VL case pitting

[Cody]

I have noticed a lot of cases I have been looking at have various levels of corrosion and pitting. Most of it seems cosmetic. Does anyone address this or just leave it the way it is? I was thinking of using a light coat of metal glaze on some of the bigger pits found on the bottoms of the cases (away from the number stampings). Thanks.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Cody, we're getting towards the bottom of the pile of VL cases and they are getting rougher. I've had mechanical damage repaired, often round the oil drain hole, but so far have avoided heavily pitted cases. If they were in danger of going through I'd weld them up, otherwise leave alone.

[T. Cotten]

Cody!

If the damage is not structural, I would suggest artfully grinding it relatively smooth with flap-sanders, etc., distressing any over-polished spots with a tool like in the attachment, and then blast it with steel shot before aluminum oxide, then beads, and then a good ADALOX brushing before scrubbing clean.

Any necessary weld repairs should be applied first, and the VIN protected, of course.

.....Cotten

[Cody]

Thanks guys. While on the subject of cleaning, I am debating either using walnut shells or having these aluminum parts soda blasted. Would a fine walnut shell work okay for those parts? Reading the other thread regarding the 1933 VL restoration a lot of people seemed weary to use any blasting methods, but from what little research I found, walnut shells do not embed into aluminum. Thanks.