Rusted spots can weaken the frame of your vehicle and make it unsafe to drive. If your vintage vehicle has corroded spots on some portions of its undercarriage, use some restorative techniques to eliminate the rust and strengthen the metal components that comprise it.
Elevate The Vehicle And Assess The Damage
Your car should be placed on a lift or elevated with a manual jack, prior to determining how severe the damage is. If you have access to a garage bay that contains a full-sized lift, elevating your vehicle in this manner will allow you to see the undercarriage in its entirety. Use a metal chipper or pick to test the surface of each corroded area.
Surface rust will not necessarily compromise the integrity of your car's frame. If you notice that the rust flakes come loose after applying the tip of a chipper or a pick to them, you will likely be able to remove most, if not all, of the rust and treat affected surfaces with an inhibitor. If there are any holes in undercarriage parts, you may need to replace them.
Sand Metal, Strengthen Affected Areas, And Replace Parts
Any metal components that can be salvaged will need to be sanded and strengthened. A sanding disc can be used to remove all traces of rust. A degreasing agent should be used to clean the undercarriage. An automotive technician can apply fiberglass over any metal surfaces that were previously rusted. They may cut fiberglass pieces to size and use a bonding agent to secure them to the metal.
A rust inhibitor is another product that an automotive technician may use to ward off additional corrosion. If any parts have large holes in them and have weakened considerably, you may need to purchase undercarriage parts from an automotive supply retailer or a salvage yard.
The make and model of your vehicle and whether or not new parts can easily be obtained may have a bearing on where you will need to purchase replacement undercarriage parts. Have a trained technician order and replace all of the metal components that you will need to replace.
Upon installing the parts, a technician may use a rust inhibitor to protect the materials. Annual inspections and cleaning the undercarriage on a routine basis will preserve the metal components. Parking your vehicle inside of a garage, especially during inclement weather, will also keep the undercarriage materials in good shape.
For more information about undercarriage parts, contact a local supplier.
