Rear axle case stretching update=>
 

After a bit of playing about I've reached the conclusion that I can not rely on the DTI as I can't get the magnetic base to fit close enough to the inner edge of the casing and get the needle on the gauge to be in a good enough (90 degree) position on the other side of the case.

Unfortunately I haven't got a vernier caliper with long enough jaws to reach into the casing...

...so I've just ordered one that does (!). I hope this will at lease enable me to see on the DTI which part is slack in the stretching system and which part is actually movement in the case.

To be continued.

One small step...
 

...today I got the inside of the floor pans - well the worst bits - treated with rust eater and then I sprayed over the first coat of Hammerite No 1 rust beater.

(I'm using this on parts where the in-use temperatures won't get anywhere near 80 degrees C. It is - despite its name and reputation in certain parts of the world - a very good product in my opinion. Here in Europe it is made by Axo-Nobel: I understand it is made by different chaps in other parts of the world)

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527080567

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527080567

The de-rusting has involved lots of mechanical scrubbing with angle grinders and wire brush attachments and quite a bit of the rusty co rust eating stuff.

There are still some parts of the floor that have the yukky bitumastic goo on them - but the lower parts are now (finally) ready for rust paint treatment.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527080567

######

I've been messing about with the plan of attack for the paint for some time now and have decided the following:

1) Treat the lower parts of the inside of the floor pan whilst the car is on its side - mainly because with the de-rusting process there was a chance of a hole that needs to be welded. Rust was worse on the inside of the car (!)

2) Treat the outside of the floor pan with the Epifanes 2K epoxy (new to me product I'm interested in because it has Zinc phosphate in it)

3) Paint the underside of the car with Eastwoods chassis black on top of the Epifanes 2K

4) Once the underside has been done I'll flip the car back the right way and then continue the painting on the inside

Another part got done today too
 

First try of the Epifanes 2K epoxy primer =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527081195

I masked the sides of the roof so this primer only goes on the very top part of the roof on the inside

I had heard that it is quite a rough surfaced paint so I wanted to try it on a bit that won't be seen.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527081195

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527081195

It is indeed quite a rough paint. Not smooth like Ferpox. Still this could have been partly because of the 25% thinned coat I used here on bare metal (as per instructions) and my spray gun set up which needs a bit of attention...

Continuing battles with blinking
 

B I T U M E N

It has been a right royal pain in the arse on this car.

At the moment the method has been altered to

#1

FIRE!

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527429301

The blow torch helps to move the stuff into big lumps. The stuff on my car is surprisingly burn resistant. It will catch fire and it does smoulder a little bit but the fumes aren't what you'd expect (!) and it does go out quite quickly...

#2

Try to scrape away as much of the bubbled and burnt bits as possible because the next stage has a tendency to melt and re-form the bitumen if it is in sizable clumps

#3

Wire brush + angle grinder

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527429301

The bitumen eventually balls up into dust like muck (see picture) and can be swept away

#4

Thinner then get used - seems to be faster than paint stripper (as well as being cheaper)

Rubbing with the paint brush wipes lots of it off

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527429301

#5

Then once properly soaked I'm wiping away the diluted bitumen and thinner mixture from the panel

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527429301

###########

I'm down to about three hours per blinking side.

Progress is so slow

S L O W

S L O W

Almost got the underside ready for paint but I keep finding bits that need more attention

May be tomorrow

May be the day after

(Certainly makes me wish I'd never started this - just gorra punch on through)

Well I got the underside clean enough to apply rust killing paint today

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527688692

The pain in the backside parts are things like the trailing arm mounts and the jacking points - very difficult to clean out the gunk / rust / crud from these.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527688692

Now this paint (looks almost like the same colour as the top!) is the Hammerite No 1 rust beater stuff that I know is pretty good at doing what it says on the tin

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527688692

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527688692

Most of this underside is going to be painted in Eastwood extreme chassis black - as it is a 1K paint I'm certain the combination of these paints will be fine.

The sills and the spare wheel well are going to be painted in 2K body colour. That might prove to be more problematic - I'm not sure yet if the Epifanes 2K epoxy on top of the Hammerite is going to work...

I feel I ought to clarify the use of one component (1K) and two component (2K) paint systems.

On the whole the mixing of 1K and 2K stuff is considered to be "illegal"

However,

1) More modern paint systems now have a single component (sometimes water based) base coat that can then be combined with 2K clear coat. A clear coat for these more modern systems is needed on top of the colour coat be it 1K or 2K

2) Some single component epoxy primers can be combined with 2K paint. Ferpox - same company as Fertan the rust converter - can be combined with 2K automotive paint so long as the layer on top does not exceed 150 microns. (That's about 2 coats). That will be my plan...

...I think...

Try gun wash, its cheaper.

Today seam sealer / elastic filler
 

Now that I've got the underside treated with rust killing / encapsulating paint I'm tackling the seams.

I was once a very brief owner of a Hillman Imp that had suffered from lack of seam sealer - capilliary action was the death of that car - water got sucked between the spot welded sheets => So I'm taking my time with this bit to make sure that doesn't happen (!)

Some of the gaps - that were there at the birth of the car at the factory - are huge =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527774955

This is the strengthening rail that runs across the underside of the car just in front of the fuel tank...

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527774955

This gap is a bit too big for brush on seam sealer so I've filled gaps like this with a sealing + fixing polymer sealant that can be bought as every good DIY shop!. The important thing to remember with the next stage - painting - is that you need to chose a mastic with out silicone in it that can be painted over.

The bigger gaps will (probably) also be treated to brush on seam sealer as well.

Here's what I'm using =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527774955

The only criterion for this choice was that is was on special offer and that it came with a nylon brush (Nylon needed for application apparently)

#########

As I said I'm taking my time with this. Today was just the "vertical" joints =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527774955

All masked up before the splodge

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1527774955

By splitting the "vertical" and "horizontal" lines you don't have to worry too too much about making nicely cut corners in your masking tape: Complete one direction - remove tape - let the seam sealant dry - mask a second time for the other direction - eat - sleep - rave - repeat

Bit of painting progress today
 

I have decided to treat (the bare metal of) the firewall / engine bay with Brunox. This is a kind of OK rust treatment. It doesn't come out in a Dutch anti-rust test as well as Hammerite No 1 rust beater / Hammerite products but it is much better at higher temperatures. Brunox can be baked at 180 degrees C if need be - so I hope it won't come off if the engine bay gets a bit warm (!)

Hammerite has a maximum working temperature of about 80 degrees (I mentioned it earlier - I can't be bothered to check the exact temp spec today sorry - check the tin / check earlier on in the thread if this information is of use to you) so I'm not putting it in the engine bay.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1528212483

You can see the effect of Brunox working on the metal. Quite groovy...

...after finishing the seam sealer on the underside of the car I started to sand the No1 rust beater primer.

This is a really important step to make. You have to make sure that these rust proofing paints have stuck to the metal surface properly. I can't think of a single rust proofing product that does not have trouble sticking to remnants of old paint (and I've tried a few). By sanding now it is clear to see where the rust proofing paint has stuck and where it hasn't.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1528212483

After sanding the rust proof paint it (of course) needs another coat.

I like using Eastwood's "pre" to make sure the next coat of paint will stick. As it is so flipping expensive I tend to remove any sanding dust with a damp cloth / towel sprayed with brake cleaner first =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1528212483

This gets rid of most of the dust before the expensive stuff =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1528212483

To make sure I don't get a nasty mixture of rust proofing paints I masked the firewall

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1528212483

(Top tip - if you ever buy stuff from Amazon their packing paper is ideal for masking!)

And then the next coat of No1 was sprayed on.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1528212483

As I've gone over the seam sealer too I need to make sure the No1 stuff has adhered nicely to it - there might be trouble ahead...