Date:         Mon, 20 Sep 2004 18:50:42 -0400
Reply-To:     David Boan <dboan@BLUECRAB.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Boan <dboan@BLUECRAB.ORG>
Subject:      The Rust Crusade
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There have been a couple of posts recently about undercoating and the
coating in the wheel wells in particular.  I thought I would share this
experience..

My '85 is closing in on needing an engine.  I have decided that there is
little point in a new engine if I can't get the rust under control, so now I
am on a crusade to rid the beast of rust.

I got a pressure washer and cleaned off 20 years of crud from underneath,
including the engine and trans, etc.  I then started examining the body
closely and found two places in the wheel wells where the coating had split
slightly.  When I dug into the splits I found that there was rust spreading
underneath the coating that was not visible before.  On the surface it was
just a ½ inch split or crack with no indication of rust, underneath it was a
6 inch rust spot.  I ground off the coating, cleaned it down to bare metal,
coated with rust converter, and painted with truck bed liner.  I am
gradually doing the entire frame, working my way to the really big job - a
rusty seam behind the refrigerator.  I am also "wrapping" the truck bed
lining up over the rocker panels and the fender flares and behind the
bumpers.  I like the effect.

If anyone is working on undercoating, I encourage looking at those wheel
wells very closely.

Dave Boan
Easton, MD
'85 Westy