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56D500boy

Posted 2016-11-04 8:11 PM (#525325)
Subject: How to rehab a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever

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I just received a cowl vent lever for my 56 Dodge Custom Royal. Mine was missing the handle (pot metal bit broke off at the rivets). WildCat Auto in Oregon sold me the handle (Item 8) with the lever (Item 7, 9, etc) The lever is very very rusty. Any suggestions how to rehab it and maybe the rest of the cowl vent mechanism? (I presume it is very stiff and that is the reason the handle broke). Non-smelly options preferred, i.e. no Liquid Wrench as it will permeate the passenger cabin and make my wife unhappy if/when I ever get to take her for a ride in the car.

Edited by 56D500boy 2016-11-04 8:15 PM

(56DodgeCowlVentLever_Small.jpg)

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Old Ray

Posted 2016-11-04 8:45 PM (#525329 - in reply to #525325)
Subject: RE: How to rehab a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever

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Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains

For the not attached yet new parts, acid wash rust remover, sand blasting cabinet, or wire wheel on bench grinder / drill for the under dash parts if you are not removing them from the car, maybe spray CLR rust remover and catch the contaminated crap in a dog dish, hub cap, small plastic tub. it will smell for a day or two, like your shower.

I have a 5 gal pail of industrial rust remover liquid (a acid of cleaning steam cleaner coils) that I just let parts soak overnight, like new. I think you might have to disassemble the unit from the car to put the new handle on anyway.

Phatton

Posted 2016-11-08 6:01 PM (#525619 - in reply to #525325)
Subject: Re: How to rehab a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever

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Location: Camptown PA

I've had good luck using a product called Evaporust. It has no bad odor, is not caustic and works well. You simply put the rusty part in a container, cover it with the Evaporust and let it soak overnight or at least 3 hours. Take the part out of the Evaporust and rinse it off. Pour the Evaporust back on it's container and use it on the next project. When you want to dispose of it, you can pour it down the drain. I always have a gallon jug of this stuff in my shop.

56D500boy

Posted 2016-11-08 8:00 PM (#525625 - in reply to #525619)
Subject: Re: How to rehab a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever

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Phatton - 2016-11-08 6:01 PM

I've had good luck using a product called Evaporust. It has no bad odor, is not caustic and works well. You simply put the rusty part in a container, cover it with the Evaporust and let it soak overnight or at least 3 hours. Take the part out of the Evaporust and rinse it off. Pour the Evaporust back on it's container and use it on the next project. When you want to dispose of it, you can pour it down the drain. I always have a gallon jug of this stuff in my shop.

Thanks. Sounds perfect. Now to find some in Canada.

Phatton

Posted 2016-11-09 7:35 PM (#525725 - in reply to #525325)
Subject: Re: How to rehab a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever

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You can get it on Ebay. Don't know if they ship to Canada. Good luck.

56D500boy

Posted 2016-11-09 8:31 PM (#525730 - in reply to #525725)
Subject: Re: How to rehab a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever

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Phatton - 2016-11-09 7:35 PM

You can get it on Ebay. Don't know if they ship to Canada. Good luck.

Last night I found it at Canadian Tire online but there was no stock in any of the stores within 100 km of me. So this AM I phoned Evapo-rust in Ontario and asked where I could buy it in the Vancouver area. He gave me two choices. I phoned both (Pacific Fasteners in Burnaby and Busy Bee tools in New Westminster). Both had stock. I went to Busy Bee because it was on my way to Home Depot where I needed to buy some granite tiles for a fireplace re-facing. I bought a 4L jug at Busy Bee and lidded plastic storage container (at Home Depot) big enough to handle my part and 4 L. When I came home, I started soaking the part. I took a before photo and will take and post the after photo tomorrow. I am hopeful.

I would be more hopeful if I could get the engine started. I have fuel at and in the carb. I have spark (as indicated by the timing light I hooked up over the coil wire). Just not firing. I realized that may have flooded the engine so maybe by tomorrow it will be dried out.

56D500boy

Posted 2016-11-11 3:17 PM (#525886 - in reply to #525730)
Subject: Re: How to rehab a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever

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56D500boy - 2016-11-09 8:31 PM
I bought a 4L jug at Busy Bee and lidded plastic storage container (at Home Depot) big enough to handle my part and 4 L. When I came home, I started soaking the part. I took a before photo and will take and post the after photo tomorrow. I am hopeful.

Here are some photos of the before, during and after treatment of a 56 Dodge Cowl Vent Lever soaking in Evapo-Rust(tm) overnight and a bit (the shape of the lever required one soak laying it down and another standing it up in the basin). The final product is better than the photo. Almost like new old stock (not new new but with some patina - just not rust). The mechanism, which was completely seized, now moves freely (but it will get some white lithium grease very soon).

The Evapo-rust wasn't cheap but it is reuseable, i.e. I will pour the contents back into the 4L jug to save for the next parts restoration.

Edited by 56D500boy 2016-11-11 3:20 PM