What do you do with rusty bolts?

[sixpack_sid]

I am restoring a 68 Charger and as I am taking pieces off the car I see the bolts and screws are rusty. Any ideas how to clean them or do you just get new bolts?
Thanks!

[Nitrox]

I personally just get new bolts. Its the easiest way. I mean, you can sandblast or tumble the bolts, but then you have to treat the bare metal with a rust preventative. Its just to much hassle to screw with. Especially considering the bolt is already probably on its last leg being as old as it is. But thats me. Somebody else might have a different way to skin the cat.

[Shakey]

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[roger440]

Oxalic acid. Put them in, take out the next day ready for plating or whatever treatment is applicable.

[Nitrox]

Oxalic acid. Put them in, take out the next day ready for plating or whatever treatment is applicable.

Whats this oxalic acid about? What do you use as a recoat to surface treat the bare metal bolt?

A person could just as well use muriatic acid...right?

[Dodge Don]

Unless the "new" bolts have the correct head markings / dimensions then it isn't a restoration. But that is just me. 

[Nitrox]

Unless the "new" bolts have the correct head markings / dimensions then it isn't a restoration. But that is just me. 

I think that is just you...I hope. 

[Mike DC]

 
Nope.  Legit bolts & nuts are part of a perfect "restoration."   

But there's no law saying you have to be doing that with your car.  Very few Chargers driving around these days are done to that level of accuracy.  Practicality reigns supreme for most of us.   

[Dodge Don]

Unless the "new" bolts have the correct head markings / dimensions then it isn't a restoration. But that is just me. 

I think that is just you...I hope. 

Well technically if your restoring that means bringing back to original. Throwing bolts on from Home Depot may qualify as mechanical maintenance but not a true restoration. And yes, guilty as charged, I spend too much time worrying about those types of details.  

[Nitrox]

So if your correct, then my car, after it sat in some assholes barn for 12 years getting shit on by cattle and ducks...isent a "restoration" cause I got a couple bolts from the 7-11???

Maybe I need to inform State Farm to lower my insrance rates cause some random faceless username on a message board said my car isent technically "restored". That always wins in court.

[Foreman72]

So if your correct, then my car, after it sat in some assholes barn for 12 years getting shit on by cattle and ducks...isent a "restoration" cause I got a couple bolts from the 7-11???

Maybe I need to inform State Farm to lower my insrance rates cause some random faceless username on a message board said my car isent technically "restored". That always wins in court.

hey man, take it down a notch for a sec...you still have a restored car...but as far as the officials who are looking for a RESTORED (meaning this car has been restored to its original, factory state) getting any bolts from anywhere won't work...thats just the hobby...

and as far as the take it down a notch, i mean that...we're all on the same level here, if you wouldn't talk to that random faceless user that way in person, don't do it here...there is no reason for you to talk down to people

sorry about this sid...the bolts that would be more visible or contribute heavily to the structure of the car i'd replace, but i you should be able to clean the rest of them with any of several types of cleaners...google it

[Nitrox]

Dont insult my intelligence. I know what a "restored" car is. Im not dellusional or retarded. Im just correcting your buddy on his terminology.

[69bronzeT5]

Some people (like me) don't give a crap if they have the correct bolts or not where others do. Those people usually have high quality show cars. I'm not really into building a high quality 100% correct show car myself.

[Silver R/T]

Some people (like me) don't give a crap if they have the correct bolts or not where others do. Those people usually have high quality show cars. I'm not really into building a high quality 100% correct show car myself.

Good point. As long as you enjoy it is all that matters

[69bronzeT5]

Some people (like me) don't give a crap if they have the correct bolts or not where others do. Those people usually have high quality show cars. I'm not really into building a high quality 100% correct show car myself.

Good point. As long as you enjoy it is all that matters

Exactly, I don't plan on entering my cars into shows to win "Best of Show" or whatever. I build my cars for fun. If I happen to win some award in a show, then that's cool

[Dodge Don]

So if your correct, then my car, after it sat in some assholes barn for 12 years getting shit on by cattle and ducks...isent a "restoration" cause I got a couple bolts from the 7-11???

Maybe I need to inform State Farm to lower my insrance rates cause some random faceless username on a message board said my car isent technically "restored". That always wins in court.

Whoa there big fella. I said "technically". The term restoration or restored is commonly used for all types of builds, however, and again I stress "technically" in it's purest and accurate sense a restoration means bringing it back to it's original state, or to some specific state. The same thing has evolved with the term "survivor" which is now commonly being used in cases where from a "technical" or "pure" perspective are inaccurate.

The hobby established this, not me. While I am trying to be as accuarate as possible on my car I have taken several liberties and would never expect to win a judging contest against a true OE Gold restoration.

The point was Sid said he wanted to "restore" his car. Does that mean build a nice Charger that he can cruise around in or does he want to "restore" his car to be factory correct.....there is a world of difference and I was pointing out that if he was looking for the latter then he should look for correct bolts, nuts, washer etc etc.

All in all I'd say you are truly blessed that you can get a Slurpee and bolts from your local 7-11....now that is convenient.

[Shakey]

[Ghoste]

State Farm may not care what bolts you use or how the term "restored" is defined in court but you can bet if you show your car in any kind of concour's or judged oe competition, that incorrect hardware will stand out as readily as fluorescent orange seat covers.  That's why they charge 100+ bucks a pop for publications like that B-body guide to fasteners and hardware.
Call it semantics if you want but regardless of how you personally define restored I don't think anyone was trying to insult your intelligence.

[tan top]

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  then i just drop them in acid/ metal prep  for a few days , till i paint  re finish them 

[maxwellwedge]

Unless the "new" bolts have the correct head markings / dimensions then it isn't a restoration. But that is just me. 

I think that is just you...I hope. 

Well technically if your restoring that means bringing back to original. Throwing bolts on from Home Depot may qualify as mechanical maintenance but not a true restoration. And yes, guilty as charged, I spend too much time worrying about those types of details.  

Me too. I have been through the Mopar Nats OE Gold deal but I have to have what Ma Mopar put in them when they were new on all my stuff. To me that contributes towards giving the car its identity back. That's the sick, crazy kind of whacko I am - I don't tell anyone else what they should do on their own stuff unless they ask my opinion. 

[Dodge Don]

To me, if you haven't taken the entire car apart it probably isn't a restoration.

And if you are going that far it seems such a shame not to take the extra time to look after the details that set cars apart from the herd.

To each his own, everyone has their own preferences and varying ability to afford this type of hobby.

For me though, if I saw a driver quality legit hemi car parked next to a factory correct slant six restoration I would be all over the slant six car. I like details and appreciate the nuances and perfection. What can I say  



Thank god for digital cameras though. The amount of reference pictures I've taken would have cost me a fortune in the old film processing days.

[Ghoste]

Isn't that the truth?!   Not to mention the ability to instantly know if the photo was any good or needs to be taken over.

[Sixt8Chrgr]

Unless the "new" bolts have the correct head markings / dimensions then it isn't a restoration. But that is just me. 

I think that is just you...I hope. 

Well technically if your restoring that means bringing back to original. Throwing bolts on from Home Depot may qualify as mechanical maintenance but not a true restoration. And yes, guilty as charged, I spend too much time worrying about those types of details.  

Me too. I have been through the Mopar Nats OE Gold deal but I have to have what Ma Mopar put in them when they were new on all my stuff. To me that contributes towards giving the car its identity back. That's the sick, crazy kind of whacko I am - I don't tell anyone else what they should do on their own stuff unless they ask my opinion. 

I am the same way. I prefer the car to be as it was when it was siting on the lot back in the day. Bolts and all.

[Sixt8Chrgr]

Sid,

I have had great success with Evap-o-rust. This stuff is not hard on your hands, it reconditions rubber and is reusable if the parts are not too bad off.
I took my  '69 Z/28 apart piece by piece and put everything in this stuff, calipers, center steering link, nuts, bolts, you name it if it had rust on it I dropped it in. The time it needs to stay in the solution depends on how rusty the part is. It will lift paint, and take plating off if you leave it in too long. Google evaporust, it comes in quarts and five gallon buckets. I went through over ten gallons of the stuff.

Good Luck!

[CDN72SE]

Sid,

I have had great success with Evap-o-rust. This stuff is not hard on your hands, it reconditions rubber and is reusable if the parts are not too bad off.
I took my  '69 Z/28 apart piece by piece and put everything in this stuff, calipers, center steering link, nuts, bolts, you name it if it had rust on it I dropped it in. The time it needs to stay in the solution depends on how rusty the part is. It will lift paint, and take plating off if you leave it in too long. Google evaporust, it comes in quarts and five gallon buckets. I went through over ten gallons of the stuff.

Good Luck!

Same thing here, I couldn't believe how well it works. Used it on my parking brake pieces, front brake dust sheilds, shock washers, bolts and will be using it for more pieces. Just let it sit and when the rust is gone, remove.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/401809