I bring home my truck tomorrow! It may be a little while before I get to any serious work. My dad's restored '47 Ford coupe is occupying his shed right now. Once he builds a garage for it we'll move my truck inside. I plan to do a frame off restoration. While I do want to restore it close to its original condition, I don't think I'll have the time or money to make it look like it just rolled of the showroom floor. My dad mentioned a product that seals metal with surface rust once the loose stuff has been taken off. Basically, it saves having to get down to bare metal. Might be good for the frame and insides of fenders. Any thoughts or comments on this approach?

I looked at a guy's web site that took his frame completely apart and sandblasted everything. I've seen ads for chemical dips, too. These approaches seem time consuming and costly. Is there an alternative to good ol' fashioned elbow grease? I'm guessing the best method will involve an angle grinder and sanding discs/brushes.

Also, can anybody suggest some smaller projects I can tackle while I wait for room in the shed? My dad has mentioned repacking bearings, working on the interior, taking the bed apart, etc.

I'm looking forward to getting to work. It should provide some good father/son time. Maybe I'll learn some new choice words from Pops. I I'll keep my web site updated with my progress.

Thanks for the help!

Kevin Kessler
1953 Ford F-100

 

The paint-like product you are referring is called "Zero Rust". Go to the discussion board at www.autobodystore.com and search "Zero Rust" for information. If you have any other specific questions related to body work, ask there...a real informative sight. Good luck!

 

If you want something easy to get, fairly cheap, and something that works really well on rusty metal, buy some Rustoleum rusty metal primer. This is good stuff! A wire brush on a drill or angle grinder works good for getting the loose dirt and rust off.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 16-Jul-02 AT 01:10 AM (EST)]i've used zero rust and another product called por15. my friend, who welded my ifs on, used zero rust on the frame, and it is great. i've been using another product, called por-15. por-15 is some permanent stuff, and it's made to paint right over the rust. it works great, and once it's on...it's on. you won't be able to scratch it off. if you need some contact info for them, let me know. i don't have their catalog in front of me now, but if you're interested, i can get you a phone number/web site. if you do use por-15, though, use it after you've made necessary welds. if you use it in an area, and decide to weld afterwards, you may get sick from the nausious odor. do not use por-15 for the exterior of the body. only use it on what won't be seen (leaf springs, frame, under side of body panels, etc.)

since your baby is idle for now, you may want to remove the doors and clean and/or replace the window and door mechanisms. clean them and lube them very well. no body shop will do that for you. while you're at it, you may want to put some insulation panels in the door, to deaden outside noises.

good luck with your rust treatment, and the rest of your project.

john.
'54 f100
still working on frame.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 16-Jul-02 AT 08:07 AM (EST)]Hello from Germany !

I prefer to sand-blast most everything. This will tell you the truth and some time that's sad as some parts seem to consist of paint, dirt and grease, but no metal is left. The only area which I have not sandblasted is the inside of the door as it is hard to reach. Here I have scrapped the anti-noise stuff off (inch by inch), then used a German brand of this anti-rust stuff followed by a primer and paint (extra thick stuff, not nice looking, but will last another 50 years). I have sandblasted every inch of the bare frame and have done the same with the body shell (inside and out, except the larger areas which I just sanded down to bare metal). I have built my own sand blasting booth (inside my barn) and took it down after I was done. Small parts are being sandblasted in the yard. I would invest in one of these $200 cabinets today, but I am almost done (just blasted a few parts such as battery access cover today). If I was you I would take the whole thing apart. It'll take you no more than 48 hours. You could start with a few smaller things until you get the truck inside your place. Think about sand blasting. I bought one of these guns which have a sand tank holding no more than a quart. Requires refill a lot of times, but you can go whereever your airhose goes. It is certainly not funny to sandblast overhead, but 'a man has to do what a man has to do'. I wear one of these $3.95 overalls which only leaves the face open. Good goggles and something against dust as well as leather gloves. Ok, no more from me now ....

Guess I forgot to tell that I am working on my 54 since more than 17 years now (and have not driven since). ... but it can be done quicker I guess.

Kai (54 F100 / Hanau - Germany)

PS: John, send me a pic of your 54. Saw your gallery is still empty. My e-mail is: 54f100@gmx.de

 

Ive used them all and prefer Zero Rust. In fact I just signed on as a distributor for them.
Living near the coast in Northern New England, a real easy to use product has always been elusive. Hardware store stuff is a joke.

POR15 and the Bill Hirsh version is good stuff but it is highly toxic. Not something Id recommend to the garage hobbiest without proper breathing equipment. Even out in the driveway isnt particularly safe.
The stuff is also expensive compared to ZR and has a short pot life once it is subjected to the air. Plus after curing it cant be repaired/recoated.
Just some things Ive found out over time that you wont find in their literature.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 16-Jul-02 AT 11:05 AM (EST)]Congratulations - patience and perseverance are your best tools. Have fun! I used Eastwood's Corrolless (?) which I think they have renamed Rust Encapsulator. Sounds a lot like Zero Rust - scrub off the scale and paint. I'm pleased with the job on the frame and inner surfaces. Dries to a tough finish and holds well even after a year on the road on a daily driver. Seems intact even where brake fluid and gas leaks have removed the surface rattle can paint.

BTW I agree with your dad about working on the endless small projects. Get started on those, but the box isn't one of them. If you take it all apart it takes up more space than taking the cab off the frame. Been there, done that.....

And on frame and body cleaning and old paint removal - limitations are: sand or soda leave residue in cracks and crevices that can work their way out at the worst times - like painting and the chemical strippers also leave residue in those crevices that will screw up the paint the same way only different.

 

I did a combination of sand blasting and wire brushing, grinding, applying rust stoppers, etc on my 54. By far the best thing to do is sandblasting, if you can afford it. My cab alone(no doors, hood or fenders) cost $300 to sand blast.

But as a very minimum, I would get ALL the rust off the frame. As I was doing so on mine, I found numerous stress cracks that didn't appear until I really got serious with the rust. I was able to weld and patch the cracks after a good cleaning.
Winford