Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

BH- Defiantly a lot more Rust damage than I was expecting for a first project. However, I don't think I would change the experience for anything, this is a great project/Hobby to have. I certainly will know what to look for going forward with future Packard's to know what I will be getting into. I have my rear mounts fabricated thanx to Keekgan's great example from his repair, Only took an hour to fab, Ill be getting pics up soon.

Our Central air craped out, so I have my wife breathing down my neck to leave the car alone and fix the house. I guess I will be installing a new unit tomorrow, then back to the car!!!!!!!!!!!

yes, after knocking everything off in the "test" spot on the frame, I used a Rust Encapsulate then painted over when it cured. I think the frame will come out great.

I agree on the Undercoating.

The entire underbody and frame was undercoated and that is what did such a good job of hiding the rust damage. As I pealed back the undercoating ( it had all lost its grip) that's when the old girl started to fall apart. The undercoating made one heck of a bonding agent but under that, is where I found most of the rust damage.

I am interested to hear the opinions and solution of Packard owners as they deal with surface rust on accessible panels such as inner door skins/frames and trunk lids. Since these surfaces can accumulate modest amounts of trapped moisture, even in a garage, my thoughts were running to products like WaxyOil (if it's still available) where you'd spray it liberally and watch it drip out over the next few years, meanwhile protecting the metal from air where ever it seeps. Any product suggestions from forum members?

Several decades ago, while visiting our family cabin in Ontario with a new to us Chevy van that was two Minnesota winters old and starting to rust around the edges (doors and fender lips), I asked around for advice from the natives. Shops like Rusty Jones and Ziebart were in decline and fading fast. I was steered to a local shop where they sprayed used motor oil (heavy with carbon) into the drilled nooks and crannies. Then was steered to a dirt road where I was instructed to get as much dust and dirt on that new oil. Then repeat the process each year. After a couple of years of that, the rust seemed to slow down. That van is long gone, but its thirty year old replacement (Georgia-driven, but no oil/dirt treatment) still looks reasonably healthy, what ever GM did to it at the factory.

Having seen some 5-7 year old Dodge and Ford truck perforated rusty horror stories from salt-rich roads up north, I wonder if anything can stop the tin worm? Most of us would never drive a nice Packard on a salty or slushy street, but what can be done to get another couple of decades out of them before daylight starts shining through?

Have you found the standard type phosphoric acid etch to be ineffective?

For things other than the Frame and Body shell, I use Evaporust, Big Kev did a review of it on this site and it is available at HF.
I have never tried the store bought so I can not speak to if it is the same as what I have access to as I get it in bulk tanks.

This is a product that is specified by Ford and GM, when they have parts in their DFC's that sat and acquired Rust, they send the parts back to us to Dip, repack, and redistribute to the DFC's. A few hours in the dip tank and spanky shinny new. It is great for dipping radiators and it does not remove paint only rust.

I have light rust in my doors and my tank is big enough at work to dip the doors when the time comes. I was wondering about long term options after they are clean.
I was thinking originally undercoating but again with what I have been experiencing with the current undercoating on this car, I think not.

We have a VCI membrane that we use to on metal parts that lasts 10 years. when I put the interior back together, instead of taping over the holes like from the factory, I will apply a layer of VCI membrane over the inner panel and this "should" give some layer of protection to at least slow down the formation of rust.

Just my idea, we will have to see how it works. I have also heard Fluid Film works wonders but I have not tried it.

Attach file:

---

  (96.20 KB)


  (10.82 KB)

DaveB845 -

Waxoyl is still available - just Google the correct spelling. It is a most impressive product - seems to gel up following application, but never really gets hard. I believe Waxoyl was the primary component of the rust-proofing compound in Chrysler's Mastershield line of vehicle protection products - at least back in the '80s, when I worked as a DM.

Here in Pennsyltucky, rustproofing with oil is still quite popular - thanks not only to the use of things like rock salt and calcium chloride, but now salt-brine as a cheap by-product of all that drilling for natural gas in recent years. I suspect that using 'public' car washes further contributes to premature rust-through, since they recycle the wash water; salt cannot be simply filtered out.

The oiling process is basically as you describe. Besides motor oil, bar and chain oil (for chain saws) is often used; some guys add linseed oil. However, I've often heard that use motor oil should NOT be used.

In the past, when I have a trim panel removed for other repairs, I'll take a pump oil can and give the seams a squirt. I've also pumped a little oil into the seams of the hood and trunk, and let gravity do the rest. In fact, those are about the only places that I haven't had rust problems on my daily driver - a POS 98 Monte Carlo that I purchased brand-new.

However, I suspect that such oiling could pose a problem with subsequent paint repair - requiring additional clean-up and prep. Not sure about Waxoyl in that regard.

Really, there's no practical way to STOP a vehicle from rusting; all you can do is slow it down.

If I ever buy another new vehicle in my lifetime and I'm still living in the Rust Belt, it will get oiled.

When I get to the point of repainting my Packards, I intend to apply a rust-encapsulation coating to protect the chassis and underbody, but will use Waxoyl, from the inside, to protect all the little 'nooks and crannies'.

I need a new office

Attach file:

---

  (89.16 KB)

I noticed the dual distributors and 8-plug heads.

(o{}o)

TroyT Quote:

That dual engine desk is way cool! They look like NHRA-class Top Fuel or Funny Car nitro engines.

Craig

I really hope this car appreciates all the pain I am going through. The Cancer continues, in hindsight, this car body would have been a great candidate for a Donner car. Even though we have far more issues than was ever expected, I just can not bring myself to scrap a piece of history. I continue to battle to keep the legacy alive.

Cut out an make a new rear body mount....Gone...... All that is left now is to drill the hole in the mount. Unfortunately, when we got the tail lights and trim off, below the tail lights...Gone........ Back of the rear fender to the back side of the trunk contour support...Gone.... underside rear fender braces...Gone......I am becoming a fabricating fool.

Attach file:

---

  (67.34 KB)


  (160.39 KB)


  (32.87 KB)


  (36.02 KB)


  (53.67 KB)


  (41.88 KB)


  (42.91 KB)