How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Jordan Baker]

Frame got dropped off yesterday. Should be picking up paint tomorrow from the states. Hopefully in 24hrs it will be painted.

For my cab frame. I was going to spray it as well. However I will be going over the metal work as I have a number of the fasteners to weld back on and have to do some other patch work. Should I just spray the entire thing then grind off where I need to weld?

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Jordan

....sprayed the phosphorous etching solution yet...?

What fixtures are you welding back on...?

I would weld first..... then clean the welded area and phosphate again before doing the POR as fumes from the welding can be tricky.

Good luck and be safe wear rubber


...gloves!!!

[rob love]

No need for the etching solution if it has been sandblasted.

I ran around town a little while ago trying to find that solution (metal-prep) and of all places it turned out to be at Canadian tire, and at very reasonable prices too. Ours does not carry the POR-15 paint though, but who knows in the future?

[Jordan Baker]

Got everything I needed today. However I'll have to apply it tomorrow. Being awake for 30hrs isn't conducive for applying this stuff.

As for the welding on the cab frame. It's those special nuts that sit in the metal tabs. I have to replace a bunch of them. But it may be a while before I get to it. I though that I may por15 the cab. Then go back and sand the spots with grinder to weld new ones in.

When I apply the metal etch and the degreaser do I just let them dry? Or do I hose it off?

[rob love]

The welded in brackets with a nut inside them is a form of cage nut.

You de-grease, rinse off, then petal-prep, and wash off again. If you have a bit of flash rust, it's no big deal, as that is just more adhesion for the POR-15. But if your metal is freshly sandblasted you do not need any of the degreaser or metal prep, unless you have handled the metal with oily gloves or really sweaty hands.

[Bob Carriere]

...... I was able to salvage a lot of mine by simply replacing the square nut that is inside the cage. Carefully heat up the sheet metal of the cage with a small butane torch, the small one that I use to make "Cream Brule".

Heat up the edge of the cage and pry open with a flat screwdriver.... replace the damaged nut with a new one ..1/4 20tpi or some are 5/16....reheat and fold down the tab......paint as required. Now if the cage is ripped or damaged you will need to grind the old tabs off with a small stone wheel to clean up for the new one.

I also saved a few by cleaning up existing nuts in situ with a good oiled 1/4 in. tap

Nuts are readily available at Fastenal in 100 boxes or individual caged nuts.

Cheers

[Jordan Baker]

Frame all painted. 1 coat of grey and black sprayed. This morning I went back with a brush and did a last coat soaking it into all the seams and doing touch ups.