frame rust?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 186
Likes: 5
From: near Madison, WI (Brooklyn, wi)
frame rust?
doing some work under my 'new to me' 71 and noticed the frame (most areas) has rust flacking off? not serious to weaken.. not yet anyway but just curious: do most 47 year old vettes have some frame rust on them? I know it depends on many factors but just curious if any others do?
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
If it is rusting on the outside of the frame, its rusting on the inside of the frame. When they meet in the middle then you have a hole, and a weak frame. I had one break at the kickups from rust. If you can get it on a lift you always benefit from a good inspection underneath. If I were close enough I'd look with you. Stay safe. David
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,192
Likes: 343
From: Allenton Wisconsin
With the number of holes in the frame from manufacturing just driving the car makes dust which gets into the frame. Over the course of decades of driving quite a bit collects, this dust collects and then maintains moisture. Take an air hose and blow out every where access is available. If you are ambitious enough like so many of your fellow C3 owners are we grind, sand and repaint the frames, Some owners even remove frames for blasting and have them powder coated. or painting. T
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
With the number of holes in the frame from manufacturing just driving the car makes dust which gets into the frame. Over the course of decades of driving quite a bit collects, this dust collects and then maintains moisture. Take an air hose and blow out every where access is available. If you are ambitious enough like so many of your fellow C3 owners are we grind, sand and repaint the frames, Some owners even remove frames for blasting and have them powder coated. or painting. T
And if I might also suggest one additional consideration to Terry's post. If you do clean it and powder coat it consider blowing out the excess powder before coating, AND consider using a internal product like Eastwoods Internal Frame Coating. I have used it on my frames and love it. I hope it is okay to share this here, there may be other products as well, I just am sharing this one because I have used it and know it works well for me.David
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
to answer your question. YES...Most Corvette have some degree of external rust. It can vary from very light surface rust to heavy scale and even as mentioned...internal rust of the frame and holes where the frame and eaten its way through the steel.
Many different views and ways of dealing with the internal and external rust have been discussed and done. Some with excellent results while other methods not so much. There are rust encapsulating products and rust converting products that can stop the rust in it tracks,. BUT...it has everything to do with how it is prepped and making sure if any specific instructions are provided by the manufacturer of that specific product. Those instructions are needing to be followed to the letter or a person can not expect the product to work as designed. Taking short cuts to prep work can often times cause for the time spent was wasted time.
So applying a product over dust and dirt will not allow it to work as well as making sure the surface is ready for that product. I cannot tell you on how many cars I work on and see where someone applied gobs of undercoating on an area and it looked good to the eye. But it was easily flaked off and the rust under it was still growing.
DUB
Many different views and ways of dealing with the internal and external rust have been discussed and done. Some with excellent results while other methods not so much. There are rust encapsulating products and rust converting products that can stop the rust in it tracks,. BUT...it has everything to do with how it is prepped and making sure if any specific instructions are provided by the manufacturer of that specific product. Those instructions are needing to be followed to the letter or a person can not expect the product to work as designed. Taking short cuts to prep work can often times cause for the time spent was wasted time.
So applying a product over dust and dirt will not allow it to work as well as making sure the surface is ready for that product. I cannot tell you on how many cars I work on and see where someone applied gobs of undercoating on an area and it looked good to the eye. But it was easily flaked off and the rust under it was still growing.
DUB
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 101
doing some work under my 'new to me' 71 and noticed the frame (most areas) has rust flacking off? not serious to weaken.. not yet anyway but just curious: do most 47 year old vettes have some frame rust on them? I know it depends on many factors but just curious if any others do?
It's almost like an organ transplant where the hosts body rejects the organ, this time it's fiberglass doing everything it can to rid itself of steel.
The frame will become beyond repair before you notice structural weakness.
Good luck!
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
to answer your question. YES...Most Corvette have some degree of external rust. It can vary from very light surface rust to heavy scale and even as mentioned...internal rust of the frame and holes where the frame and eaten its way through the steel.
Many different views and ways of dealing with the internal and external rust have been discussed and done. Some with excellent results while other methods not so much. There are rust encapsulating products and rust converting products that can stop the rust in it tracks,. BUT...it has everything to do with how it is prepped and making sure if any specific instructions are provided by the manufacturer of that specific product. Those instructions are needing to be followed to the letter or a person can not expect the product to work as designed. Taking short cuts to prep work can often times cause for the time spent was wasted time.
So applying a product over dust and dirt will not allow it to work as well as making sure the surface is ready for that product. I cannot tell you on how many cars I work on and see where someone applied gobs of undercoating on an area and it looked good to the eye. But it was easily flaked off and the rust under it was still growing.
DUB
Many different views and ways of dealing with the internal and external rust have been discussed and done. Some with excellent results while other methods not so much. There are rust encapsulating products and rust converting products that can stop the rust in it tracks,. BUT...it has everything to do with how it is prepped and making sure if any specific instructions are provided by the manufacturer of that specific product. Those instructions are needing to be followed to the letter or a person can not expect the product to work as designed. Taking short cuts to prep work can often times cause for the time spent was wasted time.
So applying a product over dust and dirt will not allow it to work as well as making sure the surface is ready for that product. I cannot tell you on how many cars I work on and see where someone applied gobs of undercoating on an area and it looked good to the eye. But it was easily flaked off and the rust under it was still growing.
DUB
Curious more than anything.
David
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 331
From: Indy Indiana
that would be redi-strip. hard to get a license due to caustic chemical used in that process... just like chroming...a dead or dying profession..
they are hard to find but some are still out there, and growing increasing more expensive due to the regulations.
they are hard to find but some are still out there, and growing increasing more expensive due to the regulations.
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 101
There is a place in Milwaukee that does it for around a $1000 including e-coat
here
http://www.metal-cleaning-rsi.com/
Last edited by car junkie; Aug 31, 2018 at 09:52 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
A forum member used this company and sent me the information.
http://www.rsi-metal-cleaning.com/main.html
Their phone number is 414-529-1515.
DUB
http://www.rsi-metal-cleaning.com/main.html
Their phone number is 414-529-1515.
DUB
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 168
2018 C2 of Year Finalist
doing some work under my 'new to me' 71 and noticed the frame (most areas) has rust flacking off? not serious to weaken.. not yet anyway but just curious: do most 47 year old vettes have some frame rust on them? I know it depends on many factors but just curious if any others do?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
I have worked on Corvettes where the frame were almost like brand new and very light surface rust and when it was power coated.it looked brand new. I have also seen frames that were so rusted that when the frame was ultrasonic tested for thickness, the metal was half as thick as it should be and the owner ...for some odd reason still felt it was okay to get powder coated. instead of finding a good frame that was worthy of working on or buying a new frame and starting from scratch.
So...those of you dong this area of the car. Just keep in mind you are dealing with the foundation of your car. Sometimes putting the money you would have spent for a chrome dress-up kit for the engine MIGHT be better spent on the frame....along with any other items that make it look good. Because a car that looks good but is falling apart is not good in my opinion.
But as always..do as you see fit.
DUB
So...those of you dong this area of the car. Just keep in mind you are dealing with the foundation of your car. Sometimes putting the money you would have spent for a chrome dress-up kit for the engine MIGHT be better spent on the frame....along with any other items that make it look good. Because a car that looks good but is falling apart is not good in my opinion.
But as always..do as you see fit.
DUB
