The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop large panel surface rust

Hello All,

Great web site and forum! Keep up the good work.

I was wondering if anyone can provide tips on removing large areas of surface rust. I recently purchased doors for my 1946 gmc. They are in excellent shape except all the paint is gone and the entire surface is covered with surface rust. I'm sure many of you have seen this and know what I mean.

What is a good way to attack this rust, to keep the door panels straight, and to end up with a nice smooth finish for paint?

Thanks to all.

Brian :confused:

If it's just surface rust, I've used Naval Jelly to take it off. I usually apply it on part, let stand 10 minutes or so, then I take a piece of steel wool and rub it in a circular motion to help loosen any stubborn places, then rince with water. Dry panal good, ready for body work or paint.
You may want to use a sand blaster around the seams if you have rust there, but would not reccommend use over entire door. It can warp metal if not careful.

Call me crazy but what the heck is Navel Jelly? I've heard of toe jam and belly button lint but never Navel Jelly. :p

It's a pink colored jelly that contains phospheric acid. Jelly makes it easier to apply to vertical surfaces. There is different makers of this product. You can buy it a hardware stores, home improvement stores, and even some automotive stores.

Thanks for the info. Most appreciated.

What is a good method to smooth the surface after the naval jelly? Presuming the metal doesn't need any repair, will primer be enough to fill the rough area or shoudl spot puddy or body filler be used?

I have aboslutely no experience with this so I hope someone with experience, like you guys, can help me out!!

Thanks again.

Brian :confused:

Brian is metal pitted? If pits are minor, you could probably use some type of filling primer if deeper you may have to fill.

I wouldn't say pitted, but just covered with rust.

If I find some pits, what works good as a filler? normal body filler?

Thanks

If their minor you could probably use spot putty. Deeper pits I'd use a fiberglass based filler like Duraglass, I thing there's one also called RustOut. These are fiberglass resin in them but no hair.
Have you checked out zerorust.com website, alot of guys on here have been using it on there trucks, I haven't tried it yet myself. If it's just surface rust it really shouldn't be that rough once you remove it. Like I said above a filler type primer may fill small irregularities.

Just a suggestion...a panel of rust...i would attack 80 grit disc sander or a good going over with a wire brush to get as much as the rust off first.....then hit with the naval jelly. .02

Starrider

I'd go with wire brush on grinder, it'll take alot of the rust without making sanding disc scratches all over panel.

hi brian - if my guess is right you don't have "surface rust", that's what happens to bright new metal to give it a light orange tint. i'll wager that you're dealing with deep pitted rust. for my money the only cure is blasting. get a 40lb. blaster at harbor freight hook it up to a 5 horse 25 gal compressor use a non hazardous media and spend a day or two getting them clean.check out my 51 burb in the resto stories, the frame was done with this equipment and took about a week.

The only thing you have to be careful of if your sandblasting sheet metal is warping the sheetmetal. You don't want to concentrate on one spot to long.