Your favorite rust killer?

[David Greenburg]

As a "buy and hold" kind of guy, its been many years (about 25) since I've had to deal with surface rust on floorboards.  Back then I was young and stupid and had no idea what I was doing, but I treated my '59 60S with a product called Extend that was some type of rust converter.  It held up fine.  After peeling back the carpet on my new '60 recently, I found . . . surprise . . . surface rust on the floorboards, aggravated by a leaking heater core.  I know I want to use a drill-mounted wire brush to get the worst of it off, but then what?  I know paint and coating technology have improved since the '80s.  What are people using these days?  POR-15 seems like the default, although it seems to have some detractors.   

[C.R. Patton II]

Hello David

Good to read about your 6437.

Considering how long you retain your vehicles might you evaluate the entire floor and trunk area for rust too? Long term you may want to replace the panels.

I look forward to learning about your car. Thanks

[David Greenburg]

C.R.:

Not sure I'll hang on to this one for 28 years like I did with the 60S, but I bought this car as a keeper, so I'll certainly be hunting rust in other places over time.  But I hope I'm not going to be replacing any panels any time soon.  No indication of any rust through anywhere; I just want to make sure it stays that way!

[quadfins]

After wirebrushing as much surface rust away as possible, I treated the areas with Ospho, which is, I think, phosphoric acid, and chemically neutralizes iron oxide. Then I brushed off the loose residue, and slathered on a thick layer of Rustoleum primer, followed by another glop of rustoleum gloss black. 

I did this on floorboards, trunk surfaces, inside doors and fenders, and generally any area that would not be normally visible.

Small parts were bead blasted first, then treated and painted.

I have no experience with POR or any other "official" rust product.

Fortunately for me, the car was from New Mexico, and had more dust than rust.


Jim

[lou-q]

Ospho is what I use on rust here in South Florida and worked well on the surface rust on the floor boards of my 39.
It turns the metal black with little white fuzzies.
It takes paint very well .
I've been using it to treat steel in concrete that has spaulted for over 25 years.
The OSPHO turns the metal from iron oxide to iron phosphate.
Lou Quirch

[David Greenburg]

I think I'm going to go with Ospho, followed by a couple of coats of Zero Rust.  After doing a little research, this seems like its effective, less complicated prep than some of the alternatives, and less toxic as well.

[Glen]

I like Ospho also, but the problem I have had is that if I put it on thick enough to completely convert the iron it leaves a layer of white stuff on the surface that should be cleaned off before painting.  But if you use a wire brush you risk exposing fresh metal. 

So what I do now is paint the Ospho on with a brush and continue to agitate it with the brush for a while.  When I think it has done its job I then soak up the remaining Ospho so it does not form that white coating. 

[David Greenburg]

I brushed it on, rubbed it in with a red scotchbrite pad and then blotted the "puddles" with a rag.  It was getting dark, so I'm not sure how it will turn out, or whether I will get the white fuzzies, although the rusty spots were turning black.  It may have been too thin, but if so I'll do another coat tomorrow.  lt was very easy to work with and went on quickly.  Most of the day was spent using drill and wire wheels on the surface rust.  Fortunately it occurred to me to use sheet plastic to seal off the rest of the interior during that process because it made a huge mess.