Thread: Time for a Re-fit

Yes, and that would be the preferred approach. Problem is likely to be finding someone to do it, but should still be possible in the major centres. (one near hewre closed a number of years ago).

John

Yep, I definitely would prefer to re-galvanise. The thing is, however, that I really don't want to remove the capping from the vehicle as I doubt if I would ever re-attach it quite so well again.... and it is a whole lot more time and expense on a vehicle which will be gfar from perfect when it's finished anyway.

So I am still vacillating between the painting and not-painting options....

Perhaps another option... many years ago I had some old zinc dipped parts that has begun to surface rust and discolour. I carefully polished off the surface rust with a non-silicone polish, back to shiny bare metal. Then I sprayed a light coat of automotive clear over the entire parts and to this day they are still looking good. The clear coat has stood up against the weather and still no surface rust. I'm amazed that it stuck so well to the bare metal. May or may not work in your case...

Thanks Orkney,

I have thought about doing something like that too, though in some areas a clear finish, though preventing more rust, will not mask the damage. I'm going to think a little more about this. The vast majority of the galv bits and pieces don't need painting as they look fine... so I have to either match what I have as best as I can or paint the lot....

John

Here's a little more progress. Making moves toward finally painting the front guards. The driver's side guard (or should I say "offside wing"?) has been a bit of a mess for ages around the area of the numberplate mounting and had numerous holes here and there which served little purpose. A bit of aluminium angle, some rivets and some bog and, hey presto, it's looking quite tidy (rivets strategically hidden beneath bog).

Fitted the retaining brackets for the windscreen too.

Nice stainless steel bolts (threads smothered in zinc anti-seize paste).

John

Lookin' right purty, Jonno.

Did you grind the rivets flat? Won't they just pop out? Or did you sikaflex the angle behind?

The rivets were in areas where the, er, inconsistencies in the panel surface allowed me to bog over the top and create a smooth finish across the larger surface without grinding them back at all. It will not be easy to pick once it's all finished. No Sikaflex used - just rivets.