I'm slowly plugging away at different portions of my project and I wanted to get recommendations on what products you have used to prevent / protect from surface rust on different portions of the the car.

I currently have my gas tank out to replace so I'll use this section as an example and starting point. My tank straps look aged so I'd like to clean those up. I was able to sand most of surface rust off but I'd like to see what you guys recommend that I can spray on it to protect it and also get a "new" look to it.

Also, I'd like to go ahead and paint the underside of the the floor pans of my trunk. I've read a lot of people go back and forth between Eastwood products and Rustoleum so I wanted to get some tips and recommendation on what they have used.

 

For the bottom of the car, I used Rustoleum semi gloss. I also redid my gas tank straps. Duplicolor Metalcast gives a nice color to the straps (which are galvanized metal BTW). After applying the Metalcast, I also gave it a shot of satin clear which made the color a bit darker than I wanted, but still looks great.

Pic 1 - inside of straps before cleaning. Light rust only
Pic 2 - outside - straps had a layer of undercoating that needed to be removed
Pic 3 - cleaned down to galvanized metal
Pic 4 - Sprayed with Metalcast and then satin clear
Pic 5 - Installed.

 

I've not started my cosmetic refresh yet - still working on under carriage/mechanical, but I'll be going down this alley later this summer. I like the look of Allen's finished example.

 

Yea Allen, that looks great. Did you use spray or actually paint for the Rustoleum?

 

When I did the bottom, I only had the frame lifted 18" from the floor. Nothing there to obstruct me either. I did this before the rear suspension, driveshaft, brake lines/cables etc went back in.

I painted by hand and used 2" disposable foam brushes. They don't last long but they give a great finish and get into some tight areas without a lot of dripping or mess. To get a nice even finish with no marks, just paint, then turn the brush flat and 'paddle' the paint. It dries in a nice even satin looking finish. No streaks like with a brush. Note: I used up about a dozen foam brushes, but they're cheap and disposable. Wear gloves and coveralls unless you want to change color too.

 

Just a few small bits of advice to offer, and I've kept it generic. First .. don't seal in rust. Rust loves company, and a little surface rust like pits can hold a whole lot of material to keep it chewing under your paint. Second, rust converter paint needs that very same surface rust to work, but nothing flaky. Bare shiny steel is actually a problem for it. Make sure you understand the purpose and correct application for what you're applying. Last, metal gets thinner and loses strength over time and exposure. You may have cleaned up your straps (floor pan, frame rails, etc) but that doesn't mean they're good to go. Make sure they're still strong enough to do the job before you take the time to pretty them up and install them. I'd rather drive a turd than have the prettiest car stuck on the side of the road, wouldn't you? Frequently I talk with people trying to weld in new floor pans and they're blowing through everywhere ... they'd wire wheeled off the rust, but left themselves clean shiny tin foil.

 

I like this method with graphite plates I bought on Epay for rust removal. Works great!

 

I kept a bucket of Muriatic Acid close for rusty parts. A couple hour soak and the parts came out looking like new. Worked great for bumper brackets, suspension parts etc. You gotta neutralize the part with a baking soda wash after you remove it from the bucket of acid. Rinse it with a water hose and be quick to dry it and get a coat of primer applied. Parts flash rust quickly using this method. Saved a lot of wire brush time though. If you haven't already you should read Alan R's thread Another Maw Disaster. Sounds like you are going through some of the same things and he had some great advise and attention to detail.