TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:15 pm

I just picked up a westy that had an engine fire and the rear corners have all the paint burnt and surface rusting. Some paint burnt on the engine lid and in the engine compartment too. What is the best way to repir?? Can I just sand down the fire damage and primer it or does it need additional treatment? I was told fire damage rust keeps coming back??

Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:19 pm

I can tell you that fire distords the metal and changes it. I'd cut off and replace as much as you can.

Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:32 pm

I checked it all out and It's straight, I dont think the fire was that bad it just took the paint off. Didnt even catch anything inside on fire or burn the paint on the back hatch,just up the corners to the vents in the top. It's a 71 westy.

Sat Jul 24, 2004 9:54 am

The best way to kill all the rust, is to have it media blasted, primed and repainted. If you can see all of the damage ( if there is no damage you can't get to) nock off al that you can with a wire brush or good sander, and treat it with a known conversion coating. It will treat the rusted area and turn any remaining rust to a primer. Let it fully dry (at least overnight) then sand it, and spray it with a good primer surfacer, or sealer depending if there are rust pits. The primer I recomend is PPG's ncx271, its an anticorrosion primer surfacer/sealer, and its $100 a quart from a supplier.
The best way is to have it blasted and professionaly done, but the conversion treatment will get you fixed up, the only problem with that is if you don't get all the rust it will come back.

Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:24 am

Thanks for the replies. The hardest part will be getting to the rust inside the airscoop vents on the top sides of the bus.