Interior floor protection.

Post by **MrE** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:05 pm

Hi all,
I spent yesterday removing Norms seats etc to see the condition of the the floor. Was I surprised. My floor is solid. I have a smattering of powdery surface rust and thats all.

My question is. I know I can use waxoyl underneath, but what can I use inside? I need to stop the little surface rust thats there and preserve the condition.

Thanks in advance. Jox

Post by **wanderinstar** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:25 pm

Give it a good wirebrushing and then put Hammerite on.
Ian.

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:35 pm

WARNING: OBVIOUS ABOUT TO BE STATED
Smoothrite's a lot prettier

That probably won't matter if it's under a carpet...

Post by **minor_hickup** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:39 pm

Smoothrite? Isnt it just a case of smooth or hammered finish hammerite now?

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:43 pm

Prob'ly - I don't often read the tin, I'm afraid

Post by **Cam** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:55 pm

Well, it was called both smoothrite, and hammerite smooth if I remember correctly. But it's the same deal anyway, smooth hammerite!

Post by **minor_hickup** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:18 pm

oh good so i wasnt missing something

Post by **MrE** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:31 pm

Thanks guys.

Post by **les** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:20 pm

If you're interested to know, the original finish can be achieved by spraying Stonechip onto the floor, this gives the rippled effect, top coat can then be sprayed over it.

Post by **Packedup** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:49 am

<whisper>

Chassis black

</whisper>

Post by **jonathon** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:52 am

Les , thats the route we take, but remember to prime over the stone chip first before top coat. Hammer/smooth rite is ok but we hate this product when used inappropriately i.e the engine bay. It cannot be over painted and therefore requires a strip to bare metal, not easy as the stuff goes rock hard. There is also the problem that as it is a hardened skin then the car can be rusting away underneath it, a bit like powdercoated parts.

Post by **MrE** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:48 pm

Thanks again for the tips guys.

The hammerite option is ok but as stated, the floor could rust away underneath and you wouldn't know about it. is there any kind of rust inhibitor (not sure how you spell that but it looks about right) we could use first? perhaps some sort of primer?

Post by **Packedup** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 8:46 pm

What I don't like about Hammerite is it doesn't flex too well (but your floor will), and as Jonathon says, rust can be merrily muching away underneath and you don't know. Chassis black, whilst black, is far more flexible, which makes it more suited if you can live with the floor being black under the carpets. It's also cheaper than Hammerite.

You could simply go for a good rust inhibiting primer, and any old paint (although harder wearing is better as the carpets will be rubbing against it) though... In my opinion anything is better for panels than Hammerite!

Post by **minor_hickup** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:28 pm

red oxide primer? thats not too expensive but youre limited with the colours

Post by **jonathon** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:59 pm

I think you are best going for a zinc rich primer/spray such as Galve spray. But this will ultimately only buy you time, and the only way to deal with rust is to either cut it out or shot blast/ acid dip your car. The latter I highly recommend as we have just had a traveller's panels returned, absolutly fantastic, prestine, clean, no filler or stone guard left. The whole car dipped and passivated for £500.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:26 am

My only tip to stop the floors rusting on the inside is to make 100% sure that the front and rear screens are not leaking!
I've seen some dreadfull cars with plates over plates over plates on the floor where the owner eventually gave up having to pay welding bills and sold the car (to me

).
What the car really needed was a new rear screen seal which would have saved the previous owner a fortune, and probably would have stopped the car from being scrapped.

Post by **KirstMin** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 2:58 pm

I agree with Ray. Stop water from getting into the cabin solves most problems with interior rusting.

I have always used hammerite after giving the floor panels a good going over with a wire brush. My rust always seems to be on the outside anyway but with maintainence its a cheap option and can be done in a few hours. It depends how fussy you are and how much time you have I guess.

Post by **JimY** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:40 pm

Jonathan - could you tell more? - I'm tired of scraping of old underseal do you have to remove it for dip process? - the blasters have said I have to for them! Realise it's difficult on here but a clue as to where you got your panels done?

Thanks Jim

Post by **jonathon** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:58 pm

Our cars were taken to SPL in Dudley west midlands. You can take your stripped car complete and break it down on site. The process removes all paint,underseal,sealer,filler,rust and some lead loading. A seperate tank is used for alloy parts. Do not leave any rubber,plastic parts on the car, it needs to be in the metal. The process takes a few days and SPL offer a variety of finishes, a passivated finish, etch primed and an E coat. The latter is the one we are opting for because it involves the car being re dipped in a special paint which coats every square inch of the car and its panels, even inside the box sections. The acid dip costs about £500 and the E coat a further £7-800. This sounds a lot but is about what we would charge to strip and blast a full shell and all of its individual components. Its also a clean process, i.e no sand left in closed panels, and the chassis legs etc are coated on a rustfree oil free surface.
Its amazing to see the results even after the acid dip. I'd highly recommend this company if you are considering a full or partial strip.

Post by **Multiphonikks** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:23 am

Hi Jonathon!

Wow! £500? That's for a dip and then zinc protect or what?

Who does it?!

Cheers

Nikki