John D
Jan 15th, 06, 6:28 PM
There was a post about rust removal on small parts using a 5 gal. bucket and a battery charger..... how 'bout your whole car!
A local restoration shop graciously hosted the January meeting of the NorthStar Chevelle Club. One of their "claims to fame" is they are one of the few (if not only) outfits in our area that has the equipment to dunk an entire vehicle body into a tank, and remove rust by electrolysis.
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/Jan14_03.jpg
This is the shell of a '65 Impala SS Convert. Everyone's got those little rust pits and maybe pinholes in the floorboards. After being media blasted with plastic material, and any sealers, filler, or lead removed, this is what's left after the "treatment" in the tank.
No metal is removed (I.E. acid bath), the rust is removed/neutralized in the tank via opposite chemistry. The water in the tank is treated to make it more alkaline (on the pH scale), and the electrical charge is reversed several times to "pop" the rust off the still good base steel. After several cycles in the removal tank, the body gets a dip in a clear water tank to rinse, then a thorough pressure wash (with an additive for protection - like metal prep), and the body's good to go for metalwork & prime.
Very impressive. Cost to "do" a bare shell (no doors, decklid) was quoted to be about $2500.
A local restoration shop graciously hosted the January meeting of the NorthStar Chevelle Club. One of their "claims to fame" is they are one of the few (if not only) outfits in our area that has the equipment to dunk an entire vehicle body into a tank, and remove rust by electrolysis.
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/Jan14_03.jpg
This is the shell of a '65 Impala SS Convert. Everyone's got those little rust pits and maybe pinholes in the floorboards. After being media blasted with plastic material, and any sealers, filler, or lead removed, this is what's left after the "treatment" in the tank.
No metal is removed (I.E. acid bath), the rust is removed/neutralized in the tank via opposite chemistry. The water in the tank is treated to make it more alkaline (on the pH scale), and the electrical charge is reversed several times to "pop" the rust off the still good base steel. After several cycles in the removal tank, the body gets a dip in a clear water tank to rinse, then a thorough pressure wash (with an additive for protection - like metal prep), and the body's good to go for metalwork & prime.
Very impressive. Cost to "do" a bare shell (no doors, decklid) was quoted to be about $2500.