We are about to finish the repair of the front end of our 83 GL. We have a replacement lower tie bar (piece that the bottom of the grill and headlight doors snap into), which has substantial surface rust. Our benefactor who provided this suggested it could be removed easily by sanding; so I am soliciting suggestions: hand or disc sanding? what grit of what type of paper? Apply primer after sanding?

Have you considered POR 15? It grabs really well to rusted surfaces and will save you time in preparation.

I have never tried POR before I must get some for the next time and see how it goes... Mac

Just tried it for the first time this year. It is amazing stuff. Very sticky and once cured rock hard. Also if you have some small holes use it with fiberglass cloth or other fabric. I've also used it with fiberglass cloth to repair e-brake console cracks.

Brush on??? Sandable stuff so you could build layers? Will it self level? Fill voids if they are level with in reason? I can see that might be handy..

Will it stick to about anything? I wonder how it is in time... If it will split off like claw glass does?? I assume (hate that word) that the surface must be dry and clean to use it....

We need something that sticks to oil, dirt and mung don't we? LOL Mac

Hey Mac,

What is "mung"? Is that a NH-specific Yankee-ism, or what? Never heard that term... could it be spilled coffee-brandy, perhaps? :)

Later,
-Matt

Mung is what now is on my monitor as I read the e-mail notifier with a mouthfull of white russian after installing my 700 R4 truck 4x4 tranny just now.

Mung is general nastyness and goo, and can be hokey bung and moo if it is really bad, or something poorly made can be hokey bung and moo.

I had no college and so am limited in words you may use, and have my own words.

A five letter word is big....

Mung can be the tan goo under the oil filler cap... it all depnds on the usage like french.. I used french today chating with my tranny, and as cleaning out the 2 coolers for it, blew ATF all over the place and I spilt a drain pot of ATF on my head; knowing french is handy.

I also taught my wife the finer points of a floor jack as I had no helpers, and a 700 R4 with a transfer case bolted up hard is a mean beast to move.

She also learned I can swear as well as any sailor. A definite plus in my book if you wish to impress women.

It seems after wrestling the tranny on the jack and onto a sliver of plywood to spread the load I was about 3/8" shy of getting high enough. I am getting plenty high enough now, that after bench pressing with my arms and my knees I got the &*^%$^#$% Tranny bolted up and the cross member in place, and I have showered.

I can't really use much real Yankee on line as I would be banned. Ordinary terms of endearment would get me banned in a heartbeat, and not many would have a clue to what I said.. Mac

Light surface rust with no pitting? If so 180 grit on a block by hand is good, then 220 to prime. I like NAPA econo brand papers for this sort of work, as it has a sticky backing, made for a DA, but it hand sands well too... With used pieces you can fold and get to any place.

If there is pitting then something else again...

In any case consider a chip guard over the primer, which can be left black or painted the same color.