Bulkhead paint - strip complete?

[Cap]

My Series bulkhead is in good condition, ie no rust except with a patch on both footwells that have been done some time ago. I intend to replace these, but essentially everything else is good. The question tho is what is the best way to go about restoring the bulkhead? Should I strip all the paint off to metal, and if so what is the best way without sandblasting?

If I dont strip it all back (as some of the paint is OK), do I just lightly sand it back and treat light rust areas and then paint? Would this create a good enough layer of protection, and would there be potential paint chemical reaction?

If someone has done this before I would be all ears on options :)

[JohnboyLandy]

Hey Carlos,

For mine, I used angle grinder with wirebrush wheel and detail sander to remove loose paint, then phosphoric acid for any remaining surface rust. I did leave quite a bit of the original paint, but just smoothed it out with the detail sander, then sprayed the whole thing with etch primer.

If you're willing to strip all the old paint off, then go for it, I just didn't see the point to investing all that effort. To do that, I'd say you'd be pretty much using the same tools, angle grinder and detail sander.

Mine also had some accident damage which required cutting and welding to fix, but also a "twist" in the firewall, which I rectified by laying it on some strategically placed wooden blocks, then two people jumping up and down on it until the twist caused less than 5mm misalignment. I figure I can cater for the last bit of twist during installation.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
John

[Cap]

Thanks John, you're the second person to say angle grinder and wire wheel. I have that obviously and phosphoric acid too :)

Another question, how did you John (and others who can contribute) clean up and rust treat/prevent the area inside the bulkhead? For example, where the bolts for the doors are, one can spray in there, but what about up top? Did anyone turn the bulkhead upside down and pour/spray anti-rust liquid in there?

[67hardtop]

Thanks John, you're the second person to say angle grinder and wire wheel. I have that obviously and phosphoric acid too :)

Another question, how did you John (and others who can contribute) clean up and rust treat/prevent the area inside the bulkhead? For example, where the bolts for the doors are, one can spray in there, but what about up top? Did anyone turn the bulkhead upside down and pour/spray anti-rust liquid in there?I had my bulkhead sandblasted coz i couldnt find any rust and sandblasting will find any. I just had a small section above the brake pedal size of a 50 cent piece where the panels join. It was a slight bulge in the joint. I cut it out and welded a new section in.

I did turn my bulkhead upside down an applied lots of fisholene into the door posts and everywhere i could get it between seams and in any cavity i could find but AFTER i painted it. I then left it hanging upside down for a few days to dry the suposedly odourless (NOT) fisholene. Smelly. Then i turned it upright and left it hanging on the windscreen pivots for a few weeks. Its really amazing. Fisholene actually flows uphill into seams and crevises and oozes out of joints for ages. Truly fantastic. I wouldnt have believed it till i actually seen it myself. Im glad i did it this way. I will give it another coating when im about ready to fit it. Its been sitting for 3 yrs now but its still like brand new. Im really impressed with it. Ive also sprayed my chassis inside with it too. I should give it another coating as well. Its been about a year since ive done it and its sitting out in the weather. Its not rusted at all either.

Cheers Rod

[JohnboyLandy]

Hey Carlos,

The only treatment I have used so far for the door channels etc is a spray can of KO-66 fish/lanolin oil in a bituminous base from Autobarn : Knock Out Rust Spray 350G (https://www.autobarn.com.au/knock-out-rust-spray-350g)

I probably need to apply a bit more of that spray or perhaps something else if deemed better.

I think there's quite a few similar products around, even utobarn have a few others, I just noticed this one as well : Motospray Cavity Rust Inhibitor 1L (https://www.autobarn.com.au/motospray-cavity-rust-inh-1l-cri1-15)

Cheers,
John

[Cap]

Great post Rod, thanks! OK so what I thought has been tried and tested. I actually am glad you mentioned the chassis as this is something I am yet to do inside. Did you just get the fisholene spray packs, or did you buy bulk? How much did you buy to do the bulkhead and chassis?

Thanks John, looks like this type of product seems to be the one used. I was going to buy Rustoleum or Penatrol but these can be exxy although the 4ltr is actually not badly priced compared to rattle can from Bunnings.

Cheers,

[67hardtop]

Great post Rod, thanks! OK so what I thought has been tried and tested. I actually am glad you mentioned the chassis as this is something I am yet to do inside. Did you just get the fisholene spray packs, or did you buy bulk? How much did you buy to do the bulkhead and chassis?

Thanks John, looks like this type of product seems to be the one used. I was going to buy Rustoleum or Penatrol but these can be exxy although the 4ltr is actually not badly priced compared to rattle can from Bunnings.

Cheers,I bought a 4 litre tin for the chassis but ive got lots left. I actually cut a hole in both front dumbirons to get the spray hose inside and also at the rear of the chassis. I welded the holes back up after and sprayed inside that area again. I also sprayed inside the box sections of the x members and rear x member too. The holes were used at first to flush out buckets of dirt and crap from 45 yrs of driving in Qld. Then for spraying the fisholene. I sprayed it into every hole that i could find on the chassis. I had it suspended at the front and then the rear so it would run up and down inside the rails. Then side to side as well as uoside down on the rotisserie i had made up. I think i got good coverage really.

Cheers Rod

Edit. I bought a 1 litre can from local auto parts store to do the bulkhead and the spray applicator gun for it as well. I modified the applicator with a longer hose to do the chassis and used as much air pressure as my compressor could give me to get it out of the end of the long hose.

[cjc_td5]

I just wire wheel grinded and sanded it. My theory is that if the paint is still there after that abuse, it is not going anywhere... I then etch primed it and painted the top coats. I also sprayed fish oil into all cavities after painting, before assembly.

[Cap]

This is great, building up a common theme here!

[Homestar]

A timely thread as I'm about to do this too. Was thinking along similar lines, so good to know that's what seems to work. 👍

[Johnno1969]

Another question, how did you John (and others who can contribute) clean up and rust treat/prevent the area inside the bulkhead? For example, where the bolts for the doors are, one can spray in there, but what about up top? Did anyone turn the bulkhead upside down and pour/spray anti-rust liquid in there?

Once mine was as clean as I could get it and bone-dry, I pressure-sprayed Penetrol in through every conceivable hole, crack or crevice. This included some areas of rust damage which I later repaired and sealed over: before fixing them, they allowed me to get a flexible hose and nozzle into areas which otherwise may have been hard to reach.

Once the whole thing was finished (final coats of paint etc etc) and some time after any other work, I sprayed Lanolin into every opening (lots and lots of it, letting it run and drip and creep throughout as much of the internals as possible) then let the whole thing dry for months before letting it near weather.

John