Need advice on fixing rust pitting on a frame. I bought a frame for my 31 for Ford roadster from a guy who had leaned it on its side against the back of his garage. Part of the frame was in wet dirt and pitted a bit when it rusted. I sandblasted the frame down to a dull silver/gray finish before priming. It is still structurally sound, just doens't look very good in that area. I prepped the frame with some PPG DX520 SG, then primed with PPG DP90 LF. I would like to put a little filler on the frame to smooth the pitted areas. Any recommendations would help. Would I be better off using a filler like USC All-Metal? Thanks for the help
I used that high build polyester primer on some really pitted parts. Seems to work fine so far. Its sort of like spraying thin bondo and building it up.
You might want to grind out any pitts and check the thickness around them afterwards. If the thickness is okay, I'd fill with either fill with weld or bondo. If any areas are too thin, you could weld in replacement pieces.
If it's only a few pits I'd weld them in and grind flush, on the other hand if its a lot I'd consider making a patch, cutting out the bad, and welding in the replacement patch.
If the frame is indeed structually sound, All Metal is what I've used many times with good results. A little harder to sand than just filler, but, I like the idea of a little metal in the depressions.
Chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Here's how I was thought to asses pitted metal. Lets say its your 10 gauge 0.1345 frame rail with 50% pits that are 0.030 deep. That section is really only 12 gauge ish 0.1046 strong with a bunch of bumps on it. Hope I am making sense. So then you need to make the call, is that strong enough Depends on how bad, how deep, and how many Pits.
I use All Metal for minor pits and over all area that I feel are thin. Also use it over all patch panel buttwelds. As long as it's structurally sound, it will be fine. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
So it can shrink up? Nitrostan? Wow that's from the way back machine. As you can tell from that updated packaging its a tad "old school". Maybe fine back in the lacquer days, I think I would use a 2 K product today
Feather fill works great for pits it is sprayed on like thick primer,it is polyester hardened with fiberglass hardener. doug
^^^^^^^^^^^^This is the best advice on this thread^^^^^^^^^^ Typically, a sound and thorough approach such as this is bypassed for the quick, easy, cheap recommendations.
It depends on if the rusty metal is individual divots with full-thickness metal around, or a low plain with hills in it. If it's individual pits, I'd look at it the opposite way from 31Vicky. Kinda like a guy who drills his axle, frame rails, or other parts full of "speed" holes. As long as there is some full-thickness metal around them, the pits won't do much harm. Blast it bare and skim with Bondo.
Try your hand at lead loading its perminent, since I learned how I only use bondo for fine inperfections prior to primer. Cheers Dave
I watched a professional shop do a one of a kind museum car and they brazed heavy pitting before painting
I've used Everco Metal to Metal (similar to All Metal) on pitted sheet metal and it seems to have a lot more body than regular filler. worked great to pretty up the pitted metal no structural value of course.
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