[Jagatai]

I need a little help/advice on how to approach a rust clean up on my project car. This is a 1936 Packard with metal overlays on a wood frame. The metal is rusted just about everywhere on the floorboards. It is all surface rust from what I can tell. Looking for a mild cleaner that will not impact the exposed wood frame. I have a picture attached of the interior. Appreciate your feedback!

[eloc431962]

Originally Posted by Jagatai

I need a little help/advice on how to approach a rust clean up on my project car. This is a 1936 Packard with metal overlays on a wood frame. The metal is rusted just about everywhere on the floorboards. It is all surface rust from what I can tell. Looking for a mild cleaner that will not impact the exposed wood frame. I have a picture attached of the interior. Appreciate your feedback!

I'm not sure about a mild cleaner, but i would if it all feels solid take a drill or sander with a brush attached and go over it all real good, then cover it with some rust inhibitor. JMO But i am sure someone else will know off something easier or even better.



Cole

[Jagatai]

That is a pretty good Idea to start with. Like to get something that will sort of clean/penetrate breaking through the rust spots.

As for a brush, what about a wire brush attachment for my angle grinder? Or were you thinking something else?

Thanks!

[DanTwoLakes]

Moving this to Body-Exterior.

Dan

[DanielC]

There is no easy rust removal. Your task is even more difficult, because of the wood parts.

There are some excellent rust removal threads in this forum, look for one started by Randy Ferguson.

I have been dealing with rust removal issues on some parts for a 1970 Datsun truck. What I have been doing is mechanically removing loose surface red rust, first. Wire wheel, Wire brush, sometimes using a nylon abrasive brush, and maybe some sanding. this is only a start. Then I put the parts into a electrolysis tank, with sodium carbonate (Arm & Hammer Super washing soda) and water, and a small battery charger. The parts you want the rust off of hook up to the negative charger lead. You will need sacrificial steel plates for anodes in the electrolysis.
Here is a web page detailing the electrolytic process.
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

I take the parts out of electrolysis every day or two, and pressure wash them. Scrape the sludge off the anodes, and pressure wash them also. The sludge I put in an old crock pot, and cook all the water out of it until it becomes dry solid waste, and put that in the garbage. I have been pressure washing the parts on the lawn, the Iron oxide is pretty good to the grass, and also tends to kill moss, I understand. This leaves some black rust still in the pits of the metal. Aggressive pressure washing tends to remove some of that rust, after the electrolysis softens, or weakens it a little.

I then use steel wool, or a small steel detail brush to do more cleaning with any sort of phosphoric acid solution. (metal conditioner, acid etch, naval jelly), look for something with phosphoric acid.

Steel wool, and phosphoric acid will also remove light surface rust. This may work in your case.

At this point, if the parts are not clean enough back into the electrolysis tank again. Repeat pressure washing, and the phosphoric acid treatments.

When you get the steel clean, it will tend to "flash rust" almost immediately, especially if you used phosphoric acid on it. You can clean the parts a final time while still wet with phosphoric acid, with Dawn and water, or pressure wash again. And then dry immediately.

Now the parts can be sanded, and painted with your favorite epoxy primer.

Some of these steps you cannot do without taking the car apart, and separating the metal from the wood. That limits you to just mechanical means for removing rust. You will have to remove, and damage more metal to get the rust.

There is no easy quick way to remove rust. There are no quick cover ups for rust. It should be removed. If the rust is still there, as soon as it gets some water, it will rust some more.

[Jagatai]

Sounds like a fun process ahead of us. I was thinking it would take a while. Most of the parts I can take off have been removed already so I think I am going to start working on this mechanically. Thanks again for the advice!

One more question. As this is a pretty large area, will I be able to work on a section at a time and epoxy paint it or would I be better off going through the whole thing then doing a final clean and paint?

Thanks again!

[deadbodyman]

Sand blasting would be the easiest way is there a reason you dont want to blast ???
Or you could,,,,
Tape off the wood spray Ospho on the surface rust with a pump spray bottle scrub it in with a red scuff pad until you cant get any more rust off, wipe off the excess and let dry...The ospho will protect against any future rusting until you can get your epoxy on,Scuff it down with the red scuff pad and dewax before you prime...

[Jagatai]

Originally Posted by deadbodyman

Sand blasting would be the easiest way is there a reason you dont want to blast ???
Or you could,,,,
Tape off the wood spray Ospho on the surface rust with a pump spray bottle scrub it in with a red scuff pad until you cant get any more rust off, wipe off the excess and let dry...The ospho will protect against any future rusting until you can get your epoxy on,Scuff it down with the red scuff pad and dewax before you prime...

deadbodyman-

I am very new to this the world of restorations so forgive the dumb questions. Learning all of this as we go. To your question on sand blasting. I was worried about the wood and eating into it. I assume there is a tape we can use that would protect it? Also, while the metal is in decent shape I really do not want to weaken it by blasting. I know it will be hard work but I am thinking the scrub down might be the best thing to do for the project. But again looking to people that have done this for options and recommendations.

[JMSTOY]

Well everyone has their opinion on rust removal, here's my two cents. Just removed 30-40 years of rust off the frame and inside my cab. I used a big ole wire brush on my angle grinder, to get off the crud and looser rust. For the frame, the metal wasn't too pitted so I used 36 grit on a belt sander to get past the black metal down to the shiny stuff. It ate away a little metal, but if you take your time, you can control hom much you eat away, as opposed to a sand blaster. After removal, I etched it and then primed it twice. People have favorite primers, mine is POR 15. It's a little expensive, but it rust proof and durable. Doesn't chip very easy at all. Did the same on the cab, but since it's tight space, used a rust remover pad on the angle grinder after the wire brush. It got in the pits in the metal and all the little corners. Then Etch and POR 15, and flat enamel. Wire brush works good, just doesn't get past the black metal. You can also try the twist braided metal brush, but be careful it eats fast!
Zak

[Jagatai]

Thanks Zak.

Feels like the manual route is what is goint to work best for me. I think the wire bruch on the angle grinder will help speed up the process on the larger areas. As you can see in the picture there is a pretty big space to work on. My dad used POR 15 on his show car and seemed to like it so I think that is what we will use of the seal coat.

Appreciate all the feedback from every one. This is extremely helpful!

-Jag