Method of delaying rust / Rust repair...

[Rassilon]

Hello all!

I received my newly purchased 72 GTV yesterday evening and of course it has rust in some of the typical locations. Thankfully only surface rust.

I have no experience in dealing with rust...

I will not be able to do anything substantial in the way of rust repair (new paint) for awhile...is there a method of delaying or "protecting against" further rusting in these locations?

As these are locations common to rust on GTV's can anyone give me estimates on what this will cost (there is also small surface rust next to the passenger door handle and on the left rear wheel arch) based on previous experience repairing this kind of rust damage?

See attached pictures.

Thanks! Adrian

[SeekGTV]

My guess is that is not surface rust and you have a problem that goes deeper than you think. With that said, Eastwood's rust encapsulator and/or Por15 come highly recommended and might help you slow the spread until you can properly fix it. I would not wait too long.

Just my $.02

[Rassilon]

Thank you, I plan to have someone "in the know" look at the damage soon.

In the meantime where would find the products you mentioned?

How do you like the duct tape residue from it's previous method of protection. :P

Thanks!

Adrian

[GTD]

Adrian
GTV's are great rides but they all seem to rust were yours is gone. There a great resto - job on a GTV- the thread is somewhere in the archives. Perhaps someone else can link you to it - I've forgotten whose car it was. It will show you what lies beneath that surface, it 'aint pretty!
As far as slowing it, you'll have better luck trying to change the weather.

[SeekGTV]

I think GTD maybe speaking of this link.

http://www.alfarestore.com/

[GTD]

Thanks George, that's the one!

[Rassilon]

Thanks...i've looked that site over before...that was quite a project!

Is there anyway to tell other than taking the car apart whether this is deeper or not? I can see that it might go under the seals around the windshield (as in the GTV restor site) but deep? How would I tell this? Or can I personally? A good thumping on the area didn't reveal anything...felt solid and sounded solid...but i'm no expert...heheh!

Where would I find Eastwood's rust encapsulator and/or Por15? (is Por 15 some sort of bondo?)

Thanks again from a newbie! So much to learn! I love this Bulletin board.

[jimcheney]

POR15 is really bad-@ss paint. It works great when used according to the instructions - i.e. clean area, use Metal Ready product, then POR15.

You can use it with fiberglass cloth to fix holes in floorboards and stuff, not structural, but effective at keeping water out (or in).

WRT that windsheid rust, there isnt much you can do to make it better, and some temp fixes only make it worse (like bondo, which will not prevent further rusting and will likely trap water.

Just do a good safety check to make sure the car isnt a top-chop GTV waiting to happen and drive it until you can afford to fix it. You can probably fix parts at a time to spread it out. Primer over new metal doesnt look any worse than rust holes.

[GTD]

Adrian
www.POR15.com
www.eastwood.com

[Rassilon]

Brilliant!

Thanks everyone!

This looks like the plan barring more inspection until I can get something more permanent done.

[CarPoor]

Adrian-
Hate to be the bearer of bad news when you've just launched into Alfa ownership, but I'd guess that your problem there extends well under the window seal. The only permanent way to fix it is to remove all the rotted metal back to good, sound work and weld in new, then refinish. The problem with POR is that you need to get it on the inside of your metal, and there's no access where your problem is. If it were a fender, you could work on the inside with the car together, but not so with what you've got. I do know of a guy that used an aluminum based filler (similar to JB weld) on a similar problem, and he's going along fine years later with the band-aid in place. The car lives in the garage, but still, there's some hope for a temporary fix for your problem. In case you think I'm being negative, I signed up for a welding class just last week in order to learn what I need to know to tie into rust repair on two of my cars, and they're both worse than what you show here.
Hope this helps-Best of luck with your car! When will we get to see you at a NWARC meeting or function? The Holiday Gala (nee Christmas Party) is coming up in less than a month at the Museum of Flight...sign-up sheet available on our website- www.nwalfaclub.com
Best,
Pat

[Rassilon]

Thank you for the happy positive reply CarPoor

Yep...the more I read and research the more it looks like the window rust problem is truely a sign of worse things...the question is how worse? I won't know until I or someone else can really get in there and root around...

So...the Por-15 or similiar rust delay method is only a temporary plan to delay/protect it until I can get the real work done. Hopefully I can get started as soon as the spring or no later than a year from now...buget...time...

I won't make it to the Gala and Tuesday night club meetings in Issaquah are just too difficult to make...sooo...hopefully there is something in the new year I can attend! Thanks!

[alfarestore]

Adrian,

When I was evaluating the rust on my car before I started the restoration I had a similar looking problem as you can see on my site. I would suggest pulling off your wipers and cowl cover and look to see any signs of rust, also you can look up at the firewall/cowl from the passengers floorboard area. In my car you could actually see the rusted metal that is located just behind the dash and under the cowl. Another place to check is to remove the large splash guards and shine a flashlight up on the cowl corner.

Good luck and let me know if I can be of any other help.

Cheers,

Jeff

[GTD]

Adrian
Reading your posts leads me to believe you've got the wrong idea of what POR 15 will do. It's not a rust sealer or magic wand. It is a durable watertite coating when applied per directions. It IS a PITA to remove! It IS NOT UV resistant and NEEDS a topcoat if exposed to sunlight. One large problem with using it as a temporary solution to your rust problem is: how will you remove it when your ready to do permanent repairs?

I fully believe that your rust is as Jeff's was, just the tip of the iceberg. If funds or time and talent are preventing you from doing a complete job you might get by with removing your trim bits and wirebrushing any rust you can reach, coating the same with a rust encapsulater and layering that thin aluminum or stainless steel tape over the holes. Start at a point furthest from the windshield and overlap each course so that it sheds water and the trim helps hold the final course on. It will look like s*it, but then again, so do holes in the sheetmetal!

[Rassilon]

I'm only looking for a temporary short term fix whatever that may be...I just don't want to encourage the exisiting rust...I know it doesn't need encouragement but anything I can do in the meantime can't hurt right?

Again, thanks for everyone's input.