs help, there is some surface rust in a few smots the size of a baseball, and a dime size hole in the door area... what are the best steps in repairing these fixes....

[85 Notchback]

For the surface rust, SAND BLAST. :twisted: I'm a sand blasting nazi, and for good reason, it's quick and effective, you can't beat it for getting rid of you rust troubles. First sandblast the infected area, then, follow by lightly sanding (with about 220( what you just blasted, then follow-up with a THIN coat of (short strand) fibreglass, NOT BONDO, they are two different things, Bondo absorbs water, fibreglass is waterproof, which is WAY better for further rust prevention. For the dime sized hole you can do it the easy way, or the right way. The easy way is grind the rust and fill over the hole with (long strand) fibreglass. The right way, is to.

1. Sandblast the whole rusted area, around the hole. then feel around, push the metal, feel for weak metal, remember the hole itself isn't the major problem, the weak metal is more important, find out the whole area of weak metal, use a Sharpie to mark it on the car.

2. Cut a piece of metal (a patch) to Match your sharpie markings.

3. Cut out selected piece of car :twisted:

4. Now you can do this 2 ways, make the patch fit just right, or oversize it a tiny bit and use adhesive to seal it, and the do either A) Rivet it into place or B) Tack weld it into place. Follow around the metal with a series of small stitch welds or tack welds until they start coming together (this reduces heat and chances of metal warpage then, grind the welds and seal them with a sealant/adhesive glue type thing, then smooth everything out and blend it in using (short strand) fibreglass.

If you make it fit just right, clamp it in place and tack weld it in to hold it. Then follow the above procedure (same as the following). Follow around the metal with a series of small stitch welds or tack welds until they start coming together (this reduces heat and chances of metal warpage then, grind the welds and seal them with a sealant/adhesive glue type thing, then smooth everything out and blend it in using (short strand) fibreglass.

Hope this helps and all the writing doesn't scare you away :P

Calon

[85 Notchback]

Also forgot to mention the ding fixing. Th easiest methos for me is "Hammer on/off dolly" method, then follow up with a light coat of (short strand) fibreglass to smooth things off.

[jpywell]

Could not have said it better myself. I will be doing that to about 3 spots on my car and the cab corners of my truck.

[negusm]

I got some interesting stuff the other day. "Rust Remover by Kleen Strip". It comes in a fairly small bottle and is pretty thick so it sticks to vertical surfaces.

I used it on an underhood light bracket that was just completely rusted and corroded. Well, I was absolutely astounded at how that stuff turned the rust and corrosion back into shiny metal. There was almost nothing that came off the bracket...it just became shiny again. There was still a faint discoloration in spots where the worst of the rust was.

Amazing stuff. Looks like something that would work in spots where you can't sand or sandblast easily without ruining a finish or paint.

I also used it on the bolts on that old aftermarket steering wheel I have and it worked great but did affect the paint slightly (I wasn't too careful how I applied it). It didn't strip the paint just darkened it a small bit.

-Mike

[jpywell]

Keep your eyes on it... the problem with rust is that its cancer... it will ALWAYS come back if the metal was not removed. Though it may take a while in this case, and if you keep it out of winter and rain it should take even longer if never (fingers crossed for ya).

[negusm]

Keep your eyes on it... the problem with rust is that its cancer... it will ALWAYS come back if the metal was not removed. Though it may take a while in this case, and if you keep it out of winter and rain it should take even longer if never (fingers crossed for ya).

That's what Eastwood's Diamond Clear Spray Paint is For. :D It goes on clear without adding or taking away any of the metal's shine. (I sound like a walking infomercial)

For this piece though I lightly coated it with 3 and 1 oil. I wanted to watch and see what (if anything) happens.

-Mike

[jpywell]

Excellent :), great for those areas that are just starting or possibly could be in trouble later down the road.