preserving surface rust

So, you don't really like the old cars, you're just wanting to get attention? Well, leave it rusty so it won't be around for the next generation. How about trying to preserve this piece of history instead?

 

Thanks for the comments good and bad. There is nothing wrong with letting me know how you feel on the subject of surface rust. I just liked the look of the rusty old car in the barn. It was maroon and probably has about 20-25% paint left. Thanks for the suggestions, I thought the clear might peal off so i wanted to ask. I plan on restoring the interior and probably rebuilding and adding some power to The engine, cam, intake manifold and carb. I just liked the rusty exterior I have seen this car for about 20 years and it doesn;t seem to have got much worse. As to how it got that way it was parked outside when she drove it and just put in the barn when it was parked. The barn does leak some and it is beside a pond so it does get really damp sometimes. It is complete except someone swiped the wiper blades one headlight and trim ring and the horn ring is also gone. You don't find many that have been parked for 46 years and non been vandalized today. As I said if I don't like it i can always paint it later.
Yes it does have some 46 year old gas in it too and also some mouse nest and snake skins they will go.

 

As for groucho, I do love old cars and have a few I don't have anything newer than a 71 and wouldn't if I can help it. It just seems that the old rough or rusty ones seem to draw more attention than a good decent driver, (I'm not talking about a trailer queen). 2 of my newer cars I have are a 66 falcon wagon that was painted bright yellow new from a bakery and later repainted green, the green it pealing off and alot of yellow shows through everyone says leave it like it is don't touch it. I also have a 66 chrysler 300 my daily driver that is original and still looks pretty good I have also been told leave it as it is by many people. It will eventually have to get a repaint and seat covers but for now it is still ok. One day I got 5 offers to buy it by people. They do need to be preserved and the 48 is solid but rough so I don't think it will rust to bits if not painted immediatly. At least it has not been stored outside and rusted beyond repair.

 

Wash it with some Comet cleanser and a blue Scotch-bright sponge pad.

It will take off the bumpier rust and you'll be surprised how much paint is below the rust you scrub off.

 

Wow, now theres an answer. I was thinking just spray it down with wd-40 every so often...

 

I'm right there with ya...

Not in NC.. that thing will speed up once it's exposed to the weather again.. I've been watching quite a few cars here disinegrate into the ground...

blah blah blah, blow it out your a-hole...

 

I went to a rod run recently and a rat rod pulled up and it indeed got a lot of ATTENTION. I noticed that most of the people looking at it were shaking their head. That would be side to side, not up and down. Ugly sometimes gets more ATTENTION than pretty.

 

I don't get the rust concept! Back in the 50's & 60's guys tried to make their cars look good with paint. This had a lot to do with pride and getting girls. Take a look at vintage hot rod pictures and you will see very few rusty or even primered cars. Bad ass is more to do with design than rust. No way a rusty car is traditional! Just my view and to each his own.

 

"I don't get the rust concept! Back in the 50's & 60's guys tried to make their cars look good with paint. This had a lot to do with pride and getting girls."

I can only guess at the motivations.

1. Laziness.
2. Low budget.
3. Fear of fucking up the paint job.
4. Aesthetic affectation.
5. They're already getting girls.

 

The motivation has already been stated,
Attention.

 

RUST IS BAD. clearing over rust will just seal the rust in there. I stripped my moto guzzi tank once and it was so straight I decided to keep it in bare metal. I spoke to a bodyshop friend he recommended to get it ass clean and DRY as possible. also use a tack cloth to remove any oil etc. It was a perfectly rust free and clean dry tank and 4 coats of clear!!!! started rusting under the clear within a month!!!! It was just a little serface rust but still that shit does not sleep.

Just imagine sealing in all that rust, plus moisture in the air is impossible to remove. image how much more moistuer will be trapped in those flakey rsty pits!

Please either paint it or enjoy your natural patina, but don't be surprised when things get worse.

 

Get underneath it and take off the running boards, or tap the sides of the rocker boxes above the running boards. Mine had almost NO rust in the trunk or the floor, and my rocker boxes had rust holes. Dirt (and probably mouse poop and bugs in your case) collect in them and holds the moisture.

Trun from underneath, just a few pin holes on one rib after wirebrushing, that's it.


And here's the rockers before
Inside the frame...

...and outside the frame after I peeled away the holy sheetmetal


Just a guess, but after having to fix this kinda rust, I think you might change your mind about wanting the whole car that color and texture.

 

If it's attention your looking for, why not try cross dressing? There's a local guy who always dresses up like Marylin Monroe at car shows. Now he gets alot of attention. When he's not in drag he's just a regular car guy, but when the dress and lipstick come out, look out.

You can't be subtle about it though, otherwise some may confuse you for the real thing and you might not get the attention you are striving for. You need to look like a man, beard and all, with lipstick and a dress on. Then people will flock to you.

 

Hey his name is Billy too. Wierd. Now you guys have two things in common.

 

Fuck yes.

 

What happened to "Build what you want" ?


Must be Cry Baby Week.

 

Andrew,
Could you prep/repair the surface(sand it and seal it with a good sealer/primer) and then paint it with a brush and filter sand,cornmeal,(insert granular media of choice here) and paint over that?
That way if the rough look grows old,sand it all off and you have a good base to smooth paint on?
It worked for me and no threat of blood-poisoning!
I've heard of guys flinging oatmeal on wet paint and covering that for a real scaley topping!

Good luck with your project!

 

A lot of diverend opinions here .
It's your car you paid for it even if you want to convert it into a dining table its fine.
If you want to keep it as is you might try a epoxy clear sealer this also is in a non gloss finisch,
epoxy do's not let air trough no air is no more rust.

 

Take a tip from my buddy Norm Grabowski, a leader in the rat rod movement. When asked what he does to preserve his '37 Ford truck, "El Polacko", he grins and says he waxes it with WD40. Personally, I think he's fudging a bit. I think you can get a peek of it at his website: www.normsnews.com

 

no seriously
what you wanna do is go buy a bag of SALT for water treatment.
spread salt all over your cars surface.
then take a 2x4 and mash the salt into your car.
It works to preserve the finish.
kinda like preserving meat or fish.
its traditional to, the settlers did that shit.
good luck

 

That's some of the dumbest shit I've ever heard, what the fuck is wrong with people?

 

oh god. thats terrible.

 

Actually,rust isn't all over the car.if you can picture this:
Rust comes out from pin holes.Once it comes out,it mushrooms out.I know a guy who restores Early American Motorcycles.He takes a lot of "brown " tanks and covers them with penetrating oil and slowly takes it back off after letting it sit for a while.Gradually the old paint underneath reappears. There is probably a litle truth to the 'wax it with WD40 approach.It might just produce a semi patinaed finish with rust/paint.

I do have to say that when I was growing up around rods (50'-60's),NO ONE liked this kind of finish.You were saving for a candy apple paint job.That being said,I do like something that has been drug out and left alone though.

 

Why don't you just prep it, paint it brown and have the dudes from "pimp my ride" airbrush on some fake rust...

 

Great post!

 

Use furniture wax it will seal the patina and keep moisture from getting to the surface .If you decide to paint the car your body man will have a stripper that will get the wax off . I used this on my 31 sedan it darkens up but it works for me .Also do not use a white towel to put the wax on .But the main thing is do what you Want to do F what people think .
My 2 cents

 

pm me your address, and i'll bag the rust i am sanding off my 52 and ship it to you, you can hot glue it on....

seriously, the best thing to do is drive it.

 

Lets see now, Was that (oppinions are like assholes) or (assholes also have oppinions)??????????

 

BRAHTINA rules,,,,,,,shaka!!


Bryan

 

strip it and repaint it with the Hot Rod Flatz Rust Pearl.

If you've been doing so well with unpainted cars...imagine what a painted one will do for ya.