Frame Restoration

[Gary68]

Hello, I am restoring my 68 and we didn't take the body off but just about everything else. We are hand sanding the frame, coming out better then anyone would have thought. Down to bare metal in 80% of the areas we can reach on stands. Question is, how to seal the frame now so that when we have it painted and put back together, I don't have a rust problem at least in the near future. We are planning to use a SEM product called Rust-Seal on the metal first. Then a rust inhititor of some kind next and then paint it to match the factory. The rust inhibitor product is what I am interested in. We have heard about POR 15 but that it chips therefore not only hard to use but that also. Rust Bullet is also another product that we are not comfortable with. I have heard from some locals that take the body off, blast the frame and then use Rustoleum prior to painting. Looking for some ideas where it can be sprayed on rather than brushed on. We feel we can get to more areas cleaner than with a brush. Any and all ideas/thoughts are welcome.

Thanks,

[Piet]

www.por15.com

[emf1367]

I've used Rustoleum primer and paint with fair success and have also used POR 15 and haven't had it chip. Though I have yet to use POR 15 without it showing brush marks; even though they claim they wont show.

Recently I've heard that Eastwood Co. offers a primer, encapsulator, and sealer for chassis. I haven't tried it but it but it has features others dont, like various colors. Check them out at www.eastwood.com. Also check www.forum.eastwood.com for more information.

Good luck.

[bmotojoe]

There are many Eastwood products available that are made just for chassis restorations.
I have used POR-15 with good results without brush marks. The trick to applying POR-15 with a brush is to work fast is small sections and the ambient temperature not be above 70 degrees as it sets up fast. If you purchase disposable cheep brushes you will spend a lot of time plucking bristles that have fallen out of the brush head. You can also apply POR-15 by spraying it on with the POR reducer and the Preval Spray Gun. There are a couple tricks I have learned using POR-15 from a can. Never shake a can like you would a fizz can but swirl the can not creating air into the paint. Also never remove the lid of the can but determine the level of the paint in a new can and drill a 1/8” hole just above the level of the paint. Poor into a paper Dixie cup the amount you think your going to use. After pouring what you need into a cup take a piece of masking tape and cover the 1/8” hole in the can. When finished for the day put can into the refrigerator to extend open can shelf life.
If you open the lid of the can and you get the product into the paint can gutter and even leave a drop of paint in a couple places you will destroy the can trying to get the lid off. That’s how tough POR-15 is.
Brian

[Gary68]

I researched Eastwood, made several contacts and decided to use their Rust Encapsulator on the frame and Extreme Chassis Paint for the frame and firewall. I feel the results were more than I had been hoping for. After hand sanding everything I could reach I first applied a SEM product called Rust Seal. That appeared to neutralize any rust that I couldn't sand off. I then used the Eastwood products. The encapsulator coverage was excellent and the appearance was dramatic. The chassis paint applied evenly and smoothly over the encapsulator. The final product looked better than new. I would recommend the Eastwood products to anyone who restores the frame like I did without taking the body off the frame and having it sand blasted. The car has spent most of its life in a garage when not being driven. The frame was completely solid with no soft spots at all.

[dennisb]

Originally Posted by Gary68

I researched Eastwood, made several contacts and decided to use their Rust Encapsulator on the frame and Extreme Chassis Paint for the frame and firewall. I feel the results were more than I had been hoping for. After hand sanding everything I could reach I first applied a SEM product called Rust Seal. That appeared to neutralize any rust that I couldn't sand off. I then used the Eastwood products. The encapsulator coverage was excellent and the appearance was dramatic. The chassis paint applied evenly and smoothly over the encapsulator. The final product looked better than new. I would recommend the Eastwood products to anyone who restores the frame like I did without taking the body off the frame and having it sand blasted. The car has spent most of its life in a garage when not being driven. The frame was completely solid with no soft spots at all.

Did you brush or spray the Encapsulator? Brush or spray the chassis paint?

[Gary68]

Both the encapsulator and chassis paint came in 16 oz. spray cans. Worked well.