Rust needs Oxygen...If you can seal it,and it is 'only' surface rust and you can prevent further oxidation you should be O.K.

Mine looked great before it was shipped over from Ca. It had real nice 'patina' (rust) wink but the importer decided to drown it in Red Oxide paint! dang

BTW where's the pix?

1950 Chevy Advance Design 3100 in Scotland
In the Stovebolt Gallery
More pix on Flickr.
I've definately got this truck thing in my blood ... my DNA sequence has torque settings
"Of all the small nations of this earth,perhaps only the ancient Greeks surpass the Scots in their contribution to mankind" Winston Churchill.