Auto Rust Repair – How To Deal With This Problem
By John Burgess I
If you are a vintage car enthusiast who has made the decision to commit to the purchase of an old car for a do-it-yourself restoration project, the importance of a pre-inspection when evaluating the car or cars your considering cannot be stressed enough. Of the many things you’ll be looking at during your inspection is the need to detect existing rust problems, and this should be at the top of your list. On more than one occasion, a novice has happily bought his first car, and later discovered that the car of his dreams was actually riddled with rust. Minor rust issues can of course be dealt with, but if the problem of rust is of a serious nature, the entire project can easily be jeopardized and could certainly create a potential financial disaster.
With that said, it is well worth repeating how important this part of the pre-inspection process really is. However, if you’ve found the perfect car for your project, but it does have some existing rust problems that are manageable, the following auto rust repair information should be of assistance:
The first step in the auto rust repair process involves the removal of the paint from the car so that not only is the cars body thoroughly cleaned but the bare metal is exposed as well. As this is somewhat of a dirty job, you may want to hire a professional stripper to do this part of the work.
Older cars which have spent the majority of their years in dry climates are still likely to have some degree of rust on their bodies. It’s very likely that automobiles, which have for the most part, spent their time in colder climates where salt is used to eliminate snow from the roads, will frequently be found to be riddled with rust. Regardless of the level of rust a car may be plagued with, the bottom line is that the rust problem will have to be eliminated or it will continue to deteriorate the car’s metal surfaces.
There are two common ways to remove rust and one involves removing the rust mechanically, and the other is through removing the rust chemically. The mechanical method involves what we all refer to as “good old elbow grease” and this is done with a wire brush. If there is a problem with this method it is that it isn’t terribly effective. Although it may appear as though all of the rust has been removed because the metal surfaces now appear shiny, the fact is, that traces of rust which are undetectable to the eye are still hidden in crevices of the metal and will continue to grow and destroy the metal.
This process is subsequently much more effective if combined with a chemical rust removal process. Ultimately, by combining both of these methods, existing rust is more likely to be successfully removed on a permanent basis.
One such chemical process worth considering is acid de-rusting, and this literally involves submerging the rusted parts in an acid bath. Another method involves organic de-rusting and one of the better products available on the market today for this is called Rusteco. You simply apply this product to the affected surfaces and it works by chemically removing the oxygen from the oxidation.
By following these tips and other suggestions which I have included on my website, the problem of rust should become a manageable problem, rather than one that could potentially derail your restoration project.
John Burgess I has been involved in vintage car restoration for over two decades and enjoys sharing the knowledge he has about this rewarding pastime with others. For more information about auto rust repair visit his website at www.vintagecarrestorationinfo.com
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