How to Restore an Antique Car That Has Rust

Before old car frames can be painted, their rust needs to be removed completely.

Antique cars provide wonderful challenges for restoration when found and recovered by car hobbyists. However, often old cars have seen better times. By the time they are "found" again, they may have been sitting out for a while exposed to the elements. Over time, their old paint has faded and even chipped, allowing rust to set in. Fortunately, many old cars were made of steel and metal rather than today's plastic and fiberglass. As a result, the rust can be removed and the surface restored.

Things You'll Need

• Blue masking tape
• Fine sandpaper
• Sander
• Electric palm sander
• Power cord
• Water
• Hose
• Towel
• Primer spray paint
• Auto painter's services

Instructions

1. Place the antique car in an area with sufficient workspace, such as your garage or driveway. Examine the car for all surface rust spots. Mark them with blue masking tape so you can find them quickly.

2. Apply sandpaper and sander and an electric palm sander to the areas where the rust exists. Sand the rust down to the bare metal in a circular pattern. Avoid gouging or sanding one spot for too long, which can cause an uneven wear pattern. Make sure the sanding pattern scratches the metal in a cross-hatch pattern to make a better surface for new paint. Remove all signs of old paint and rust from the affected area. Sand about one or to two inches into the existing painted area to treat the rust completely.

3. Hold a hose with a small amount of water running if you are sanding by hand and not with an electric sander. Wash off the sanded paint and rust as you work along the surface. Dry the sanded surface after you are finished to remove any remaining moisture on the bare metal area.

4. Spray paint primer on the bare metal areas where the rust has been removed to protect it from any new rust (flash rust can set in on bare metal within 24 hours). Keep the paint layer thin and even. Apply at least two coats of paint to thoroughly cover the bare metal.

5. Take the car to an auto painter for a finished repainting of the entire car surface. Choose the color you desire from the available choices provided by the painter. Pick up the car after the paint job has been completed.

Tips & Warnings

• For areas where the paint and rust are particularly embedded, use paint stripper to get rid of the old paint. Then use a power drill with a steel brush to get rid of the deformed rust and grit underneath.

• Do not use the wet-sanding method with an electric sander. You could electrocute yourself as water makes contact with the electricity powering the tool.

References

• How to Clean Stuff: How to Remove Rust From Chrome
• Old Classic Car: Spotting and Dealing With Rust on Classic Cars
• Jeff Lilly Restorations: Removing Rust During Restoration