So you have some rust...A different way to use vineger..

I have a costumers 64 Impala SS, this car has allot of surface rust on the roof and other panels. I did not want to use a sandblaster because the roof is allmost perfect and I didn't want damage it... So I decided to try a little experiment with vineger( I actually tried this on something else first) but this is the first time on a vehicle.

Basically what I did was soak a bunch of hand towels in vineger and just spread them over the roof on the Impala... and let it soak ...

I searched for this and didn't find anything, if someone has posted this befor I appoligize...

 

What it looked like originally...

 

I used a wire brush and red scotch brite periodically to rub the dissolving rust away until all the little pits and crevices were bare. You also need to quickly wipe the bare metal with water and dry it quick or the vineger will continue to stain the metal. Also once the metal is clean of rust sand it with 80-120 or so and prime it as fast as possible.

The first pic shows what the metal looks like after soaking for about 8 hours...all that crusty nasty stuff comes right off and shows nice, clean, bare metal.

 

i have been wondering if this would work ive done the vinegar bath before and was pleased with the results

was the towels drying out a problem? and how long did you leave them on ?

 

Wow, good idear. I may just try that on my truck parts. Thanks for the tip...

**subscribed**

 

I just soaked them every couple hours, most of the rust came off within 6-8 hours, the heavier stuff took maybe 16-20 hours...

 

thanks

 

do you have to neutralize it with water or something? i sure looks good.

 

Way to think out of the box

 

nice! thanks for posting your results with pictures so we got the idea!

 

It's been discussed a number of times, you just have to spell vinegar right. Good tip, though, and worth showing again especially with photos.

 

I did not know that would work that's cool

 

How long did you leave the hand towels on?
Thanks!!

 

I just soaked them every couple hours, most of the rust came off within 6-8 hours, the heavier stuff took maybe 16-20 hours...

 

I bet that's the best Douche that ride has ever had way to think out of the box!!! Now I got to go find something in the garage to douche

 

good way to make a convertible if you don't have a sawzall !!

 

Good!!!

 

Great tech...thanks!

 

Awesome tech. I'm gonna have to remember this next time

 

I've experimented with soaking small parts in vinegar with very good results. I'm surprised you were getting these results in such short time. I've been using 4 1/2% white vinegar, and it seems to take days to thoroughly strip something. Is the vinegar you are using a higher acidity rate?

 

i have a gas tank that only had gas in it once now has suface rust inside if i do it this way what would be the next step before i put gas in it again thank you for any help

 

some people have had negative experiences with 'vinegar stripping'.
when you shop for vinegar , dont buy the cheap crap, its 50% water straight out of the jug! read the label and compare strength VS co$t.

 

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2257

 

I have been using "Southern Home" Bilo brand vinegar, it's about $2 for a gallon... I don't dilute it, just use it straight out of the bottle... as a test subject, I have a chunck of train track that is supposedly a piece of the original R/R in Atlanta, IDK.. but its pretty crusty, anyways I started soaking a small piece last weekend. I checked today and probably 95-98% of the crusty crap is gone, and shows clean but heavily pitted original steel... I did nothing to clean before or during, I actually forgot about it.

 

There are tank sealers that would probably work better than vinegar. When the rust and vinegar react it makes a pretty nasty looking sludge, with that said I probably wouldn't use it inside a gas tank unless you can thoroughly clean out...

 

If you cover the soaked rags with plastic sheeting and tape down the edges they won't dry out. Worked for me.....

 

Great tech tips, Thanks. My Falcon roof is like the Impala roof was, not for long after reading this.

 

This is a great idea for panels that you can't just put into a tank to soak. The plastic over the towels is a good idea too. The only thing that I'll add is to neutralize the vinegar with soapy water and dry.

 

Vinegar is an amassing product and this is just another great idea and also very clever way of using it for rust removal.

This afternoon I filled a spray bottle with vinegar and a drop or two of liquid hand cleaner and sprayed all the dollar weed in the flower beds and yard and that's the end of them.

The pictures of the roof really look great!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the information. Jimbo

 

Good to know, Thanks!