DRAINO AS A RESTORATION TOOL? YEP!

[TripleBlackGator]

I am in the process of restoring the engine bay, bumper and grill area of my '70. I was stuck as to how to restore the original finish to the headlight buckets and since no one here had any suggestions I broke out the chemistry set and went to work. I used a rubbermaid container big enough for all 4 buckets. Then I poured in a gallon and a half of BOILING water. Not cold, not hot, but BOILING! Then immediately I poured in a WHOLE can of crystal Draino. Don't use the liquid or gel crap. Crystal's be the ticket here son. Be warned...You need a face shield. Not goggles. Once that Draino hits the water the violent but short lived fireworks start and you don't want that stuff anywhere near your skin let alone your eyes. Your best off doing it outside as well. The fumes will knock you on your ass. Then I let it sit for one hour and using rubber gloves and a stiff brush I gave each bucket the once over. Rinse with cool, clear water and Ta-Dah!
  Now these suckers DO have a hole big enough for me to bang! Did I say that out loud? 

[69bronzeT5]

  Now these suckers do have a whole big enough for me to bang! Did I say that out loud? 

Get a room!!!!




The buckets look really good!! The bumper looks amazing by the way

[justin1987]

Just keep the aluminum foil away or you will have a big bang. 

[TUFCAT]

Wow, .....just don't mix bleach with ammonia.  I did it once....ONCE!   

[hemihead]

I believe Draino has lye in it which actually works better with cold water.

[justin1987]

Wow, .....just don't mix bleach with ammonia.  I did it once....ONCE!   

I've done that too. BIG mistake!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Bead blasting would be the safer option no?

[mally69]

what happens when you mix bleech with ammonia 

[justin1987]

what happens when you mix bleech with ammonia 

It makes chlorine gas.

[TripleBlackGator]

Bead blasting would be the safer option no?

Bead blasting would change the look of the metal. I wanted to keep the original "galvanized" look.

[Stroker]

Bead blasting would be the safer option no?

Bead blasting would change the look of the metal. I wanted to keep the original "galvanized" look.

If you want the right galvanized look then galvanize them!

I personally wouldnt like to see those buckets on my Charger.Prefer doing it that way:

Head-lamp buckets just out of the car:



and cleaned: on the left sandblasted and on the right also cleaned with wire wheel (on pneumatic tool)



These are not galvanized jet but soon I`ll do it and then update.

V@perfectionist

[gasoline_24]

I put mine in the blast cabinet and dialed down the pressure and the cleaned up great.  If you want pics I can send them, but it only took about 5 minutes for all four.

[TripleBlackGator]

Not to get in a pissing contest but the blasted and wire wheel look is not for me. That's not how they looked originally. Granted they cleaned up nice (that's what blasting is suppose to do) but it alters the orignal look.  I was just offering a possibly different way of cleaning.

[gasoline_24]

If you dial down the pressure, it does not remove the galvanized finish but takes off the years of crap.  I agree about original appearance.  I am trying to make mine as original as possible, and after I blasted mine this is how they look.  Here is a pic.

[Rolling_Thunder]

If you dial down the pressure, it does not remove the galvanized finish but takes off the years of crap.  I agree about original appearance.  I am trying to make mine as original as possible, and after I blasted mine this is how they look.  Here is a pic.

I do the same thing -  but then again I have a blasting cabinet at the shop...   

[kamkuda]

Looks great.    I use phopharic acid.  (I work for a pool chemical manufacturer Stain and Scale control)  I filled up an old cooler and it nicely removes rust. 

[kamkuda]

what happens when you mix bleech with ammonia 

It makes chlorine gas.

Chlorine gas is nerve gas (read WW1 mustard gas)

[BMOTOXSTAR]

What about oven cleaner?

[kamkuda]

It is caustic like Draino,  It should work.  Both Caustic or acidic will work.  Just try to neutrilize it or rinse thoroughly with water

[70-500-SE-EXPORT]

USE phosphoric acid! You can get it on your skin and it has NO fumes! Its available at home depot for $14/gallon. Its the same stuff eastwood sells for $50/gal. It works GREAT. You can put anything in it. Even vinyl parts with metal backings to remove surface rust. I put my A/C vents in it.  It gently takes the rust right odd the metal vent slider without damaging plastic. I also use it on a rusty steering wheel. These are items a media blaster would be too abrasive and damage the part. Good luck

[1969chargerrtse]

USE phosphoric acid! You can get it on your skin and it has NO fumes! Its available at home depot for $14/gallon. Its the same stuff eastwood sells for $50/gal. It works GREAT. You can put anything in it. Even vinyl parts with metal backings to remove surface rust. I put my A/C vents in it.  It gently takes the rust right odd the metal vent slider without damaging plastic. I also use it on a rusty steering wheel. These are items a media blaster would be too abrasive and damage the part. Good luck

That sounds best to me, since I have no blasting cabinet.  Thanks, I'll try that.  

[1BAD68]

Not to get in a pissing contest but the blasted and wire wheel look is not for me. That's not how they looked originally. Granted they cleaned up nice (that's what blasting is suppose to do) but it alters the orignal look.  I was just offering a possibly different way of cleaning.

I always like to hear alternative ways to do things and then make up my mind on which to use.
Some of us dont have blasting cabinets or even want to be 100% original, so a good cleaning is just fine.

[4aThrill]

Just remember one drop of Draino hits your eyes you go blind in under 15 seconds there is no way of stopping that so wear a face shield or goggles when handling that stuff 

[Chatt69chgr]

I cleaned some old railroad lanterns and the method may be of some use for certain car components.  I got info on how to clean the lanterns without messing them up from a railroad memorabilia dealer in Georgia.  You take a 5 gallon plastic pail like they used to throw away at Federal Bake Shops and put water in it and then pour in about a third of a can of saniflush.  Need to clean oil and grease off first.  Then submerge the part in the solution and let sit for a week.  Remove the part and rinse off with your hose and then use 0000 steel wool and Duro Naval Jelly which is pink and comes in a bottle from Wal-Mart.  When you are finished with the cleaning, hose it off and blow dry with compressor and then spray on clear laquer (you could use the non-gloss) to seal the surface.  Made my galvanized steel railroad lanterns look new.  When I started, the lantern was rusted here and there.  The rust turned into mud over time in the saniflush.  I was careful to not get any of the saniflush on my skin as it will definitely cause a chemical burn.  I think the Naval Jelly has phosphoric acid in it.  Didn't know about being able to buy the phosphoric acid at Home Depot.  Thats good info.   

[bear]

I used phosphoric acid on my headlight buckets as well as some other grille parts. It doesn't do good on heavy rust but you can soak them in there for a while and just wire wheel them and they will be fine. I kept the buckets in there until I stopped seeing bubbles come up then coated them with a clear.


This is what they looked like after being dipped for the first time. (some went back in for some more time)


And here is what they look like with the clear on them.

[The70RT]

Thought I would bump this up. Some good ideas on this thread 

[hemi-hampton]

I'll have to disagree with one drop of Draino in your eye & your blind in 15 seconds. I got a huge drop in my eye & I was temporarly blind in one eye within 1 second but did not go blind. I will say my eye was swelled about shut for 3 days & red for about 3 weeks. Not fun. I'd strongly suggest full body armor while using this. I use Oxalic Acid to remove rust. Works good. LEON.

[superduperbee]

I'll have to disagree with one drop of Draino in your eye & your blind in 15 seconds. I got a huge drop in my eye & I was temporarly blind in one eye within 1 second but did not go blind. I will say my eye was swelled about shut for 3 days & red for about 3 weeks. Not fun. I'd strongly suggest full body armor while using this. I use Oxalic Acid to remove rust. Works good. LEON.

I saw Leon's eye, not pretty. Wear a face shield!