I took an hour break from working to go clean some more parts and try to get some sanding done before dusk hits. I try not to make too much noise with power tools before 10am or really after 6pm as a courtesy to my neighbors.
Spring Plate Covers
I continued sanding up and roughing up the surface of the spring plate covers.
I have to admit, my son’s whacking the hell out of it with a hammer against the vise really did make quite a difference.
I’ll continue working on it some more when I can but I think I’ll definitely reuse it.
I’m not doing a perfect restoration. That would be impossible given my tool and skill sets. But sanding down, this should repaint nicely and be a lot smoother against the chassis.
More sanding and cleaning
I took the wirebrushes over the parts with solvent again and I think I have more than 95% of the undercoating removed.
The spring plate covers have most of their surface rust off, though it is odd as it is under the paint in most areas. You’d never know it was there after 41 years if I had not started removing the crud and then sanding to get it off.
I’ll take another pass on these tomorrow.
The trailing arms are about as clean as they are going to get by hand.
I’ll go over them again as well tomorrow and then I think I’ll car everything off to the car wash to use the intense hot pressure washer to remove the last vestiges of grim and any dust I’ve created from the sanding that has crept into the hidden areas.
Of course, that’ll have to be a quick clean and then dry. I’ll probably need to wipe it all down with acetone to displace any water before I start blowing it all dry.
Perhaps I should look at the weather for when the ideal time will be coat these.
I’m not really concerned with any surface rust that hits afterwards as the KBS Rust Blast product should take care of that prior to the sealing.