2006 GMC Sierra - Preservation

[ed1948]

How would you treat this area. The hollow body mount spot welded assemblies and the hollow cross body supports. There is rust at the perimeter and I assume the interior.
My plan is to treat the rust and coat the underside with my formula of foundation coating thinned with auto trans fluid. It's messy, stays wet and seals the surface. I have used this method for many years.
(I'm always looking for the affordable --cheap-- alternatives)

-remove lose exterior rust and apply phosp acid, paint with Rustoleum
==Por 15 gets to be expensive - would good applications of Rustoleum suffice with a oily wax coating over==
-somehow apply Rust Converter to the interior body support sections by drilling small access holes after flushing them out with pressure washer and applying my secret formula to coat internally

Note: 10 years ago I bought a 10 year old Vw Jetta with very minor rust on one rocker and floor seam. After treating the rust I re-apply my tar formula - the rust has not gotten worse.

 

[81cutlass]

A former body man I worked with bought his Wife a chevy venture van that had the rockers begin to rust on it, he took a few gallons of waste oil and drilled small holes in the rockers and poured it on over some large trays, it dripped for a few weeks but stopped after a while. He then bedlined the rockers and it's been fine since (like 5 years).

Not saying it's a great option but it's kind of a "functional" one haha.

 

[ed1948]

Today's task - remove tank so frame can be oiled. Now, how to remove the rusty fuel pump retainer ring?
Also made a jig so the bed can be tipped without damage to work on the rusty ribs and wheelhouses(surface rust - no holes)

 

[DRIVEN]

I know this is all in a day's work for you guys up north but, as a kid from the west coast, that rust just looks like a ton of trouble to me.
Congrats on the new/old truck. Looks well worth saving.

 

[1evilregal]

^what Driven said, only from the east coast.....

growing up in Detroit and Milwaukee, I remember large mounts of rust, but being in the south since 1989, I've resigned it to being just a bad dream.... my wife and I have 2008 and 2009 Ford products as the daily's, and not a spot of rust between them...

funny thing is, 15 years ago, I'd look at some rusted car projects for sale and think " I can do that", and now that I'm older, I look at the same condition stuff and think " that's too far gone for me"...

yours hasn't gone too far yet, and looks worthy to keep around.... If you end up looking for larger body parts, try some of the stuff here in the south....

 

[CaliWagon83]

Might have some rust, but I'm a big fan of GMT800s. Congrats on the purchase!

CaliWagon83's 2004 Chevy Avalanche Z71

• CaliWagon83
• Jan 14, 2018

CaliWagon83's 2004 Chevy Avalanche Z71

 

[ck80]

^what Driven said, only from the east coast.....

growing up in Detroit and Milwaukee, I remember large mounts of rust, but being in the south since 1989, I've resigned it to being just a bad dream.... my wife and I have 2008 and 2009 Ford products as the daily's, and not a spot of rust between them...

funny thing is, 15 years ago, I'd look at some rusted car projects for sale and think " I can do that", and now that I'm older, I look at the same condition stuff and think " that's too far gone for me"...

yours hasn't gone too far yet, and looks worthy to keep around.... If you end up looking for larger body parts, try some of the stuff here in the south....

X2. And I've only been in the south 11 years now. I may be even worse.

I looked at a door for a 50 year old truck last night that had two rust through bubbles starting on the skin coming from under the paint... I said to myself, naw, thats not worth the couple hours to cut, order a patch, and weld up. Just look around a little more and grab something that doesn't need all the work.

 

[Rowshak]

Today's task - remove tank so frame can be oiled. Now, how to remove the rusty fuel pump retainer ring?
Also made a jig so the bed can be tipped without damage to work on the rusty ribs and wheelhouses(surface rust - no holes)View attachment 88966 View attachment 88967

Nice project!
I'm actually starting the same job on my 2006 H3. Nearly the same states as your Sierra.

Just wondering, do you have a welder or you are thinking about the urethane glue?
For the rockers, I usually find an air-duck shop in the industrial complex of whatever town is nearby. I cut off a section of the rocker and I ask them to bend some metal to have the same size and length that I need. (Cost me about 30$ the side ) So you save and its a better replacement instead of a patch. Always better to remove the rust.
If you weld, try to shoot a zinc coat behind the part. It will prevent the welding spot from rusting!

If you can't fix some spot or want to seal it, try the Rust Fix from Duplicolor. I used it on my Camaro 9 years ago, and once prime and paint the rust didn't move at all.

I'm used to rust and for me, your project is worth it! It's a nice find if you saved on the price.

 

[ed1948]

Did some preservation on the under cab floor. Scraped all loose rust (some would consider the amount of rust on the bottom no big deal)off the floor panels, the spot welded support channels and inside the frame up to the gas tank area. I mixed a 50:50 mixture of auto trans fluid and acetone and sprayed the areas using an undercoating gun. This trans fluid/acetone mixture is a well proven DIY penetrating fluid. In a few days I'll coat the penetrating mixture with my formula of roof tar thinned with varsol and gear oil - to a thick sticky consistency. I'm waiting for the fuel lines and fuel pump to arrive, hopefully within two weeks.

 

[Rowshak]

Did some preservation on the under cab floor. Scraped all loose rust (some would consider the amount of rust on the bottom no big deal)off the floor panels, the spot welded support channels and inside the frame up to the gas tank area. I mixed a 50:50 mixture of auto trans fluid and acetone and sprayed the areas using an undercoating gun. This trans fluid/acetone mixture is a well proven DIY penetrating fluid. In a few days I'll coat the penetrating mixture with my formula of roof tar thinned with varsol and gear oil - to a thick sticky consistency. I'm waiting for the fuel lines and fuel pump to arrive, hopefully within two weeks.

Nice mixture!
That truck will be sealed for the next 10 years hahah