Mark69

I would like to spray some rust inhibitor into the windshield frame. In the AIM it looks like the windshield frame might be open on the lower side, so I can insert the spray nozzle there. Can anyone confirm this?

Joe Lucia

Mark------


The only place that I think that the windshield frame INTERIOR could be accessed is through the pillar posts. By removing the kick panels and the speakers and spraying UPWARD through the speaker opening in the pillar post I could see where it would be THEORETICALLY possible to to spray rust inhibitor up and into the windshield frame. Just how much coverage would occur would be hard to determine. Certainly, the side frames (which are an integral part of the pillar posts) would receieve coverage. The header and lower windshield frame elements are "open" to the side frames, but I don't know how much of the inhibitor would get in those areas.

Beyond all this, I'm not sure how much good that any rust inhibitor will do if the area already suffers from significant corrosion. Once the structure is weakened by corrosion, a rust inhibitor will not "repair" the damage. And, if significant corrosion has gotten started, I don't see a normal rust inhibitor stopping it. A product like "Extend" might arrest further corrosion, though, but I don't think that it's sprayable.

Corellian Corvette

It's not that much work to pull the SS trim off and clean the pilliars. It's an afternoon job at best and you'll be able to see exactly what's going on. I recently pulled mine off, cleaned all the crud around there, had the windshield removed, polished, cleaned and painted the pilliars, and had new seal put on the windshield. Now I don't have to worry about leaks OR rust, it's all clean up there, and I don't have to worry about it. Cost - $120 (for windshield removal) and an afternoons work!

Mark69

Joe,

I know it is too late when the rust is already creating holes in the metal and that I only can slow down that process, never reverse it. This is why I want to spray 'anti corrosion fat' (or 'grease' I am not sure how to translate Korrosionsschutzfett) into the frame. According to the german rust prevention forum (which does not exist any more, probably rusted away) this is the best method to slow down further rusting. That stuff is very similar to what Mercedes and BMW (and probably many other brands) spray into their new cars body cavities to prevent rusting.

Smokehouse69

The stuff you are describing sounds like cosmoline, which was a waxy grease used to store firearms in. The only thing I would suggest is using something like POR-15 paint or Eastwoods Corless rust preventative paint. I used POR-15 in a cheap garden pump up sprayer and sprayed inside the holes in my frame.
I have looked and felt up in the windshield pillars (as far as I can reach and haven't found any rust, so I haven't tried spraying anything up there.
Unfortunately the only sure way to completely stop rust is to cut it out and replace the metal. Most paint, and undercoating will only retard it slightly.
Phosphoric acid is supposed to convert the rust from iron oxide into iron phosphate (I think) and prevent it from further growth. I think POR-15 and Corless also use some form of chemical conversion to stop rust.