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

["Elie, Larry (L.D.)" <lelie ford com>]

Hey Don, you think an ET can be made to last as well as a Kirby?

(Said as a Gen III owner)

BTW, a garden tractor doesn't get the abuse of a car; Bondo holds 
up pretty well.

Larry Elie

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Barry [mailto:Don Barry kmtc com]
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 9:24 PM
To: <Elec-trak
Subject: (ET) E-15 Saga, Day two..


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