So after a few helpful from members this past week, I've started dealing with the rust on my '75.
I'm sure, as some have said, that this will turn into a complete resto (read: obsession), but I'm starting with the small stuff, and hoping to take what I learn from that into the bigger parts of the project.
I took a bunch of 'before' pictures, which I'll try to post at some point, maybe a blog...
First up, the trunks. Pictures are easier than a full description, so here you go: The red sled...

The back trunk...before

and after a first pass with the wire wheel on the grinder

Is that a hole I see in the floor?

That's really the worst spot, most of the rest was surface rust, and came off easily.
So now the questions...
I got my little box of goodies from POR-15 last week, and I could use some advice.
-How much do I need to brush/grind before using the Marine Clean?
- How the heck do you rinse it clean with water...just hose it down and then mop it up?
- Should I have the little hole welded up? Or can I just use the POR-15 filler product?
-I haven't bought a welder, or used one since high school, that's a few weeks down the line I think. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a home MIG setup? Or advice on what to avoid?

Thanks!
-Pete

QUOTE (porschecb @ Apr 8 2006, 12:58 PM)

Is that a hole I see in the floor?

Yup, a tiny little hole, and the only one in the trunk. The front trunk is much cleaner. The firewall is the worst of it...but I'll get there.

You only need to brush the loose stuff off. A rough surface actually helps the POR-15 to bond (dis-regard that comment if you have CW intentions).

I think they say 1:1 water and marine clean. As yes, just mop out with a sponge or some such. A heat lamp does wonders to aid in drying. Repeat with the Metal Ready (but no dulution IIRC).

If it were my car, I would just use a filler product for those tiny holes. But welding can be fun.

enjoy the madness

Nice way to start! I am now in the clean it up and DRIVE IT TILL NEXT WINTER camp!
more fun than welding! Less burn marks, too!

QUOTE

- How the heck do you rinse it clean with water...just hose it down and then mop it up?

You can use a wet/dry shop vac to vacuum the rinse water out. Take it for a half hour drive and it will be dry as a bone as the muffler is underneath the trunk.

QUOTE (anthony @ Apr 8 2006, 06:55 PM)

Take it for a half hour drive and it will be dry as a bone as the muffler is underneath the trunk.

actually, it won't as the moisture has nowhere to go/vent ...

spray with metal-ready, let it dry, wipe off with wet spunge, let dry, paint with POR-15 ...

if it was me, i'd be replacing that rusted sheetmetal. did you try poking with a screwdriver?
i bet you can easily make that hole much bigger, the metal looks paper-thin there ...
Andy

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Apr 8 2006, 10:22 PM)

did you try poking with a screwdriver?

Yeah, I tried that too and ran out of screwdrivers.

Spoke

Thanks guys!

I did try to poke some more, it's really pretty solid, it's just not really pretty. I think I'll grind a bit more on the really rough spot, and then get into mad-scientist mode with the POR products...

The front trunk turned out to be nothing but a really light surface rust.

And then I pulled the seats and the backpad...
The drivers side seat bracket mount was rusted through, and it looks like cracks under the passenger side as well.

One other thing, I rad a few threads about having to scrape a bunch of tar and crap off under the carpets, mine appears to be just painted sheet metal. Was that a difference on early vs late models?

QUOTE (pib @ Apr 8 2006, 08:12 PM)

mine appears to be just painted sheet metal.

if it's the original paint, there's tar underneath that paint ...

the tar mats were glued onto the bare metal, then sprayed over.
that's why you see so many rusted out floorpans. once the tar get's old and brittle, it cracks. water seeps in and works wonders on the bare metal underneath ...

take a closer look ....
Andy

Yeah, a closer look is on tomorrow's list of things to do, along with pulling the side trim off and looking/poking at the longs. We'll see just how bad it gets.
My son Kyle, hard at work here... So far, he's the best tool I've found for getting into those hard to reach places!

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Apr 8 2006, 08:22 PM)

QUOTE (anthony @ Apr 8 2006, 06:55 PM) Take it for a half hour drive and it will be dry as a bone as the muffler is underneath the trunk. actually, it won't as the moisture has nowhere to go/vent ...

Worked for me. You make it sound like 914 trunks are air tight or something.

QUOTE (anthony @ Apr 8 2006, 09:18 PM)

Worked for me. You make it sound like 914 trunks are air tight or something.

dunno, mine leaks like hell, every time it rains or i go to the carwash i have about 1" of water in there.

and if i leave it in there, it's still there a week later, no matter how much i drive the car.
and it'll go from pooling at the lower part to a film of moisture everywhere in the trunk.

so yes, i think most of the moisture will stay in the trunk, no matter how hot you get the trunk floor.

and that can't be good ...
Andy

Looks like you have a good crew!

there's stuff hiding under the seam seal in the trunk. sorry.

k

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Apr 8 2006, 10:52 PM)

dunno, mine leaks like hell, every time it rains or i go to the carwash i have about 1" of water in there. and if i leave it in there, it's still there a week later, no matter how much i drive the car. and it'll go from pooling at the lower part to a film of moisture everywhere in the trunk. so yes, i think most of the moisture will stay in the trunk, no matter how hot you get the trunk floor. and that can't be good ...  Andy

Please note that above I suggested that he vacuum out all of the water in the trunk with a shop vac. You only quoted half of my post. I didn't mean that he should drive around with an inch of water in his trunk and that it would evaporate.

After vacuuming out any water a drive will definitely cause any residual dampness to evaporate away and then he could apply the Metal Ready or the Por15 depending on which step he is on.

QUOTE (rhodyguy @ Apr 8 2006, 10:12 PM)

there's stuff hiding under the seam seal in the trunk. sorry. k

Yikes! So all of that whitish sealer needs to be ground out too? What do you use to replace the sealer after the metal is all cleaned & treated? And do you replace the sealer after the POR-15 and before final paint?
Rick: He's a great helper. Loves to get his little hands dirty and turn those wrenches. Also great for fetching beer and pretzels! Now if I could just get him to do his homework...

Thanks everyone for the tips! I think she's taken her last drive for a while, so it'll be shop-vac and heat lamp for me tomorrow. Maybe a trip to Home Depot to look at welders...

Take tar out, wire wheel, weld any ity holes, replace any patches, por 15 and be done..

You have a solid tub there.

Looks exactly like my tub! Only rust I had was battery tray.

It is going to be hard to just weld those pin holes up with a mig without burning a hole and making it bigger You will probably have to buy a pan section and butt weld it in.

QUOTE

It is going to be hard to just weld those pin holes up with a mig without burning a hole and making it bigger You will probably have to buy a pan section and butt weld it in.

I have found that filling holes, even up to 1/4" in diamater fairly easy to fill with MIG, you just need to get your settings right on the welder. A good way to practice this is to try and build up/extend the edge of a piece of sheet metal.


A tip to those new to MIG welding (like myself) invest in a box of tips! I bought a used welder, and the tip looked ok but was a little gouged from the PO cleaning it. I couldn't get my wleds to look gooed no matter what I did, until I put a new tip on and it made ALL the difference.


PIB: Nice car! Inspect 'er good!

QUOTE (pib @ Apr 8 2006, 08:21 PM)

Yeah, a closer look is on tomorrow's list of things to do, along with pulling the side trim off and looking/poking at the longs. We'll see just how bad it gets. My son Kyle, hard at work here... So far, he's the best tool I've found for getting into those hard to reach places!

[QUOTE]

Doin' the 914 thang, YO!