68 Vette Refresho-Mod
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 21
Likes: 7
i believe once the surface has started to oxidize, its always there. Atleast all the metal I worked on as a kid ended up that way...LOL. What ever product you use that converrts that bare metal to something inert will be the best. You just dont want to lay something over it. THe phosphate bath that we used for treating rifle barrels has a couple of steps and the barrels were not rusty
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 21
Likes: 7
Oh I'm well aware, the header heat used to come right through the tunnel and literally burn my feet up. I'm going to do that reflective bubble wrap stuff on the firewall and transmission tunnel then frost King duct wrap everywhere. Relatively light and low cost.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,741
Likes: 1,383
Just saw this question..... sorry for being so late.
I first peeled as much of the old jute by hand as I could-- I hate that garbage. I then used a wire brush to scrape it all clean. After you remove it, then you can use just any general industrial cleaner to kill the moldy smell. After I got it all cleaned up I used clear RTV to glue the new mat on the bulkhead.
As far as the hole in the firewall -- my Hot Rod A/C system came with a prefab plate that I bolted on (it had the pre-existing penetrations for Hot Rod A/C heating and cooling--nothing terrible special). I would just bolt on the aluminum plate you mention and insulate the inside.
I first peeled as much of the old jute by hand as I could-- I hate that garbage. I then used a wire brush to scrape it all clean. After you remove it, then you can use just any general industrial cleaner to kill the moldy smell. After I got it all cleaned up I used clear RTV to glue the new mat on the bulkhead.
As far as the hole in the firewall -- my Hot Rod A/C system came with a prefab plate that I bolted on (it had the pre-existing penetrations for Hot Rod A/C heating and cooling--nothing terrible special). I would just bolt on the aluminum plate you mention and insulate the inside.
What did you end up for doing a final cleaning of all the old jute? I've been using an oscillating multi tool with a scraper and that had been working great to remove the bulk but I want to sort of clean out the perminent old moldy smell
Also, how did you block off the firewall? I'm thinking to use an aluminum plate temporarily and glass it in down the road.
Also, how did you block off the firewall? I'm thinking to use an aluminum plate temporarily and glass it in down the road.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I think it might be best to use a self-etching primer, rather than a 'rust converter' where you have little rust. There may be other products that would be good on bare metal, but I don't think a rust converter is one of them. (just another opinion on the Forum....)
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 21
Likes: 7
This bird cage seems really good compared to others I've seen, so while I'm this far I want to treat it the best I can. Looking inside the frame work with a flashlight at the lower corners of the windshield it looks pretty rusty in there and its pretty rusty between where the fender meets the lower part of that corner on the outside drivers side. Looking for any insight or advice on the best way to clean this up before putting it all back together. I know the only right way to get at cleaning that would be to literally separate the firewall from the birdcage and fix the rust but that's out of the question. Some more pics to show the rust I found:
Last edited by LTkev1n; Sep 28, 2020 at 10:27 PM.
