Greetings:
With all the great threads here on how to return a heavily rusted car to structural integrity, I just thought I'd attempt to motivate others to get ahead of the cancer with some preventative maintenance. My 1976 Alfetta GTV is relatively rust free. but I have found looming problems. Lift the floor rugs and attend to the floor, and remove the splash shields at the rear of the front wheel wells and tidy things up.
On both front floor sections I found some surface rust, but thankfully no perforations.. After removing as much as possible with 3" surface-prep 3M pads on an air grinder, I coated it with a rust converter product. That surface was then covered with a good chassis paint. Body holes that are sealed with the rubber caps are treated and the caps are re-inserted with the addition of some silicone sealant. Then a thin butyl/foil barrier was applied, which aggressively bonds to the floor. Finally, a heavy sound deadening and moisture barrier sheet is applied.
In this post I have added a few photos of the process. Note that on the driver's side there is a 2nd body hole slightly up on the firewall. The rubber plug here was slightly dislodged and I assume it was the source of the moisture entering the footwell. That, along with the failed door seals, which was the sole contributor on the passenger's side.
None of this requires advanced degrees or equipment, but having a few days to let each application set up is helpful.
With all the great threads here on how to return a heavily rusted car to structural integrity, I just thought I'd attempt to motivate others to get ahead of the cancer with some preventative maintenance. My 1976 Alfetta GTV is relatively rust free. but I have found looming problems. Lift the floor rugs and attend to the floor, and remove the splash shields at the rear of the front wheel wells and tidy things up.
On both front floor sections I found some surface rust, but thankfully no perforations.. After removing as much as possible with 3" surface-prep 3M pads on an air grinder, I coated it with a rust converter product. That surface was then covered with a good chassis paint. Body holes that are sealed with the rubber caps are treated and the caps are re-inserted with the addition of some silicone sealant. Then a thin butyl/foil barrier was applied, which aggressively bonds to the floor. Finally, a heavy sound deadening and moisture barrier sheet is applied.
In this post I have added a few photos of the process. Note that on the driver's side there is a 2nd body hole slightly up on the firewall. The rubber plug here was slightly dislodged and I assume it was the source of the moisture entering the footwell. That, along with the failed door seals, which was the sole contributor on the passenger's side.
None of this requires advanced degrees or equipment, but having a few days to let each application set up is helpful.
