The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop cleaning inside fenders

What is the best way to clean the inside of fenders thave have 60 plus years of build up and very minor surface rust?

I just talked to a guy (owns a resoration shop) that said clean it with gasoline/kerosine and scrub with wire brush. After that use POR15 and leave it like that since there is not reason to take it all the way to the metal if it is going to be a daily/weekend driver. Thoughts?

Chris

Someone should mention to the 'shop owner' "That's not restoration..."
Lipstick on a pig is more like it.

Sandblasting was the only way I got to clean metal on the location you're speaking of.

If you're just going to use something to cover it all up without stripping it why not just use roofing tar like they did back when...?

Nowadays real Restoration shops use epoxy primer over clean metal not moisture cured bridge paint (look up MCU paint) over rust.

thanks Caso!

Didn't sound right to me either and i prefer not to put lipstick on a pig! Did you use sand or media blasting?

ops soda.. not media..haha

With my fenders removed I turned them upside down and first blasted them with a power washer. You might be surprised how much crude will come off. After that I used a putty knife and a 4 inch tape knife to scrape, scrape, scrape. Lastly I used a power wire brush to finish it off. I never used any petroleum solvent although I'm sure it can help. Also, I never completely removed the patina rust, just the flakey stuff, than POR15. Came out great. Mine is a driver, non-show so it's your choice hoe far to go in pre paint prep.

I have been debating on cleaning the inner fenders the best that i can with degreaser and a wire brush. I was thinking about use the Rustoleum marine paint to seal and take care of the rust since i am already using that on the frame and it looks decent so far and should water proof everything. I have been brushing it on the frame and it is smoothing out so that you can't see brush strokes in the primer.

If your set on your paint route I see no problem with using ospho (phosphoric acid)as your metal prep.
I'd hit it with 80 grit after the wire wheel then ospho before your Rustoleum primer.

Like I said it took sand blasting to remove the tar on the inside of my fenders, I wasn't about to use up to 1/2 a gal of reducer on it... But it was sure free of rust and nice looking metal!

I use kerosene now and then for tar and grease but would stay away from the gas mentioned by your resto guy. I use a lot of paper towels too!

Dennis

How about using a propane torch for removing tar and undercoat followed by a putty knife before media blasting?

How about leaving the tar alone? The only original paint left on my 52 was under the tar on the backside of the front fenders. It was so pristine that I believe all it needed was wax to look like brand new.

Problem with that is getting the next coat of paint to stick

But I HAVE thought about it more than once

I use good old oven cleaner. Scott

I would but it is peeling off in sheets in places, it has to come off, because I'm afraid if I undercoat over it, it won't stick.

If its peeling off in sheets I have to question if its really tar or just accumulated road tar over old paint.
Peeling off in sheets is what MCU paints do when the surface wasn't properly prepped...

It is undercoat that has been there since day one, the under fender looks brand new, seems like most is really stuck on there but some places a putty knife can take off a plate of it 4" at a time.

I would really like to put something protective in the fender wells of the cab, the inside fender, maybe even the inner fenders. I have never undercoated anything before. Can I paint both under and over it? What about bed liner material? I will be driving it and I don't want a lot of stars in my paint due to Kansas roads.

Got you some gravel roads Deve?
I think thats why they used the roofing tar. It quieted things down and from the looks of the ones I did literally absorbed the shock of flying gravel and some of the rocks to boot...
It's why it's an 1/8" thick or better when you get it off.
The price was/is right once you realize how big those fenders are inside and how loud the logging roads could get.

Anything like a DD I'd stick with the tar inside the fenders.
A show truck not so much.

I'm leery of anything that can crack and let water in, so
Powder coating is not on my approved list of materials.
If it act's like a skin or film and I can't see what the paint is doing, how do I spot the rust if it's underneath there?

Epoxy primers and a good top coat with UV protection.
I like a couple extra coats of epoxy in the high wear areas.

I'm seriously looking at the LineX product for under the fenders, seems like some bullet proof stuff and can take a good stone hit. Could be pricey though. I wonder how some heavy coats of some fairly inexpensive rubberized undercoats would fair?

the last time i bought 3m rubberized undercoat it was $65 a gal. it took a little over a gal to do both front and rear fenders.

I used rustoleum marine paint on my frame to seal up the rust and i am considering using that on the inner fenders since it is gloss black.

The reason for the tar, or rubberized or solid bed liner is to protect the 'tire cast off' area of the exterior fender paint from rocks or ice being thrown up and causing 'stars'.

Paint alone will not cushion that impact.

It will be a show truck/drive to the show truck. And you have to do something like bed liner, or undercoat or something otherwise you WILL get stars in your outside paint job with the size of tires, the fender well being so big, etc. Just one rock picked up in the treads, and back to the drawing board. Keep them ideas coming!

I personally would avoid torching the undercoating unless you have a kid or wife who could be a "fire watch" for you

I second 52 Mark's advice to avoid heat.
Not that it's gonna flame but cause it's harder to remove.

A cold cold morning and a chisel or similar tool works best to remove the majority of the tar based stuff.
You work hard chipping away and warm yourself and the brittle tar flies off as fast as you chip.
Sand blasting cleaned up the residue left easily.