How to remove rust?

[WhiteRhino]

Hi,

My Fairlane has a fair amount of rust but in bad places like the pillars and door frames. So far the shop that is working on the car suggested that i get a donor shell so they can cut out the pieces they need and weld it in my shell. Is this only way of doing it or are there other options? Also, what is the best way to get this out?

R

[Garage]

Cut out and weld in new metal is the only way to go if you want to eradicate it properly.
Not that hard to make all the patch panels you need with hand tools in your garage, but VERY few people seem to be up for this.

Problem with a donor shell is they tend to rust in the same places.....

But the flip side is you have to weigh up the cost (time/money) of doing it right vs. overcapitalising on a car which is almost inevitable even if you don't go all out!

[ayoobkasu]

hi there i have a ford fairlane and 1 of the front fenders i took 2 bare metal and applied product called rust stop and its been standing outside for 2years and not a single rust mark on the protected areas

[Tony69]

From what youve described, I'd say its best to have the car, or just the rust sections sandblasted & take it from there.
You will either be left with:
> good metal
> pitted but still solid metal, best to lead wipe.. or build up with weld and grind (some people like to braze but I'm not fond of it)
> pitted and weak metal, chisel away at it till youre back to solid metal and weld a patch to close the hole youve made
> a few tiny pinholes that can be welded closed
> a collection of tiny pinholes, in which case cutting that section out and welding new metal would be best
> large sections missing, new metal required.

As Barry said, no need for a donor car, unless youve got problems on areas with tricky contours & body lines. One of the cars I'm working on, half the exterior body is patch panels I've made.

[WhiteRhino]

Thanks for the responses thus far. If I were to attempt to make the strips myself what thickness of sheet metal should i use?

R

[Garage]

Always try to use the same thickness as what is there. 1mm will be what is used in about 90% of cases.
Tony69 on here has made some very good looking repairs.
What welding equipment do you have access to? Mig, Tig or Gas (O/A) will be needed to weld the patches in.

Check out allmetalshaping.com or metalmeet.com for more information than you will use in a lifetime. Buy David Gardiner's DVD at metalshapingzone.com. Or come and do a course in Stellenbosch.

[WhiteRhino]

Thanks Barry,

The car is standing at a panel-beater in Somerset West so all the equipment i need is there...the skills to do it myself is what is lacking.

If you don't mind send me more details about the course you spoke about

Ryno

[Garage]

Hey Ryno

It is a three day hands on course where teach all the basics of shaping sheetmetal with hand tools. Besides a welder you could get everything else you'll need for probably less than R2k.
During the course you go through a series of practical exercises that end up being used in a completed piece. You will still need to go back and put the skills into practice, but you will be able to do so without the need for any expensive machines that the TV shows make you think you will need.....
Cost is R4500-00 and it happens in Stellenbosch. It is a lot, but beats going to Europe, Oz, or the States to learn this stuff.

Or just buy the DVD I mentioned - it will be the best R500 you ever spend on restoring cars....

[Tony69]

Barry is the body expert, he has helped me out alot, Thanks Barry!...id definitely take his course if I were you, if only I lived in capetown.

[Garage]

Just picking up on some things Tony mentioned:

If I suspect a car is pretty far gone, I would prefer not to blast it to begin with. Same goes for cutting or chiseling away bad metal. And old mud. You need whatever you can get in terms of surface information to recreate the pieces in new metal first.

Once you have the patches made up and fitting (or 90%) you can then cut away and weld in new.
It does get a little more involved in terms of planning where to place weld seams etc.

I also prefer not to use lead or brazing (brazing especially!!) to fill pitted metal. It gives you no real advantage over using filler. If the pitting is that bad, replace the metal.

And of course never cut out something that is holding things together without bracing the structure first.

Tony surely you can manage a trip to Cape Town??