Van Conversion Guide
Base Build
The plus side of addressing this properly is that once you’ve followed these steps you will know how to deal with rust forever-more. A great life skill to have and one of many we will learn on this journey!
Deep Clean
Take the opportunity while you have a completely empty can to give it a really good once over. Investing the time to remove all the dirt, grease and grime of the previous owner will give you a renewed sense of pride and a renewed appreciation for your van. Not to mention clean surfaces to work with moving forward.
Use a degreasing agent for cleaning the cargo area of a van to best deal with the heavy set dirt and oils.
Make that thing shine!
Rust Treatment
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Use a drill or grinder with a braided wire brush (use safety glasses - seriously!), applying sturdy downward pressure to remove all heavy-set rust down to bare metal. Avoid using cutting or grinding discs, as they can damage the metal.
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Use a small sander or high-grit sandpaper. Start lightly for minor rust and apply more pressure for deeper rust, taking surfaces back to paint or to bare metal if necessary.
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Thoroughly vacuum and then clean the entire area with a degreaser, methylated spirits, or mineral turpentine to remove any microscopic rust spores and prepare the surface for painting.
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Even if minimal rust remains, apply a rust converter to exposed areas. It chemically converts rust into a harmless metal, indicated by the metal turning a deep purple colour. For novices dealing with rust I recommend using a coat of rust converter even if it appears that you have removed all of the rust in the previous steps. I think of this as like an insurance - neutralising any spores that may have survived.
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Apply at least two coats of paint for proper sealing over your base coat(primer). Colour-match the exterior if needed.
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(If necessary): On the exterior of the van or anywhere visible you might want to finish with a clear coat available at most auto retailers. This protects the paint and helps achieve a similar “glossy” finish to the rest of the van. Seriously consider this last step because missing it can result in a very “DIY” or “botch job” looking finish despite all your hard work.
Take rust removal seriously at the beginning or it will cause you 10x the headaches down the line and seriously reduce the value of your van.
The importance of this step is something you can’t fully appreciate until you witness first hand how quickly it can take hold of your van. You must treat all visible rust and clean thoroughly after rust treatment and after every metal cut to prevent rust from returning or spreading all over your paintwork.
Steps For Rust Removal