Rat repair.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

I recommend a product called Gem Rust Killer. It's phosphoric acid with some wetting agents and extenders added. I use a spray bottle to apply it until the surface is wet. It converts the rust to iron phosphate and turns it black. If you don't plan to paint the surface, just let it dry. If you plan to paint over it, you can rinse the area with water after all the rust has converted (turned black) and pat it dry with a towel. Then let it air dry completely before painting. It's the same consistency as water, so it easily seeps into the seams. You may need to spritz heavily rusted areas several times and let them soak. If you want to give it a try, you can look it up on the Google. The folks that make it are in Houston, TX and sell direct. Just give them a call.

As far as the welding is concerned, fumes are always a problem. A respirator is the best way to keep out the bad stuff. They can be a pain, but most helmets have enough room to accommodate one. I never weld galvanized without wearing one. Your lungs will appreciate the love later in life.

Hey Vic thanks for the tip! i just got off the phone with Bill the owner and it sounds like he has done his research on a great product, a little pricy with shipping in a special container but it will go a long ways, he does business the old fashioned way, that just does not happen in today's world.

Below is a link to the respirator filters i have, good for acid vapors ect, not sure what kind of gas vapors welding creates or what might be created if i weld over any chemicals like Phosphoric acid ect. Do you think i should be good?

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...294936907&rt=d

[DWilbur]

Get the media blaster out and kill that rust and cut out the rot. Sky had to do both right side doors on my truck inner and outer about 10" up.

[rgunlock]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Big time feels like lets get nervous time LOL! Yea the inner is fine except the lower flange, nice and solid. I don't think there is seam sealer in the fold over seam on the door, least i didn't see any.

Nah! Not time to get nervous. For me, I just figure if I screw it up, cut the door a little higher than last time and start over with a new patch - first try turned out to be practice. I brought up the seam sealer because I'm pretty sure my 78 had it there, which if yours did would likely keep rust converter from getting in there very well.

[DWilbur]

The only place I saw seam sealer was the fire wall, door jambs. nothing in the doors

[swamp rat]

First thing i did was scribe my 8" measurement across the door so i didn't loose it, it was just marked with a sharpie.

Keeping with that video's recommendation of cutting a slight angle I measured down 1" and 1 1/4" below my 8" mark and cut about 3 more inches off the skin, the skin still had some rust on the back side, but the remaining skin has no more rust per flashlight and mirror inspection.

However there is still a bit of rust in the seam area. what do ya think, go ahead and go above the body line? I will still coat the inside with the stuff Vic recommended.

I gotta concentrate on not cutting past the skin depth a little better LOL!

[DWilbur]

It might be easer to replace the door skin and the left inner bottom corner with new panel patches. Then you can media blast the rust inside the door paint to preserve the rest.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Below is a link to the respirator filters i have, good for acid vapors ect, not sure what kind of gas vapors welding creates or what might be created if i weld over any chemicals like Phosphoric acid ect. Do you think i should be good?

This filter would work just fine for you. Phosphoric acid reacts with iron oxide to form iron phosphate which is essentially inert. I don't think there would be much of an elevated danger when welding thru it. That said, your respirator is approved for chemical processing and exposure to several noxious substances so it's a good safety measure to use it when working around vapor irritants.

Your patch is going to be tricky but if you go slow and keep the heat down, it's do-able. If it turns into a goat rodeo, you can always skin it like DWilbur suggested. Keep up the good work!

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

If it turns into a goat rodeo

If you have any question, wear the respirator. Welding heat will vaporize alot of things, some don't really bother. The arc can have an odd effect on stuff and the uv can spice stuff up too. Best to be safe. I do a lot of breath holding when I weld.

Good luck with the repair!

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

This filter would work just fine for you. Phosphoric acid reacts with iron oxide to form iron phosphate which is essentially inert. I don't think there would be much of an elevated danger when welding thru it. That said, your respirator is approved for chemical processing and exposure to several noxious substances so it's a good safety measure to use it when working around vapor irritants.

Your patch is going to be tricky but if you go slow and keep the heat down, it's do-able. If it turns into a goat rodeo, you can always skin it like DWilbur suggested. Keep up the good work!

Thanks Vic! when i bought this one i was concerned about Muratic Acid vapors, this one coverd that, don't know if any of you guys recall my accidental breathing in of these vapors but they are nasty!

And that Goat Rodeo had been my biggest fear on these doors, If there is a better way to cut the skin i'm all ears, but at least the weld being higher up i can reach in with a dolly and do some planishing.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

If you have any question, wear the respirator. Welding heat will vaporize alot of things, some don't really bother. The arc can have an odd effect on stuff and the uv can spice stuff up too. Best to be safe. I do a lot of breath holding when I weld.

Good luck with the repair!

Ya know my problem is i cant hold my breath very long anymore, LOL!

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by DWilbur

It might be easer to replace the door skin and the left inner bottom corner with new panel patches. Then you can media blast the rust inside the door paint to preserve the rest.

It may be easyer to re skin but i'm gonna see about that entry to the goat rodeo first and then decide, its something about the thinner gauge metal i don't like..

I'm thinking Tabco panels if i do as i hear they are suppose to be the same thickness, naturally i learned that after ordering the stuff i have. I need to check into this.

[swamp rat]

So nothing much done this morning but a little thinking ect.. Had to run across town and killed my morning.

The doors are suppose to have a compound curve so front to back is about 1/4 to 3/8" higher in the middle than it is front and back, i posted earlier about how the upper skin popped inward when i made my first cut, i just put a straight edge on it and its pretty much flat until it gets to the front and back edges..

Trying to figure out how i could possibly get the remaining skin to curve out a little before i try and weld in my patch, if i pull it its tight so no oil canning. Would slow and careful shot blasting the outter skin stretchit enough to raise the skin to make that contour or would that just be a waste of time?

I did notice both of my doors don't ( or didn't ) have a true contour front to back at the body line, the back half is convex, the front half is concave.

[0311Chevy8152]

I'm following along. Unfortunately I can only offer moral and not technical support. But I like what ya doin and keep up the good work!

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by 0311Chevy8152

I'm following along. Unfortunately I can only offer moral and not technical support. But I like what ya doin and keep up the good work!

Thanks for the support, much appreciated!


I have had a super busy week and have had no time to work on the truck, or get good sleep for that matter, this weekend is also a no go. what time i have had has been spent researching and bugging a few people for ideas ect, i have a plan of attack now so hope to give it a go next week.


In the mean time i cant remember where to order EASB Easy Grind wire in .024in a 5 lb spool, i found .034 on amazon but want the smaller dia. can someone point me to a place i can mail order some? Thanks!

[7dee2]

You know how pretty our welds are so that's what HF wire can get cha!

[swamp rat]

Sorry no picture on this one.. can get later if someone needs to look.

I started working on the door again Monday I roughed the repair panel down close to the body line and the first thing i noticed is the repair panel folds (at 90 deg) are about 3/16 wider than the folds on the stock door skin, i know the folds on the door skin are slightly wider than the inner shell.

If i fold the repair panel at the existing fold then it will end up being too wide, do you body guys actually use a hammer and dolly to bump that fold in further to match the existing skin?

[swamp rat]

So being as i didn't buy lower inner's for the doors i went to work on the lower corner, i cut the rust back a bit and wire brushed, then i had to figure out how to shape the end of the triangle, i got a piece of wood and my little wood router and did a rough triangle the same size as the door, then i hammered out a patch panel and welded it in.

Then i took the rest of the paint off the bottom of the door and treated the remaining rust.

[swamp rat]

Now for the bad news... I was working yesterday and noticed a little splatter that looked like it could have been moisture coming thru my dremel on my work bench, i had to leave for work so i drained the water trap on the manifold and left, today i was working and i realized that that splatter is still there and its worse!

Further investigation made my heart sink, my life time investment has a blown shaft seal... I didn't find it yesterday because it was the back side of the compressor... Guess i need to call Quincy tomorrow to figure out what to do, this was a purchase through Lowes that i didn't bother with the Lowes extended warrenty plan, now i wish i would have!

Sometimes ya just want to give up.....

[DWilbur]

That is bummer. It should be covered under warrenty.

[swamp rat]

The compressor repair guy is suppose to be out Tues or Weds.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

The compressor repair guy is suppose to be out Tues or Weds.

I'm assuming Quincy will cover it under warranty. Still, it sucks after all the research you did plus the $$$.

As for the cleanup, I use solvent for messes like this. The stuff I buy is hard to find (Hangsterfer's Ozonic 117) but any Varsol type product would work equally well. You can also get Wax and Grease remover from most places that sell paint and body supplies. Usually available in quarts or gallons.

For homemade wax and grease remover, mix one third isopropyl alcohol, one third acetone and one third water. Works great and the components are readily available.

[7dee2]

That is not good news on the compressor, but like most new things a little tweak/repair and it'll be good to go for a long time. Pressure gauge biffed it on our new compressor immediately. Couldn't wait for the replacement to get here so now I've got a spare.

Your rust repair work is progressing very nicely, keep up the good work!

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

I'm assuming Quincy will cover it under warranty. Still, it sucks after all the research you did plus the $$$.

As for the cleanup, I use solvent for messes like this. The stuff I buy is hard to find (Hangsterfer's Ozonic 117) but any Varsol type product would work equally well. You can also get Wax and Grease remover from most places that sell paint and body supplies. Usually available in quarts or gallons.

For homemade wax and grease remover, mix one third isopropyl alcohol, one third acetone and one third water. Works great and the components are readily available.

Yes absolutely under warranty, even the travel time and miles for the tech to get here, thankfully.

Before i read this post i got a bottle of Super Clean degreaser and a bunch of rags and wiped off my tools and work bench, Vic i knew painters used something before painting but couldn't remember what, Wax and grease remover.. LOL! I'll get some and make sure to wipe down the body stuff one last time before priming.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by 7dee2

That is not good news on the compressor, but like most new things a little tweak/repair and it'll be good to go for a long time. Pressure gauge biffed it on our new compressor immediately. Couldn't wait for the replacement to get here so now I've got a spare.

Your rust repair work is progressing very nicely, keep up the good work!

Yea i sure hope your right, i don't think the pump has cycled but 50 times since i bought it, admittedly i hooked it up and it pretty much sat for a couple months cause i was sick of the winter.. Anyway i want to blast the rust off the inner door before i treat it and attach the skin, that speed blaster is small so easy to control.

I had to make room for the service tech so today my redneck car cover came down and the truck went back under the 10X20 cover, but not before i took the truck for a ride around the block with out the door on it, needed a cheap thrill i guess.

[7dee2]

That's how the real off roaders do it isn't it?