Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)

[Jason 56]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

ok, random question ... how to remove the knob blanking plates in the dash?!? is there an easy way i'm mising?

Nice progress! Not sure if there’s an easy way to remove them. Just cut the whole dash out like I did. Plasma torch worked well

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by Jason 56

Nice progress! Not sure if there’s an easy way to remove them. Just cut the whole dash out like I did. Plasma torch worked well

ACTUALLY!! i finally did figure out the easy way!

with the gauge cluster out going in from the side vs under it was easier ... but basically a pull and twist on the back while holding the front in place since it's just a push-clip. didn't feel like anything was happening then it would just pop loose.

a little paint and they should go right back in.

[Dieselwrencher]

I recently separated a roof skin from a cab and it is pretty rusty under there. I was trying to come up with the best thing to put on the rust to stop it without blasting it. Do you have any stuff you apply that you like that stops that rust? I thought about ospho or something like that.

[6DoF]

so my most recent go-to has been AutoTech Rust Prep. pretty sure it's the same active chem as the rest of the paints, but just straight up by itself. leaves the rusty surfaces black and smoother. looks like you oiled it, but it's dry and hard. i believe it's converting the surface to something else.

wear gloves n eyes for this stuff

My procedure: (after some trial n error)
-clean the area with a wire brush or whatever to remove anything loose
-blow it off, then wipe it off with cleaner (i tend to brake clean )
-sprits it all wet with the RustPrep
-wet a rag with the the prep (watch drips cuz they'll etch other metal n such) and wipe/sponge the whole area good to make sure it gets in all the nooks
-give it until the edges start to dry/cure (you'll start to see white residue showing up)
-sprits and wet a rag again and re-wipe the whole thing really good for a "2nd" coat
-let FULLY dry n cure (i try n leave it over night)
-fully clean off all white residue since paint will never stick to it. (water or paint-prep solvent)
-primer / paint

for something like inside the roof skin and panels i cant' get to ... i will probably just sprits that junk in there and forget about it. better than nothing.

https://smile.amazon.com/Auto-Tech-M...ps%2C95&sr=8-3
or the gallon:
https://smile.amazon.com/Auto-Tech-M...ps%2C95&sr=8-3

[6DoF]

Post #280 when i did the cab floor before and after

you can see pockets of the white residue around the floor, and a lot on the tunnel sheet. that all needs wiped clean before paint.

Originally Posted by 6DoF

so i went thru and wire brushed, then wire wheeled everything that's getting the heat-shield undercoating, then prepped with rust-prep. what a mess, but it's done. also did the core support while i was at it so it can get painted. that'll be a key to getting thins running.

[Dieselwrencher]

OK, great thank you for that. I will get some and give it a whirl.

[youngrodder]

Looking good. I used a similar product to encapsulate some trust I had on my Suburban. it worked great.

You will be soooo happy when the rust is behind you. I was.

Marc

[daddyjeep]

We call that thing a Dynafile, but I am thinking that is a brand name most likely. Kind of like how everyone calls a reciprocating saw a Sawzall. I know how much you love that. lol

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

We call that thing a Dynafile, but I am thinking that is a brand name most likely. Kind of like how everyone calls a reciprocating saw a Sawzall. I know how much you love that. lol

[lower50's]

I use something similar with great results. Called "Rust Check- Rust converter" comes in spray or liquid.

[6DoF]

this weekend was some pretty solid progress! got the entire cab eyebrow sealed internally and replaced, then moved onto finishing all metal work. everything is filled/smoothed with metal as far as i'm going to take it for now. any further body work can be done while it's still drivable. the entire floor and such are wire wheeled and ready for rust prep, that was a meeeessss.

the rust coating on this area left a lot more white than i was used to, and it wouldn't scrub off. but as long as nothing is coming off with me getting aggressive, then it should hold paint on too.

[Rickysnickers]

I know you've said you really hate body work, but you sure are good at it! Very nice.

[gottattooz]

Great job! Loving the progress. They didn't have that replacement piece above the windshield when I redid my dad's 59 long bed. I bought a roof out of a junkyard in Texas and my fabricator friend swapped the entire roof for me.

-Josh

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

I know you've said you really hate body work, but you sure are good at it! Very nice.

thank you! i'm slowly learning patients ... smaller tools, with less power, and take my time.

Originally Posted by gottattooz

Great job! Loving the progress. They didn't have that replacement piece above the windshield when I redid my dad's 59 long bed. I bought a roof out of a junkyard in Texas and my fabricator friend swapped the entire roof for me.

-Josh

damn, he's a good friend to swap the whole thing! having to harvest my own patch panels from the junk yard before installing them would get old. these have all been relatively cheap with a great fit and even showed up quick.

[youngrodder]

Looking good. Way to eradicate that evil rust...

Marc

[6DoF]

so i think i'm going to try a new rust converter. the AutoTech Rust-Prep is high shipping cost, and long lead right now. here's my research n thoughts.

the more i look into others, it seams like there are like 2 different actual converters on the market, but sold or "made" by 100 different companies in different % products.

Thick vs thin:
some are sprayable, some are not. when both are offered by the same brand, it's the same stuff, just with reducer.

Primer vs not:
some are ready to paint, some need cleaned of the possible white powder with mineral spirits. the non-primer needs primer over it.

Tannic or Phosphoric acid based:
most won't tell you, some do, but you can figure out by the directions really. the tannic might all have primer, while the phosphoric look to be the ones that need post-cleaning ... cant' 100% confirm, but that's my feeling.

i feel like the AutoTech Rust-Prep is the same as Ospho Metal Treatment ... Phosphoric based, thin, no primer. these will leave the white powder that needs cleaned before priming.

i'm thinking Rust Check, FDC Rust Converter Ultra, Corroseal Rust Converter, MRO Chem Black Star Rust Converter, Eastwood Rust Converter, etc etc etc ... Tannic acid, with primer, sold as thick or thin.

SO! i feel like i'd rather have a thicker, with primer product ... and $10 says they are all the same exact thing with different levels of active agents in a different label. every review says the FDC does 500sqft but most likely needs 2 coats, while the Corroseal does 250sqft but only ever needs one coat. that sounds like FDC is just a watered down Corroseal to me. i know eastwood doesn't make their own stuff, so who's is it? is it just corroseal with a different label and a JACKED up price? i also feel like Corroseal floated to the top of more comparison reviews.

Amazon:
FDC Rust Converter Ultra ... $50
Corroseal Rust Converter ... $67 ... free shipping (might be $10 cheaper on eBay)
AutoTech Rust-Prep ... $51 + $34 shipping
MRO Chem Black Star Rust Converter ... $95
Eastwood Rust Converter ... $134

i'm buying 1gal of the Corroseal on Amazon to do the floor of the '55 with ... stay tuned for further thoughts.

[daddyjeep]

I have used the POR 15 prep, which is Phosphoric acid with Zinc Phosphate, It seemed to eat rust well

[Father&son56project]

6DoF, you've really been doing your homework! I'm looking forward to your results. There are so many competing claims by vendors of rust converters, and I suspect that you are correct. There's only a couple of different ways to do it, and the rest is just different ratios of active ingredients, followed by tons of marketing B.S.!!!

[duramax55]

pciklex is also a good product but can't get it here in Canada anymore but still available in the us i think

[6DoF]

so i finally got all my waste oil in the barrel and set-up for easy transfer into the diesel fuel tanks. while i was doing that, the wife got bored and got to work inside the 55 again! she finished sanding out the door frames and cleaned up everything from when i wire wheeled it too. we got the rust convertor down and i like it.

so the Corroseal was nice to work with and the foam brushes were great. the results look ready to rock.

[dsraven]

she's a keeper.

[6DoF]

got home last night and noticed some lighter brown/orange areas in the floor. turns out that's where i didn't get enough coating, so did a 2nd last night.

when they say "put it on thick" ... they mean it!

[6DoF]

****
Corroseal Update - Please read
****

after giving a pretty solid research/review of the Corroseal ... i would like to revoke that! i'm not sure i'll even finish this bottle.

i tried to read up on the instructions and tried to research before hand ... but i apparently missed stuff. it wasn't until i googled "Corroseal pealing off" where i found a YouTube that i am pretty sure was recorded from a VHS tape. here's what i learned.

1) if you realize it needs a 2nd coat from incomplete conversion, do it and add more.
... HOWEVER adding more to a partial or full cure will ruin the entire coating!
... if it has already started to tach over, chemically must strip it all off and start over
... if it has already fully cured, you must grind it all off and start over

2) if you coat bare steel ... grind it all off and don't do that again, it won't stick.
3) if you coat old pain ... grind it all off and don't do that again, it won't stick.
4) if you coat smooth LIGHTLY RUSTY METAL ... grind it all off and don't do that again, it won't stick.

so basically i started some tape lines for the seam sealer, adjusted one pc and the tape pealed up a bunch of coating. i then set around the floor to test a bunch of places, and was fully disappointed everywhere but ONE place. the ONE place none pealed was single heavy coat on heavy rust. 2nd coat after cure on heavy rust and it was pealing up.

so i will be grinding the entire coating off with a wire wheel. i still think it might have done a decent conversion though, so maybe i'll just prime/paint after grinding.

[dsraven]

Man, that suck. Quick thought though. If the masking tape was peeling it up maybe just duct tape the entire thing, then peel up the duct tape. Easier and safer than wire wheel?
Just kidding. Trying to lighten the mood, you know.....

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by dsraven

Man, that suck. Quick thought though. If the masking tape was peeling it up maybe just duct tape the entire thing, then peel up the duct tape. Easier and safer than wire wheel?
Just kidding. Trying to lighten the mood, you know.....

My wife also offered to help lay down more tape with me

i said i didn't think the lint roller was sticky enough