How to slow down this surface rust

[RealJakeMalloy]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/C9F98KtrxqHWgtvD7

I have a bunch of surface rust in the usual places from being outside for 25 years in the South. What is the best way to stop/slow this down until I can get it taken care of?

Also, assuming I get this fixed and they take it down to bare metal, am I looking at a full repaint of the truck? Or can it be painted to match?

Any ballpark on the potential cost to fix this rust?

 

[widowmaker77]

Only way to stop
It in my opinion is to sand blast the areas then use 2k epoxy primer. To slow it down sand all the loose stuff off treat it with rust reformer such as ospho then neutralize according to directions then epoxy prime it and paint the areas.

 

[Torkman66]

Agree with @widowmaker77 . Oshpo then epoxy 2-part primer will seal it until your ready to take it to bare metal for a permanent repair.

 

[thegreatjustino]

I have a bunch of surface rust

That stopped being surface rust a long time ago.

 

[Shimmy]

hard to tell what's going on there since it's at the seam. like all things early bronco, i'd start poking at it a little with a screw driver to see how solid it feels. you may start into something and then realize "ah crap, this was a bigger task than i wanted to take on at the moment!"

good luck and keep us posted with more pics as you go along

 

[m_m70]

hard to tell what's going on there since it's at the seam. like all things early bronco, i'd start poking at it a little with a screw driver to see how solid it feels. you may start into something and then realize "ah crap, this was a bigger task than i wanted to take on at the moment!"

This^^^ I'd get on it sooner than later! Good luck!!

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

This^^^ I'd get on it sooner than later! Good luck!!

I have poked at it a good bit and it is mostly at the surface. It has spread slowly over the years - we are talking 25 years living outside. On the other hand, I poked at the bottom of a rocker panel recently and it was basically dust. I know it need to be taken to bare metal - question is when and how much will it cost?

Here is the truck - you can see the rust in context.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kZQVosiesHc2VZmJ8

 

[hyghlndr]

That's rot, not surface rust. Probably blast, treat, prime then paint.

 

[scoutingranch]

Do yourself a favor..........replace the panels, don't try and fix. On the other hand, if it stays outside.......you are wasting your time. It is quite common for those seams to rust out as they were never protected adequately from the factory. Imagine if someone left me outside for 25 years.........my seams would seem to be ruined as well.

 

[Shimmy]

what does the factory use at this seam? it's spot welded with seam sealer then painted?

 

[scoutingranch]

If memory serves, seam sealer on the earliest ones wasn't high priority. Here is the but part, once moisture got between the folded sheet metal...it was just a matter of time even
with a lackadaisical applicaton of sealer. Most times moisture would get behind the sealer and the sealer would help keep things moist.
Gawd......that read like an Abbot and Costello bit.

 

[RealJakeMalloy]

Do yourself a favor..........replace the panels, don't try and fix. On the other hand, if it stays outside.......you are wasting your time. It is quite common for those seams to rust out as they were never protected adequately from the factory. Imagine if someone left me outside for 25 years.........my seams would seem to be ruined as well.

That is the point - I moved from GA to SoCal and now have a garage. So finally time to take care of the problem once and for all (partly why I waited this long)