Rust removal project

[Math1390]

Hi all,

I'm a new owner of a 1963 Corvair Sedan 700 4 doors from Belgium. The car is a Belgian car. Production site was based in "Anvers". As you can see in the pictures, the interior is full of rust. Mostly due to our well known rainy / humid weather in Belgium most of the year. I'm planning to remove it and treat it. My idea is to use the material in the picture in different steps :
1 : remove it with the "brush"
2 : treat the rust to "fix" it
3 : protect the steel from any further rust with an anti rust paint.

Am I right to do so ? Any other tips, guidance from your part woul be much appreciated. Sorry for my English, I'm doing my best :) Feel free to reach in case something is not clear.

Have a nice day :)

[Gasman63]

Looks like a big job. I cant help you but be careful with that angled grinder. Blood don't help remove rust. :)

[toms73novass]

A recommendation for paint would be a moisture-cured urethane.

Here in the USA there is POR -15 , MASTERCOAT® ULTIMATE PERMANENT RUST SEALER, KBS Coatings Rust Seal.

I would think there is an equivalent in europe.

[jimbrandberg]

20 years ago I wire brushed the bottom and inside floors of a 65 and painted with a brush and POR-15, a one step process. I never got around to finishing the car except now in order to sell it. The bottom still looks great. It looks like I just used paint on the tunnel pan which hasn't fared quite as well.
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

[Wittsend]

You will have to get the paint and other things sticking to the floor off but at first glance the floors look acceptable to fix. Be sure to have an ear (noise) protector and I recommended a full face shield for your eyes. Those wires in the brush do snap off. I find the brushes that are shaped like a cup are easier to work with than the straight type you have pictured. Also, if you are going to use a grinding wheel protect not only the interior parts, door cards etc., but also the glass. The sparks can imbed themselves into the glass.

I'm unable to translate the rust treatment product. Some, like Phosphoric Acid removed the rust and others treat existing rust to create an iron phosphate. My preference is to remove rather than just treat rust.

It looks like the Hammerite is not the rust encapsulating paint that others have recommended like POR 15 etc. POR15 type paint is expensive but is designed to work properly with rusted metal. They also sell a thin, fiberglass like mesh that can be used over small area that have rusted through. My experience says not to cover a hole larger than 1 inch and use the mesh on both sides. You need good ventilation (or a proper respirator) as the vapors from POR15 type paints are toxic. As for application wire brush to remove debris and rust, then sand the floor to get a rough surface, wash the floor with a strong cleaner, treat with Phosphoric Acid then once everything is completely dry use a POR15 type paint. It has a window of time between coats so understand that and how it is determined.

Being you have a unique car for Belgium and parts are likely scarce or expensive to ship/import I would spend the extra money to treat the floors as best you can.

[tony66]

I will never use POR-15 again for rust prevention. It did not work for me.

Remove as much rust scale as you can and then use an inexpensive "rust converter" if there is anything left that concerns you. Once the rust converter has set, you can either use an inexpensive oil based primer or a good quality epoxy primer.

In my opinion, the oil based primer is fine for an area that is not very visible to the casual observer and epoxy primer is best when you need to top coat for the best appearance.

Once the rust scale is removed and only light rust remains, usually any oil or epoxy based paint will stop the rust.

[joelsplace]

If it doesn't have holes I would try Evaporust. When it is done there will be no rust. It is expensive but there is a guy on YouTube that tells you how to make your own for very little money.

[66vairguy]

I'll second using a FULL face shield (they sell simple plastic shields) when using a wire wheel. Trust me it will save you a trip to the hospital and I did have standard safety googles on. The doctor lectured me on use a full face shield.

I have never liked POR 15. It is just a cover up. Fine for a quick simple job and if that works for you then fine.

If you are going to be driving the car in the wet weather the carpets will get wet. Only a very durable finish will prevent rust if the carpet and pad get wet.

I have used wire brushes, rust neutralizers, and sand blasting. The requirement for sand blasting is to completely remove the interior, or you tape down heavy clear plastic and work the sand blasting nozzle under the plastic. Sand blasting will leave bare and rust free metal, but it is a tedious, messy, and loud process.

I don't drive my hobby cars in the wet so I used an oil based primer and top coat (Rustoleum). If you want a better finish then a quality two part mix epoxy primer is more durable IF top coated with a two part urethane paint. These two part paints are very toxic and require a superior respirator to prevent lung damage. Just my

[Jake]

After owning lots of older cars from around Boston those floors look pretty great to me

Good luck with your project!

[American Mel]

It looks like you have the rubber floor matting, instead of carpet.
Those rubber floors are notorious for trapping water under them.
.
Joel is correct.
Don't bother with trying to manually remove the rust.
Use Evaporust, or Rust911.
One of our members here posted pictures of the doors he did with Rust911 and it was fantastic!

[Project65]

I ‘ve had a fair amount of experience with treating rust. Here’s my suggestion and photos to support.

My first step approach, I’d take a right angle grinder with a coarse wire cup wheel and attack the surface. To remove
Any heavy scale.

Both KBS and POR15 make a “Metal Prep” that is a rust pre treatment. It’s a phosphoric acid based product. It chemically neutralizes the rust. Really! Check out my photos. The phosphoric acid chemically converts the rust to a zinc phosphate.

After the metal prep acid treatment, you rinse with water.

Then apply the “Sealer”. KBS or POR15 make a rust seal/ encapsulator that is a urethane based sealer. It contains isocyanate based materials that react with moisture in the air and polymerize to form a chemically reactive layer that is an OXYGEN BARRIER. Preventing oxygen from contacting the steel WILL PREVENT RUST.

The KBS product is a HIGHER solids product while the POR15 product is lower. Solids? We’re talking fillers. Like carbon black to give it color. Either product requires stirring with a wooden mixing stick prior to application. Once stirred, brush it on. Wear gloves! If you get it on your skin, it won’t come off!

I’ve used both. They work!

Again… wire brush, metal prep (phosphoric acid), water rinse and allow to dry, then urethane/ isocyanate top coat.

Here’s photos.

[American Mel]

I used to use acid based converters, but why "Convert" rust, when you can utterly remove every last molecule of it?
Then seal your metal.
Work smarter, not harder, get the same or better results.