Total overhaul project of an 1980 X1

In my opinion brazing to fill the rust holes is the same as using body filler or any other filling technique, in that the rust will eventually return. The only way to completely eliminate rust for good is to cut out all of it and replace with new metal. However that doesn't mean filling is not ok. With a acid bath, good rust converter, proper prep, and filling, it will take many years before it begins to grow again. What is the true expected life span of the car?

Also a few of those holes appear rather large for braze filling, but most of the smaller ones should be no problem.
 
Yes I know, but, it seems that the rust has come from the top, , and not from the under-side, thats the reason, I am thinking of brazing, since I have sandblasted it, there shoul be no rust left.
And it is not completlyt rusted through, just pin-holes.
Largest is about 2-3 mm so it would be Ok, I guess.
 
TomasL said:
I am thinking of, instead of replacing it, using TIG-brazing, to fix it.
Anyone with experience?
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I think if you can fill the holes, properly treat the rust and protectively coat it you should be fine. I don’t have experience with that form of welding, it is very thin metal made thinner still by the corrosion. It will likely be difficult, to put it mildly.

Assuming you are successful in filling the holes and in applying a barrier coating to protect it, I would use a polyester filler with a high metal content to fill all those pock marks followed by the further layers of coatings to seal it which you will be doing with the rest of the car anyway.
 
TomasL said:
I am thinking of, instead of replacing it, using TIG-brazing, to fix it.
Anyone with experience?
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Those black dot are still rust, if you will braze or cover with any kind of filler, it still will grow under those layers after a while.

If have an option to change that panel- better do that. Price of the windshield is big enough to avoid experiments at that area.
 
The black dots are actually remains of the sealant from the windshield, and it is not that easy to get it out.
 
Sorry, I also thought this dots were rust, which is why I made the comments in post #241.

I have to ask - if the sandblasting did not remove all of the sealant, then is it possible it also did not remove all of the rust? Especially in difficult places, like under the sealant? But I'm not saying that's the case.

As I stated previously, overall I agree that cleaning, prepping, filling, and sealing those areas would be sufficient. Just be aware there will be the possibility that some day in the future some tiny rust spots may reappear.
 
Any one that have ideas how to fix this?
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Dr.Jeff said:
The mounting bolts for the door hinges can be extremely difficult. I haven't tried it but someone posted about a tool that is supposed to work really good for things like this. It combines a air hammer, a standard square drive (for a socket), and a wrench:
View attachment 52314
Use a hex bit socket on it:
View attachment 52315
And a long wrench over the tool, while driving it with the air hammer.
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I assume people have used impact screw drivers. How do they work?
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They turn when pressure is administered on them, so, if you use an sledge hammer, the bit is turned at the same time, thus (hopefully) preventing the bit to slip.
However, on nasty screws, the will probably damage the screwhead instead, so the do not allways work, unfortunately.
However combined with heat (A lot of it), even the most stubborn screws will come out, at least most of the times, but not allways.
 
TomasL said:
They turn when pressure is administered on them, so, if you use an sledge hammer, the bit is turned at the same time, thus (hopefully) preventing the bit to slip.
However, on nasty screws, the will probably damage the screwhead instead, so the do not allways work, unfortunately.
However combined with heat (A lot of it), even the most stubborn screws will come out, at least most of the times, but not allways.
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TomasL said:
They turn when pressure is administered on them, so, if you use an sledge hammer, the bit is turned at the same time, thus (hopefully) preventing the bit to slip.
However, on nasty screws, the will probably damage the screwhead instead, so the do not allways work, unfortunately.
However combined with heat (A lot of it), even the most stubborn screws will come out, at least most of the times, but not allways.
Click to expand...
I've also had luck with penetrating oil applied over a week's time. Just give it lots of time to get in there. How did you get yours off?
 
If you sand blasted the rust away the biggest threat to rust coming back is non-galvanized metal. It begs the question are their places that can re-galvanize the whole chassis? This would be teh only real way to protect the car.
 
KBabcock said:
I assume people have used impact screw drivers. How do they work?
View attachment 61459
Click to expand...
Somewhere there was more discussion about this subject (door hinge bolt removal). My opinion is the tool you pictured is a decent option but can lead to damaging the screw heads as @TomasL said. Heat and penetrating oil can help, however I tend to be too "ADD" for anything that takes time. :rolleyes: So I ended up making the tool I was referencing in my earlier post (post #251). I was very pleased at how well it worked; door hinge bolts came loose without any damage or drama, and no heat or penetrant was used. [I covered the tool I made here: https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/tool-thread.38122/page-8#post-395218 ]
 
KBabcock said:
If you sand blasted the rust away the biggest threat to rust coming back is non-galvanized metal. It begs the question are their places that can re-galvanize the whole chassis? This would be teh only real way to protect the car.
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None of the chassis on these cars was galvanized. The later cars had pretty decent rustproofing from dipped primer baths but sadly no galvanize.
 
kmead said:
None of the chassis on these cars was galvanized. The later cars had pretty decent rustproofing from dipped primer baths but sadly no galvanize.
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Interesting, when I really think about it what you say makes sense. So I guess the question is would the X1/9 benefit from a galvanizing bath. The question is does such a service exist on a commercial basis?
 
Dipping it, I think is a bad Idea, since there are so many cavities with no access, and it would be difficult to drain.
There is however a way, I learned of, called Zinc Spraying, where melted zink is sprayed on the object.
Not to be confuzed with the spray cans.

Zinc spraying - galvanization types - galvanizing process

The zinc spraying procedure is carried out with particular kinds of spray guns that are continuously loaded with zinc wire. This galvanizing process...
www.gimeco.com www.gimeco.com
 
Great thread here Tomas and very nice work. Wish I had the time and space to do that to my X.

Another problem with hot dip galvanizing is that commercial places have contamination / bits and dust in the zinc which makes the surfaces rough. Ok for commercial vehicles and chassis frames but no good for bodywork of fine italian sports cars ;)

Spray glavanizing sounds promising though. Is this also known as cold galvanizing? I think they use it to treat welded joints on galvanized handrails etc when on site?

Fresh hot dip galvanized parts also need an acid 'mordant wash' before paint can be applied.

Jeremy
 
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