[rlackey]

As any of you that have checked out my journal recently will know, I finally shot the front half of my roof, and the cowl and firewall in epoxy. Well, now, only a week out I have some rust creeping through from under a spot welded seam on the cowl. I sandblasted this seam and hit it with a wire brush wheel on the drill too until it was spotless, or so I thought but of course I couldn't get inside. Now I have rust starting to creep from inside the seam. I'm going to have similar problems with the drip rails too I think.

Any advice?

Rich

[poncho62]

Really the only way to solve this is to get that rust out of there.....I think you know that already. Maybe, some acid of some sort under there will get rid of the rust. Working on a 60 year old vehicle sucks, eh?

[rlackey]

Yep, I know that, and I thought I had it all.

I'm going to be fighting all the way, I can tell. I treated it with acid too, that was one of the first things I did. Hmmm, got to think about this, there has to be a solution. Not the dreaded POR 15?????

I feel like I have to drill out all the spot welds and take the entire bodyshell apart panel by panel, clean everything and put it back together again. This is impossible and rediculous I know.

How about acid and then seal it airtight inside the seam somehow, cavity wax?

Rich

[baddbob]

Is there any way to seamseal the outside of the seam completely closed with a good quality urethane or two component sealer, then fill the complete void from the backside with cavity wax? Sounds like you have some major moisture problems, if the seam is getting wet or subjected to a lot of moisture, condensation the rust is just going to keep forming. Heck, even if you closed the seam up from the outside w/sealer and treated it with a grease or heavy oil, oil based paint like rustoleum, tar, something-anything that will wick into the seam and seal it off the rust will stop. Bob

The drip rails can be a PITA, I remember you posting about them awhile back, I usually open them up, sandblast, epoxy, urethane sealer, close them up with a hammer letting the sealer squishn wipe off excess, epoxy prime again the seamseal the exterior joint again.

[rlackey]

Originally Posted by baddbob

The drip rails can be a PITA, I remember you posting about them awhile back, I usually open them up, sandblast, epoxy, urethane sealer, close them up with a hammer letting the sealer squishn wipe off excess, epoxy prime again the seamseal the exterior joint again.

Wow, you have a good memory. Yep I remember your instructions exactly on the drip rails. I have tried that on one side but am having real difficulty prying them up. Actually, on the passenger side (would be your drivers side) the drip rail itself was so corroded it just came off completely from just behind the front door all the way along the windshield post.

What do you think of drilling the spot welds, removing the drip rails completely, cleaning up the metal underneath, fabricating new ones and either spot welding them as the originals or use panel adhesive? I know it's a lot of work but it could save me a lot more work later on if rust comes through my nice HoK Kandy.

I'm not entirely sure where this moisture is coming from, it seems to be seeping from inside the seams or something. I agree, I'll need to get the seams sealed completely from both sides, could be tough in some very closed off areas, but not impossible.

Well, at least I can deal with it all now while the body is dissasembled rather than have to deal with it later.

Thanks for the help.

Rich

[baddbob]

Using panel adhesive to glue the new drip rail on would probably be the best way IMO. This is a non stuctural part- I would think the panel adhesive would work great- seals the seam at the same time. Fit it well before you lay the adhesive to her.

[antiquecar]

Rich:
I believe you mentioned that you used acid. Could it be that you are not seeing rust but acid that was not neutralized? That can seep out everytime you get moisture.
Jan

[rlackey]

I'm pretty sure it's rust, certain of it in fact. I'm going to take the affected areas back down to metal, clean the metal again, neutralize the rust and then seal the seams completely from both sides.

As for the drip rails, they are coming off completely and I will fabricate new ones and glue them on with panel adhesive.

I probably won't get to it for a couple weeks though, at least that gives time for rust to show up in other areas that may also need more attention. Ignorance is certainly not bliss in this case, if it's going to rust, I want it to rust now while I can see it and do something about it.

Rich

[baddbob]

Your best bet would be to keep any acids away from the seams imo, these are usually difficult areas to get the acid removed from.

[BarryK]

My 2 cents worth.

I can't see how you could neutralize the rust in the seams as pointed out by antique.
Why not sand blast the seams and wash with wax and grease remover than spray two coats of epoxy and let set overnight.
Then as Bob said get some TWO-part seam-sealer like 3M, Duramix or Fuzor and apply OVER the epoxy.
It can't rust at this point unless you have a water trapage from backside somewhere and that makes no sense on drip rails.