More Rusted Metal.... help

[stanhope55]

What would you do to replace the rust in this roof drip edge channel ?

65 B Body.

I am a little nervous about where I can get to good metal and save the rail itself as it's solid. The rust is on the roof side as shown and some deep pits in the channel but none on the inside or outside wall of the rail.

I realize it has to be replaced but the rail metal appears to be much thicker than the panel steel ? It may be easier to just cut out the rail and panel section ? I am not the most skilled metal guy so......

Any ideas ?

thanks

 

[5.7 hemi]

Clean it down to bare metal then use a silicone bronze rod to fill the holes, brazing. It has a real low melting point so you wont blow more holes like you would if you welded it. This will make your life so much easier.

 

[detmatt1]

Good call, I'll remember that tip.

 

[stanhope55]

Thanks

Exactly what are all the pits ? Is that plain and simple severly rusted metal ? Or is it something else

 

[5.7 hemi]

Not to sure what your asking?

 

[roadrunnerman]

Not to sure what your asking?

i think he is asking about the metal where the rust holes are at.where it doesn't appear smooth,is that surface rust under the primer and will more holes appear.

 

[Charg68]

Those are rust pits under the primer.Quit brazing metal in autobody 30 years ago because it warps metal and filler will let go of brass,then you got a big mess.You are better off cutting out a strip of metal 1" wide and the length of the pits and butt welding in a patch with a good mig.That part off your roof is very tough and wont warp as long as you don't go up past the curve in the roof panel.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Let me clarify. Do not use a torch, use the tig torch to melt the rod, and your in business. Take some time to practice this on scrap first. If no tig is available, get a hand held spot blaster or somehow get all the pits clean (bare metal) and then lead them puppies up. This will work and last forever, just look at the older cars and check out their seams. Leading will take some practice but anyone can do it, again practice on scrap, then go for it.

 

[Charg68]

5.7,the leading is a real good idea.Since he asked about cutting it out ,I didn't think of the leading,which would actually work better.

 

[stanhope55]

Thanks guys for the replies... I am no "leading" expert but will figure it out.... that sounds like a really solid fix.... are there different breads of lead so to speak that are better for auto metal.... best heat source etc

Would you also recommend drilling out the swiss cheese holes a little larger than actual after blasting/wire wheeling out the pits ?

Would this not help reduce rust return ?

 

[5.7 hemi]

Get an Eastwood catalog and check out what they have for leading. Just get the metal as clean as possible, no need to make the holes any bigger, and you can use a propane torch for the heat source, available at any home improvement store. As far as a certain kind of lead, well I don't know if there is a difference, again check out the Eastwood catalog.

 

[stanhope55]

I have had a chance to checkout eastwood and they have a nice looing kit for a decent price and a DVD.... out of curiosity would you put a copper backing plate of some sort behind the holes so the lead does not run through or is that unlikely to happen ? Curious more than anything...

 

[5.7 hemi]

I suppose you could do that if you can get bhind the holes. If not, do what you can and use a thin amount of filler over it and you'll be good.

 

[66_B_Body4ever]

Just another iron in the fire here...a common misconception is that rust starts from the outside of the panel, and being that this is a drip rail it would seem to make sense. But...most rust begins from the inside of the panel causes a pinhole through the outside and starts corrosion under the finish which leads to these lovely blisters we see. Now you can fill what you see with whatever, lead, brass even fibreglass reinforced body filler, problem is you haven't solved the problem and will likely see more rust appear at a later date next to your repair. Someone said...Rust never sleeps. the only way to gaurantee a repair is to cut it out and replace it with good metal, apply a corrosion resistant primer in behind the repair once completed and sleep sound at night. I know this is a daunting task, especially in this area but it can be accomplished with little distortion. If their is that much rust on the outside of the panel, their will be double in the pinchweld and on the opposite side...Do it right the first time!