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I am new at restoring (32 sports coupe) and have the body off and almost all the rest off the frame. As I start to rebuild the car, What shall I do to the rusty parts. I plan on using Por 15 on the frame but what shall I do to the brake shafts--etc.
Should leave as is (rusty)?
Any help you all can give me.

I clean everything by blasting or wire brush, then coat with phosphoric acid, then primer then paint. Should last forever. This acid can be bought under names like Rustpho, Ospho. Most hardware stores will have it.

RR3d -

I've done similar steps, but use a spray can product called One Step that I find in the auto parts store. It converts the remaining rust into a black primer. As long as I vigorously remove the surface rust as you've said, I've not seen a problem yet with resurfacing. Is that similar to what you're talking about, or, would this phosphoric acid be even superior to that?

Please be careful useing the Phosphoric acid based rust removers, When used inside the fumes off of them can cause damage to other iron and steel parts and tools in your shop, also the fumes are very harmful to your eyes and lungs. I used rust remover that I got at a swap meet on a car and I don't think the risk and extra work are worth it. I would either use a small home sand blaster or take the frame to a profession blaster that is used to doing cars, don't use an industrial blaster that does tombstones or bridges, they use too much pressure and aggresive abrasives.That is IMHO...

I found the darnest stuff online. Try cleanrust.com. It is a powder that makes up a noncorrosive liquid that turns rust to a slurry you rinse off with water. it takes it all out, leaving a grey steel absolutely clean. I used it on my 32 to clean the headlight/fender bars and light mounts. they were dull and rust lined, and came out shiny and clean.

coach32: I live north of you in Kearns... I checked out cleanrust.com and it looks interesting. I am considering using it on my '37 1/2 ton frame (it's getting too cold to sandblast, and I've got more disassembly to do yet!). My questions:

1) The advertized coverage looks small, 25 ft^2 per gallon. Did you get coverage like this?

2) Do you have to passivate the metal before you prime, or is it ready to go?

3) How well has the paint stuck?

4) How long did it take for them to deliver the material?

5) Do you have any other comments?

I'd appreciate any answers,

Thanks!

it covers if you can use that term about like they said. I used the small kit as a test, and have since ordered the five gallon size. If you would like to try it, let me know and we can get together for a fun testing..
They deliver it by ups in about 4 or 5 days, it looks a little like epsom salts, but I won't take any to try that.
My stuff has been sitting here since about june, no treating at all and it is clean. I haven't painted anything yet, but just primer and paint as far as I know. I have yet to soak bumpers, etc. so haven't soaked any large stuff, just buckets full of small stuff.

To Coach 32 and all----I have ordered the cleanrust product also--I will let you know the results

pe1932c, Did you happen to try any of that clean rust yet as in about 3 weeks I will be working on the frame of my '31? Did anyone use or hear of the product EXTEND made by Duro? A local "part time" bodyman told me about it today and we went over to the hard ware store where the owner gave me some to try. He says it works great. You scrape or wipe of the dirt and oil, sand or wire brush rust and paint on with a brush. A black coating begans to appear in 15-20 minuets. Apply a second thin coat within 20 minutes. Acrylic latex finish paints need a solvent base primer/sealer before painting, Lacquer/enamel paints don't. Suppose to turn the rust back to iron but after hearing of the old west medicine doctors and thier miracle water, sometimes I get a bit skeptical. Plan on trying a small spot on a rusty piece of iron some time this week.

I visited/met Coach32 two weeks ago. He gave me some clean-rust to try... we soaked a door hinge from my '37 1/2 ton for roughly 1 week, mostly in my cold garage (~45 F most of the time). The stuff appears to work, but very slowly at this temperature. It doesn't touch the paint, but pretty well cleaned the rust off. Obviously, Coach32 has a lot more experience with it than I do.

Last weekend I bought one of the 40 lb grit blast cabinents from Harbor Freight. I hooked it up a few hours ago and finished off the hinge part within about 2 minutes of blasting time. Sure there are pros and cons for any issue, but I think I'm sold on grit blasting for my parts. I use low pressure to minimize the amount of "cold working" on the metal, so the process still seems slow. Also, it seems to keep my air compressor busy, so it's pretty noisy. I've had trouble in the past with grit contamination in my paint, but I think I just wasn't aware of the possibility.

Anyway, I'm still researching the process I'll use on all of my parts, but whatever processes and material systems I wind up using, I'll post them on my website when I get time (www.serversidescript.com, but don't look now).