corrosion protection during prep process

[Greg Reed]

I'm just starting the restoration on my Ford 850. Chassis first, bodywork later. I'm trying to remove as much of the old paint on the engine/trans castings as possible, but prepared for this taking a while. Living in humid Michigan, I'm a little worried about surface rusting starting on the first areas I strip, before I finish everything and get a coat of primer on.

From the more experienced guys out there ..... how do you handle this situation? Temporarily coat the first areas stripped with something? Or just leave it be, and come back for a final 'touch up rust removal' before the first primer coat?

Thanks!

 

[Frank(Mi.)]

I use phosphoric acid. It comes in a spray bottle from Home Depot and is titled "Must for Rust" I think...

 

[Tgrasher]

I use red oxide primer, you can see by my logo picture the results on a tractor restored five years ago. The picture was taken last summer.

 

[showcrop]

It can get very humid here too. I do most of that work in the winter when humidity is low. Also I don't try to take the cast iron down to bare unless it is rusty. Just the wire wheel scratches in the old paint provide excellent adhesion for the primer. I use phosphoric acid for any areas that had rust, the black coating that it leaves is very good protection.

 

[Greg Reed]

It can get very humid here too. I do most of that work in the winter when humidity is low. Also I don't try to take the cast iron down to bare unless it is rusty. Just the wire wheel scratches in the old paint provide excellent adhesion for the primer. I use phosphoric acid for any areas that had rust, the black coating that it leaves is very good protection.

I have a lot of areas where much of the paint has already peeled off, but not all. Not sure exactly how to describe, but there are patches of paint remaining on the cast surfaces. I'm afraid that if I leave these, they will show through. Not from a color perspective, but as an uneven surface?

 

[showcrop]

I have a lot of areas where much of the paint has already peeled off, but not all. Not sure exactly how to describe, but there are patches of paint remaining on the cast surfaces. I'm afraid that if I leave these, they will show through. Not from a color perspective, but as an uneven surface?

Not a chance of it showing on the cast surface.

 

[Greg Reed]

Not a chance of it showing on the cast surface.

Good to know, thank you! So as long as it isn't rusty, flaking, or glossy, it's fine to leave? Of course, after 70 years, there's no gloss left anyway! But I do also have some areas with newer paint that I had brushed on 10 or 15 years ago as a quick-fix. I'll try to make sure all of that is hit with the wire wheel to get a scratched surface.

 

[GChief]

When I strip a car or bike it goes straight into primer before I start any metal repairs.

 

[Greg Reed]

When I strip a car or bike it goes straight into primer before I start any metal repairs.

Yeah, I understand that theory, but in practice .... I can't work on this 24/7, and it's going to take time to strip and clean the whole chassis. I suppose I could prime each section as I finish, but I'm trying to avoid this.

 

[GChief]

I suppose I could prime each section as I finish, but I'm trying to avoid this.

That is what I would do, otherwise your fighting rust the whole project. I am probably having my 65 Galaxie body dipped at some point this summer, it will go straight to primer before I even bring it home.

 

[showcrop]

Good to know, thank you! So as long as it isn't rusty, flaking, or glossy, it's fine to leave? Of course, after 70 years, there's no gloss left anyway! But I do also have some areas with newer paint that I had brushed on 10 or 15 years ago as a quick-fix. I'll try to make sure all of that is hit with the wire wheel to get a scratched surface.

I go over every square inch with one weapon or another.

 

[Greg Reed]

I go over every square inch with one weapon or another.

Since the tractor in your avatar looks beautiful, and is an inspiration to my final work ...... which weapon do you find works best to get into the nooks and crannies, inside corners, around bolts & studs, etc?

 

[showcrop]

Since the tractor in your avatar looks beautiful, and is an inspiration to my final work ...... which weapon do you find works best to get into the nooks and crannies, inside corners, around bolts & studs, etc?

Thanks for the nice compliment. If you are going to get into those very tight places you want a burr in your Dremel.