rust removal preferred methods, 54 chevy truck fenders

B

bmxpegan411

HI guys,

I'm starting to tear my 54 Chevy 3100 down for body work here at Wyotech and I don't want to wing it, but rather a complete oem restoration. I'd like to know your preferred methods for rust removal all the way to cleaning and epoxy. I don't have a booth to blast in but do have a spot blaster at home, so that's an option but i'm more curious about chemical rust removal...how do you guys go about it...how do you clean the metal afterwards and make sure it's dry in the seams etc etc. Thanks for any input!
 
Wyotech? don't they know? they are teaching you right? I only ask because we have a new guy here that claims to have graduated from there and says I have taught him more then they ever did, but still acts and talks like a know it all repeating what I said to him to people like he knew the whole time.
 
DATEC;n81791 said:
Wyotech? don't they know? they are teaching you right? I only ask because we have a new guy here that claims to have graduated from there and says I have taught him more then they ever did, but still acts and talks like a know it all repeating what I said to him to people like he knew the whole time.

My son graduated from UTI, the job placement they offered was jiffy lube at 8 bucks an hour. I thought Wyotech was a step above.
 
I love the school so far...my instructors prefer to blast everything they can and one believes in sem rust mort....but I've seen a million ways to address it and am curious about your ways. I bought some phosphoric acid as per another post on this site but am wondering after id use it if water in the seams creates more issues
 
I would recommend you have it professionally media blasted by someone with good references.
When you get it back cut out and replace all the cancerous metal then shoot two coats of epoxy inside and out.
 
bmxpegan411;n81758 said:
HI guys,

I'm starting to tear my 54 Chevy 3100 down for body work here at Wyotech and I don't want to wing it, but rather a complete oem restoration. I'd like to know your preferred methods for rust removal all the way to cleaning and epoxy. I don't have a booth to blast in but do have a spot blaster at home, so that's an option but i'm more curious about chemical rust removal...how do you guys go about it...how do you clean the metal afterwards and make sure it's dry in the seams etc etc. Thanks for any input!

Read through the forum, especially the restorations in show and tell. You'll see the ways these pros do it.
 
thanks! here are the spots I'm most concerned about..this is the inside of my rear fender where there is a lap that's spot welded. some spots there are gaps and i'm assuming blasting won't get down in there and remove ALL the rust. If this was your restoration, how would you address it? I'm told that if you keep moisture and air from getting to lightly rusted areas like that it cannot spread. Also, if using chemical treatments in an area like this that need washed out after...how would you do that without rust coming right back in those seems? thanks again for your responses.
 
When I approach these areas, if its crusty and expanded, I remove the offending pieces and replace them, or clean them. If they are like yours, no serious flakes, no expanding from rust, and only what appears to be surface rust, I just clean the best I can, and immediately epoxy the areas heavily to encapsulate the potential problem areas. I do not use any chemicals of any sort, too sketchy in areas you cant be 100% sure you cot it all cleaned out.
 
I'm with Marty on this. Cut out the bad stuff, repair the metal, pour 1:1 epoxy into the crevices to coat everything. Usually those wired edges that aren't rotten are stable after 50+years and doing a dip can wake that stuff up.

I'm a media blast guy. I have chemical dipper down the road from me and everytime I try it seems like problems occur somewhere on the job.

If your teacher recommends rust mort then research every word he says. That is not a quality rust repair unless your interested in Maaco.
 
Brad J.;n81868 said:
If your teacher recommends rust mort then research every word he says. That is not a quality rust repair unless your interested in Maaco.


You are paying them how much?! to work on your own vehicle and have to pay for any part of the rebuild and one of the instructors recommends that crap, you have got to be kidding me. They project themselves as being a highly skilled and respected school that teaches the correct way of doing this type work. I would want my money back. No wonder my newer co-worker is the way he is.
 
thanks for the replies guys. I've also been told to do as Marty suggests but wanted more opinions on doing that....so i'll wire wheel it all as good as i can and seal em up with epoxy.

On a side note Wyotech in PA is an EXCELLENT school, worth every penny. I have a 2 instructors with only 12 classmates...one prefers blasting, and the one that suggested rust mort suggested the way Marty described first..i was just unsure if that's the way many people do it. GREAT school.
 
A friend of ours has a 10+ guy resto shop that is a top shelf shop. They tried a couple guys from Mc Pherson College and had a lot of problems. They were taught unrealistic #'s for pay and both interns tried to run the shop. I would have liked to see that as the Mrs. runs the show.

They say it's hard to beat a kid that shows up able to push a broom with a strong desire to learn. It allows the shop to teach their practices, the student doesn't waste money on a piece of paper, and the shop can hone skills or decide if it's not working out. That is how I'd do it if I wanted to deal with people.

Good luck at school. Just remember to be humble and hard working wherever you end up. That gets noticed over a know it all everytime.
 
thanks Brad, good stuff...I worked with technology for about 4 years but realized i want my own gig doing what I love, car stuff. Show up at Wyotech every day on time willing to learn unlike a lot of students these days.
 
Bmx,

I don't mean to come off hard at all it is not directed towards you. In fact I give you props for asking and saying what your instructors are teaching you, one being very questionable. The miss teachings in a lot of these schools really get to me. Had you not asked and treated it as the golden rule you would have been set up for failure and I take issue with that. You could make an absolute show stopper of a ride only to see it bloom in nothing flat and that would take the wind right out of your sails and you might just say, "eff" this. I for one don't want to see anyone fail and neither does anyone else here. You will get only the best most seasoned advice from people with a verity of repair disciplines.

The problem I see is you are kinda stuck because he/they are your instructors so to throw them your opinion on how they say to do it you will be more then likely receiving an "F" for the class. So while you will be learning something it may not be 100% correct and only you will be faced with figuring out which is what. Some questions on your tests will force you to mark the wrong answer to be correct in their eyes.

The biggest thing to remember is everyone does things differently in a different order for no other reason then their own. What matters is in the end the job is done correctly and that is the advice you will get here NO B.S..

I have been at that school 18 some odd years ago to take my Ins. Phy. Damage App. Lic.. That was my only dealing with them (one day). They weren't called that then they were called something else, can't remember.

Brad J gave some good advice about hard work and humbleness you would be one that I would like to teach some of what I have learned.

Good luck with school and remember ask away if something sounds off. The only stupid question is the one not asked IMO.

Look for Rustys work thread that guy does it right and to the extreme everyday on stangs.
 
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