Jack :
The salt/rust equation isn't nearly as bad as your friend indicates, but
it's wise to be wary.
The best prevention is constant vigilance. Find and repair any chips or
scratches that expose steel to air. Rust tends to "grow", so be sure to
remove any you find, before repainting. What you put over the steel isn't
nearly as important as keeping the steel covered and away from oxygen and
water.
I've had fairly good luck with a product called "Extend" (sold under
several brand names including Permatex and Duro). It's a clear liquid that
combines with the rust and converts it to a stabler compound (ferrous
oxide, I suspect). You remove as much rust as possible (I use a wire brush
in a die grinder), put on several coats of this stuff (I like the spray
can), wait for it to turn black, then paint over it. The data sheet is at
http://www.loctite.com/datasheets/tds/79daaam.pdf Wiping the area with
Acryli-clean after wire brushing, and then heating with a propane torch to
drive off any water or solvent seems to help also. Unfortunately, you
can't heat something where you want to save any adjacent paint.
Eastwood (and others, I'm sure) has started selling a product called
"Corroless" that sounds like it might work even better. And, I've read of
a product called POR 15 that some people seem to like, but I don't know
much about it.
Randall
On Thursday, March 11, 1999 5:02 AM, Radley, Jack
[SMTP:JackR@SHRIVERCO.COM] wrote:
>
> I have had my TR6 for about three months now. I have put about 500
> miles on it since Christmas, driving only when it was dry and the
> streets were salt free. Considering the car is garaged when not being
> driven, kept very clean, etc., what are my concerns about salt on the
> roads. On an occasion or two, I have driven into an area that had
> salt/salt dust on the pavement. A TR6 friend leads me to believe that
> the car will instantly turn to rust on any contact with salt. I take
> care to flush out the inner fenders, wash the car thoroughly and even
> drive it afterwards to help blow water out of the panels.
>
> I am paranoid of salt, and will never take the car out in clearly
> adverse conditions, but what is the rest of the story. What are the
> hazards and what are the precautions a TR6 owner should take. I have
> learned where to look for rust, but what are the tips on preventing it
> in the first place? I plan to keep this TR6 for the duration.
>
> Jack Radley
> Cincinnati Ohio - salty roads as I type.
> 76TR6
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