Date:         Mon, 21 Oct 1996 09:33:29 -0300 (ADT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smitht@unb.ca (Tim Smith)
Subject:      Re: Vanagon Rustworthiness

>How well rustproofed/undercoated are Vanagons in the 87-91 vintage. I 

Well rustproofed with a sort of golden tacky/clear goop. Check the engine
compartment to get best idea.  All years were treated same. Plus thicker
painted over sealant trowelled onto wheel well seams.  Vanagons do well
against rust due to the body cavities all being well vented.  You can aid
this greatly by buying a good spray rustproofing oil.  DON'T use a tar
based/ruberized type coating on any inside cavities, only on visible
underbody/wheel wells. Tar traps moisture in seams and will lift, creating a
water trap!! 

         Get an oil that says it stays loose, sticks/spreads/seeps into all
seams.  Rust areas beyond the exterior seams are the seam under the front
seatbelt mounts, top of wheel well.  Also take out glovebox and check up
under wipers/windshield area.  The floor seams, about 4" in from outside
rust/bulge up. As does the floor where it sits on the main beams fore/aft.
Basically any area that holds dirt/water and tweaks a bit to grind it all in
will rust eventually.

  We have an incredible amount of winter salt.  Can build up frozen slush
running boards full length of van in no time.  Oil spraying annually with
$7.00 tins (3-4) is what I use.  Pressure wash the wheelwells and let dry a
day or two. Scrape off loose/flakey undercoat with stiff 1" wide putty
knife. After oil soaking the wheel well seams/every where and letting that
seep for a day I spray the entire wheel well with a rubberized/tar based
undercoat/rockerpanel sealant.  This keeps down the road rash damage and
'revitalizes' the factory undercoating. Do this every other year, a fall
tradition.  We also sand the roads heavily, your roadrash may nort be as
bad. Maybe do every 3rd-4th year.  Wear a hat/glasses/mask/gloves/old
clothes, tar overspray sucks.

        I've also stripped out all interior fittings/panels and sprayed all
the bare metal cavities of the entire vehicle from inside. OK, so I'm nuts,
but I've had too many vans evaporate from under me after 5 years.

Homebrew spray can be made with chainsaw oil and paraffin wax, heated
together (carefully) in a double boiler and sprayed on hot with a pump up
sturdy garden sprayer, tacky and seeps, but the oil is NOT an active rust
treating type.
Good luck.  Tim