NP203 rust

[Panther]

Hey everybody. I'm in the middle of my 350/203 swap and I have a question.

My good 203 has been sitting around for a few months and it got quite a bit of rust on it. I sanded off the rust before I put it under the truck (under the truck, not in it yet). In the week it's been since I sanded it down, it's gotten rusty again.

I know it's iron and surface rust isn't a big deal, but I don't want to install it that way. Any tips on keeping it rust-free? I don't have any POR-15 and didn't really think painting it was that great an idea anyway. My best plan was to sand it down again and rub some oil all over it to lube it. Is that about the best I can do? Any other ideas?

Thanks!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Muddytazz]

you can spray it with clear coat, or coat it with motor oil, anything that will coat the areas that you sanded.

 

[Leadfoot]

You can oil it and keep oiling it, but at some point it gets to be REALLY messy. I would sand it down good, clean it with brake cleaner ($3-4), paint it with a good rusty metal primer ($4) and then topcoat with a high temp paint ($4) which will hold up better in that environment. Under $15 and some time, and it should last a long while (it does here even in the "salt-belt". Plus you won't use all the paint so you can use it later, saving some $$$

 

[Z3PR]

I like Leadfoot's sudjestion. I'd paint it some really wild color like Lime Green, Tweetybird Yellow, or Hot Pink. Something that'll stand out. But then again, I like wierd sh!t like that.

 

[CooknwithGas]

I recently painted mine with rustoleum and clear-coated the aluminum parts and it looks really sharp. You will want to paint it so it will be clean the next time you get up under there to work on anything. Rustoleum (gloss) takes a while to dry, but it leaves a hard finish that will last a long time.

 

[imiceman44]

I used rustoleum too I love it and mine was painted bronze.

 

[Grim-Reaper]

Paint it.
I degreased mine then shot some brake cleaner on it to make usre it was grease free and shot it with Chevy Orange engine paint. Quick shot with the pressure washer every few months and it stays pretty clean and rust free. It's been in there for 4 years like that. A good paint job is in the prep. any oil and grease on it and the paint won't stick.

 

[Panther]

Thanks guys. I picked up some Chevy Orange 500* engine paint last nite. I need to paint my oil and tranny pan and flywheel cover too (stupid chrome). The hardest part was telling my father-in-law he's gotta help me pull the case back out from underneath the truck. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif