Actually, those cracks won't help the engine, but they don't hurt either. MANY flatheads running around with those exact same cracks. As for the blasting, soda won't remove the rust from the pits. You'll need sand for that. And I mean the pits all over the panels, even where you seem to have roloced already. Putting paint over the top of any rust at all (even small pits) is just begging for it to come back. Most guys don't want that after all the work they go through doing their bodywork.
Thank you for the clarification... I was worried I had screwed something up!!! I appreciate a senior member such as yourself taking the time to help me through this arduous build process. Again I was worried the sand would warp the panels (what is your thought on this?) Are they too far gone? I have no intention of mudding and fudging... In fact I like to use lead filler on most of my body repairs. However, with the pitted nature of the panels I am assuming this technique has no value added. I am using the roloc as a litmus test on what the areas look like before going "all in." I think that replacing/patching them might be my only option. Any advice from more experienced body men is appreciated at this time. Again I could easily get a new T shell but the goal of this operation is to continue building my metal working skills (although somewhat similar for a motorcycle are on a much larger scale on this project). Whisky.
Twenty years ago when I did the body on one of my first projects I cleaned all the metal really well but still had pits. I used a primer that was thicker than normal and was also a sealer. If I remember right it was an oil field primer sealer but for the life of me I cannot remember what it was called. It worked well and I was able to sand it so all the pits turned out like glass. It took a ton of sanding though. Maybe someone on her knows what the proper name for this product is.
I'd have an experienced sandblaster (somebody who can guarantee they know how to do old car bodies) blast all of it. Then decide what to patch. You'll probably end up patching and dent removal on most of it. Filler will fill most of the pits and primer for the rest. Or leave it full of holes and dents, but at least the rust won't creep further.
I just spent about two hours reading this entire thread. you know what is awesome about it? Everything!!! I will randomly spew out my thoughts, please don't be offended by any of them. You started out with a POS RR, and everyone saw that, you were changing fuel lines. Kind of like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. You found out first hand why Rat Rods are unsafe and why there is a considerable distane to them here. You "grew up" through this and because you have been so receptive to advice, you will continue to do so. You have forged a friendship with Daddio that you couldn't get anywhere else. Daddio, Thanks for putting up the long diplomatic post that was the fork in the road for pennafxu and this build. You have remained very thick skinned when some less than kind posts were put up, and very open to suggestions and very diplomatic in all your replys. You have gained a great education about Hot Rods and Flatheads and ,well, the list is endless. I have no doubt you will in fact, as you predicted very early in this thread., a beautiful car when you are done. Congrats man! Enough of my BS, carry on.
Thanks man, I needed an answer like this to know there is some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel Thank you for the advice. I will just carefully blast it then with sand and make adhoc patches and fill the really bad areas with metal. I appreciate your post bro. I am just trying to have fun with this, gather the info, duck the haters and drive on. Like I have said before daddio is a class act. Peace!
I Use a small sandblaster such as Harbour freight sells. Not a siphon type but a presurized one. There are many threads here that don't advocate blasting with sand for various legitimate reasons. A good sand blaster will use a small machine with preasure low and not an industrial size. He will blast at an agle to the panels and not straight on. He will keep the gun moving at all times not stop in places long enough to warp your panels. I've blasted several vintage bodies this way and have not ever experienced the pitfalls that other threads preach about. You can research this topic using the search option. Before sandblasting was an option for me, I used a sanding disc on a 5" Makita grinder pad. This got most of the rust, except for the really deep stuff. I treated the rest with a phospheric based rust inhibitor, then primered over it with PPG DP series epoxy primer. That body I sold in primer and it has been sitting in and out of cover for many years. I just saw it a couple of weeks ago and the primer was still in place and no rust has returned. I can also say this about an 80s Ford half ton that the paint had peeled off. I hand sanded it and used the same treatment and primer. It's been outside since 1997 exposed year round and I can show you current photos of the primer still holding up, and no new surface rust. You might want to seek out a marine primer if you can't find PPG products in your area. Steel hulled boats and ships require paints to hold up under salt water without rusting and I can assure you that with every re-paint they can not get all the rust pits. Good luck. Great work. Doug.
Thanks for the detailed answer. I actually have the dual blaster set up from eastwood and was hoping to avoid this route because I'll be shaking sand out of my shoes for weeks. Be that as it may I started yesterday with two 100 lb sessions and got a little done. Pics to follow!
Okay... Back to reality... Tadadadaa.... drum roll etc... And here's ma baby! Taped and ready for ford red enamel... Cam, Pistons, lifters etc... installed. Pics to follow tomorrow.
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