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Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Preservation of my rusty antique truck

2007

I would like to find a product that seals a rusty surface. I recently got a 1952 Ford truck. The paint on it is totally gone. You can see a gorgeously rusted and pitted body. It looks like art and I want to keep it that way. Still I want to protect my truck from the elements. So I'm looking for a clear sealer, preferably in a flat finish, but a glossy will do as well, as long as it stops the rust and seals the metal.
Please help.
Thank you very much in advance.

Mark Sterling
consumer, hobbyist - Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A. and Nassau, Bahamas

Hi, Mark. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and one link of the chain that holds the sealer to the substrate is a loose powdery non-adherent rust layer. Further, a clear coat can slow the rusting but will not stop it, especially not out in the elements. A polyurethane coating is probably best though.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007

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