using lead to repair rust damage

[anyweb]

after watching many episodes of 'american hotrods' on discovery, I noted an older mechanic who repairs dents or impurities in a door (for example) with lead and a blowtorch. He melts the lead into place and then sands it down, the advantages (particulary on a door) is that it wont crack and fall off like that magic plastic stuff you can buy readily in car fix it type shops.

so my question is has anyone used this method ? is it hard to do and would it be useful for repairing rust areas (assuming you can grind the rust away to perfect metal beneath)

also, if the above is ok, where can you get your hands on this lead metal ?

cheers
anyweb

 

[ricky s]

I had various lead repairs done to my beloved D reg MK11 Granada, (very last of the MK11), but the rust alaways returned, either adjacent the original repair, or else where. If the panel starts rusting to a repair degree, you will be very lucky to contain it in the long term, I think, replacement of problem panel is the only answer, however any repair will do for a short term repair, if selling, but then this is only my own experience and opinion, and others may have other veiws.

 

[television]

Sorry Niall you just cant do that, it is a highly skilled job that is now hardly ever used, there are down sides to it, far to complicated to post here.


It was last used on Mulliner -Parkward RR bodies in the UK

 

[42864]

Anyweb, --- The metal (Lead) that you are refering to is basic Solder available from Plumbers supplies, but in "Strap or Bar" form the solder wire that most people see and use is not heavy enough and has much to much Flux in it to be of the use that you refer to. Wether it would be suitable for the work that you decribe I personally would be doubtful.

 

[television]

I had various lead repairs done to my beloved D reg MK11 Granada, (very last of the MK11), but the rust alaways returned, either adjacent the original repair, or else where. If the panel starts rusting to a repair degree, you will be very lucky to contain it in the long term, I think, replacement of problem panel is the only answer, however any repair will do for a short term repair, if selling, but then this is only my own experience and opinion, and others may have other veiws.

I agree 100% that the rust always returns adjacent to the area as you say

 

[Geoff W]

Is this procedure whats known as "Lead loading" when i had my Stag i heared this term quite alot and it was definately refered to in bodywork terms.
Geoff.

 

[television]

Is this procedure whats known as "Lead loading" when i had my Stag i heared this term quite alot and it was definately refered to in bodywork terms.
Geoff.

Yes as it did not show up with a magnetommer BMC inherited the Motor bodies group, this practice was used to make up for poor body pressings where things were not the same height, often used around the A pillar and C pillars, it was also used on the Rover P5 and 3500 the flux left under the lead made the things rust fast

 

[Legoman]

replacement of problem panel is the only answer

ill agree with that too , unless its a very rare car so sourcing a replacement panel is nigh on impossible then its time to cut out and weld in a new section , this is best left to the professionals though.

 

[anyweb]

well thanks for the feedback guys

 

[230K]

Hi

It can be done but sanding/ grinding it can be harmful. (Lead!!)

Bar solder is what you want. Tin the steel prior.

230K

 

[falconho]

Using lead as rust repair.

Hi

This is still widely used in the classic car industry, no good as a rust repair, the affected area needs to be completely cut out to a good area and replacement metal put back in (fabrication). It would be no good using the lead as a repair and probably impossible in most cases. I think what you are probably referring to and as performed in American Hot Rod, is lead finishing and not repairing. This used, with the repair as stated above is perfectly good and if the repair is done correctly in its entirity and the panel is rust proofed correctly afterwards the rust will not return. It is the ones that are not done properly where the rust returns. I have lots of old cars with lead in them, usually at joins and other imperfections that you got in those days.

I can honestly say that none of them have rusted in these areas - usually lower down where moisture sits, not because of the lead. This is wonderful stuff to use but is toxic and there is a degree of skill involved, if you try it you will end up with a lot on the floor to begin with!!

Many Brit cars use this Rover and Jensen in particular spring to mind. The Jensen, all panel joins are lead loaded but as I said previously they do not rot on the joins, but just about everywhere else!

Regards Ken

 

[jibcl500]

The only way to remove the rust is to cut the metal back to clean metal, sanding treating and filling over rust is a short term fix, it will come back.

But having said that a friend of mine gave me some stop rust stuff that they use on air craft, not available to anyone and very expensive, it turns rust into a white powder which brushes off. Rust will never come back so he says.

jib

 

[FIBAMAN]

If you must use this method then use plumbers solder. These days it does not contain harmful lead, because of new water bye laws introduced in the early nineties prohibit solder with lead content being used in applications where it may come into contact with drinking water.
However you should be aware that use of dissimilar metals will indeed generate corrosion problems rather than solve them.
If you prepare your surfaces correctly then your polyester repair materials will not fall out so easily, so if you are going to solder then the prep for that application would be ok for poly.

 

[kid-jensen]

I have used conventional filler, and seen lead filling done on my Jensen, and IMHO there is no advantage to lead.

It's MUCH more dfficult to work with ands adds significant weight to the car (usually lopsided).

The reason lead went out of fashion is that modern filler is simply better for the job....

 

[Legoman]

But having said that a friend of mine gave me some stop rust stuff that they use on air craft, not available to anyone and very expensive, it turns rust into a white powder which brushes off. Rust will never come back so he says

giiiiive , awesome stuff ive heard of , and as you said expensive .