(ET) E-15 Saga, Day two..

["Don Barry" <Don Barry kmtc com>]

Thanks to all for tips on the paint!

Tonight I started attacking the problem areas. I removed the hood and seat 
covers. Vaccummed out, and then washed down both front and reat battery 
wells to remove accumulated crud.  There was a but of rust damage to the 
front, so the drilled out the rivets, etc, and pulled the front and side 
panel off of the front end. Pulled the charger unit out as well.

To attack the rust areas, I used a technique I learned on antique cars. 
Since the rust area are small (some quarter sized, some larger), I made a 
"dam" around the rusted areas with parafin wax. Then I started cleaning 
out the rust with rust remover and a acid-proof brush. The rust-remover 
doesn't eat up the wax, and the wax keeps the acid remover from traveling 
around. I didn't want to use a wire brush because it removes too much 
metal along with the rust.

When I got the areas de-rusted, I tinned them with what is called "Tinning 
Butter". Just brush on and heat the metal. This flux is made of premium 
50% tin powder that bonds to the metal when heated with an ordinary 
propane torch. Leaves a good base for additional body solder.  You can get 
yours at a good auto body supply shop, or on the WWW at 
www.eastwoodco.com. TIN DOESN'T RUST.. so the rust is forever stopped. 

Later I'll fill them up with some 70/30 (% lead/tin) auto body solder. 
Once you get the hang of this technique, it's just as fast as using Bondo, 
and unlike Bondo, IT NEVER FALLS OFF...

I'm going to see if I can get a local shop to produce the Pantone color 
number for the ET Yellow... I'd like to use DuPont's IMRON paint, as it's 
acid-proof. It's the same paint you see on racing cars, as it's impervious 
to methyl alcohol. I think it might acid-proof the frames.

Later,

Don



Don Barry
Infrastructure Manager, IT
Kirby Corporation
E-Mail: don barry kmtc com
Phone: 713-435-1032
Fax: 713-435-1070
Fax:  713-435-1070