Hey all, pulled the RC out of the garage the other day and started to do a little work on it. Son was pretend driving it and making motor noises while I was hammering the frame to see how bad the rust is. I started cutting floor pans out and the RC is in rough shape. It's been sitting in a barn on concrete floor and I'm wondering if the concrete has ruined it. It's heavy scale rust and hitting it with a hammer doesn't go through the rust but buckets of rust is falling out of it. Rocker level and above it seems everything is really solid. It's going to be a project now which is what I didn't want..but how to know when a frame is too far gone? Is there a measurement that I can use or some sort of spec?

Took the bumper off and there is a heavy gauge steel plate that goes up and over the gas tank, this is the worst spot, I'll have to get some pictures up. I've hit everything with acid, hoping it will stop the corrosion for now and then I plan to spent time with a needle nibbler and get all the rust off and hit it with some FF.

I'm going to get some sort of plastic and lay that on top of the concrete, I hope that will keep the moisture from getting all over the frame. I'm also in the middle of hooking a oil furnace up and thinking I might dump some heat into the small garage. My plan was to tow a small camper with it. At some point it will be getting a 4bt diesel but my hope is to keep it as stock as possible.

PS... someone put a cd player in this thing and I've never seen so much wire in my entire life. 6ft probably to the speaker and there is a coil 50ft long. perhaps they didn't want to cut it?

 

Rust can be a pain, especially if you have a convertible. Saw this in a boneyard the other day, and though about how much metal replacement would be necessary as it's basically a planter greenhouse inside.

Yeah, I can get it for $1500, but how much would I have to put into it to make it worthwhile?

 

Looks like you scored some free scrap copper......Ben

 

Not sure what the going price is for small bolt pattern 5 slot mags....might be worth it to part that little A-body out.

 

NJT. That old A body is cool. But that R model Mack in the background is the real prize! Just think how many cars you can plow over with a 10 ft blade on that old Dog!

 

10 foot blade?

My Dodge runs a 11.5' blade. That Mack could run a 20' blade, and I could start plowing airports!

 

Pitter Patter, Let's get at 'er!

 

bannerd

I fight the ferric oxide battle on a daily basis. I have found the best way to deal with it (aside from hauling stuff to the sandblaster guy) is to use a needle scaler and a wire brush on a 4 inch grinder. Top it with Chassis Saver and a then a top coat. Then Fluid Film by the gallon. It is really a never ending battle.

As far as the frame being "too far gone", if you can't find a good spot to start welding then its time to give up.

Check the rear spring hangers. They like to hold a lot of salt and dirt and tend to rot out or get a build up of scale behind them.

Keep up the good fight here in the Rust Belt.

 

Has anyone ever thought of stripping the frame bare then either coating it with zinc dust primer or galvanizing it? I worked at a company that made steel things for the Viet-Nam battlefield and we coated them with zinc-dust and anti-fungal paint and then nothing would touch them.

Edwin

 

I used zinc paint on mine, and it failed like all the other coatings. I'm currently doing phosphoric acid, then a few weeks later, spraying diesel on it.

Nothing else seems to work here. With this liquid brine stuff

 

I have used the zinc dust primer for years with good results . I have also been trying spraying frame , inside doors , fenders , rocker panels, bed sides with used motor oil . I’ll keep you posted how well it works out

 

Below are some pictures of the rust.

If welding on it is the test then it's still doable. Actually up near the engine the frame looks pretty decent, about mid way it isn't looking so hot. The front fenders had a lot of bondo on there which when I bought the rig I couldn't even tell and they sounded solid when I knocked on it. I started needle scaling it and air hammering just to get the scale off. I'll come back over it with acid and then some decent paint. I've used POR in the past and have had bad luck, any other ideas? Thinking rattle can 2K paint or some industrial paint.

 

Some outside shots of the rig.

 

the rust ix to stop it dead phosphoric acid is a great idea to kill it.
what I've used with good results is a polymer/tannic acid mix which ultimately is a converter. I don't even have to drive in the winter and the frame and underbody still obtains some level of road brine that stuff gets blown in the wind the particulates are everywhere.
I agree with T man Shultz gun with some diesel and bar oil!!!

 

I know this doesn't help with your current rust problem but over the winter, after a brining event and a good rain I go to the drive through car wash that has the underspray and take my time inching through it. But I guess that doesn't help much with any protectant that's been applied pre-winter to last. Then come spring I try to blast good with the pressure washer.

When I put the flatbed on my '77 W200 about 6 years ago I air needled, wire brushed and POR15ed the bed and frame, top coated with a rattle can. Now it looks... well... eh.

This brine sucks. Here they brine just in case, so a lot of times it's applied and then there is no snow or ice. I just took a 2001 F250 and my '94 Camry to my buddy's salvage yard. Both looked pretty good and ran OK but the F250s frame was rusted in two on both sides behind the cab and the Camry's bottom was rusted through. He said all he does now since the brine is haul in vehicles with the underside rusted out...