If you have ever done restoration work on any car, you have had to deal with rusted and oxidized metal parts. While these afflicted items can be sanded, wire-brushed, or media blasted to return the clean bare-metal finish, the appearance is short-lived. Unless you reside in the desert, the humidity in the air will cause the rust to return in short order if the surfaces aren't properly protected. Usually that means painting the parts with a hue and texture that resembles the as-cast look of the metal, or trying to clearcoat them so the base metal shows through.
We tested Gibbs Brand Lubricant for its preservation capabilities at Classic Restoration Enterprises in Pine Island, New York. Owner Melvin Benzaquen learned of this product when he was trying to find a way to preserve an entire car body in bare metal.
While painting can lead to good results, the painted surface can still be easily scratched. Clearcoating does not work as well, because rust can still form underneath and cause discoloration. More durable procedures include powdercoating and plating the metal to resemble bare metal, but the parts have to be sent out to a professional and the cost is much higher.
Since we all know that many parts on our Pontiacs came from the factory in bare metal only to start rusting (iron and steel) or oxidizing (aluminum) before they even left the assembly plant lot, the need for a product that can protect bare metal from these annoyances is paramount when performing a restoration and/or trying to maintain a restored Pontiac.
How many rusty cast-iron master cylinders and oxidized aluminum alternators do you usually see under the hoods of Pontiacs at events every year? How time consuming and tedious is it to remove, strip, and refinish those parts on a regular basis? Well, you may no longer have to worry about that after reading this article.
The staff applied a coating of Gibbs to three popular bare-metal underhood components that had just been media blasted: a cast-iron master cylinder, a cast-iron steering box, and an aluminum-cased alternator. The lubricant was simply sprayed on, lightly spread to all surfaces using a clean paper towel, and allowed to dry. Gibbs says that the product can be used to remove rust as well, but our parts were already blasted. To remove rust, Gibbs recommends spraying the part and letting it work overnight before wiping it off the next day.
Thanks to a tip from HPP contributor Melvin Benzaquen, owner of Classic Restoration Enterprises, we have found a very easy and inexpensive way to maintain a bare-metal finish for extended periods. The product is called Gibbs Brand Lubricant. As the name implies, it is a lubricant that can free stuck metal parts, release rusty bolts, and can keep metal mechanisms properly lubricated for regular use, but what interested us even more is the fact that you can spray it on bare metal and the rust and oxidation stay away for up to five years, according to the company. And you don't have to remove the part to do it (unless you want to). It is even recommend for removing rust from chrome bumpers and painted surfaces.
You may be surprised to learn that Gibbs has been around since 1969, when Paul Gibbs, a Harley mechanic, prototyping engineer, and plating-industry professional invented it and patented it. According to the company, "Gibbs is a supreme penetrating, lubricating, waterproofing, corrosion inhibiting, and universal surface conditioning fluid that not only prevents rust but actually reverses oxidation." Gibbs also says that the product is "non-toxic and non-staining, and contains no waxes, silicones, Teflon, graphite, or kerosene."
What you see here is what these items looked like after three weeks of sitting outside unprotected in January in New York State! No rust or oxidation is evident, and the surface is still smooth, not sticky, so dust is not attracted. Gibbs says the product is safe for body-shop use and can be painted over, as long as a pre-cleaner recommended by the paint company is used first. The bare car body that Classic treated with Gibbs over two months ago has shown no signs of returning rust.
Aside from automotive applications, it has also been used in the firearms industry for decades. The company even recommends Gibbs as a conditioner for leather, plastic, and wood products and for cleaning underhood areas, waterproofing ignition systems, and cleaning electrical contacts.
See the results of our experience with the product in the accompanying photos and captions. Though it's marketed to bust stuck fasteners with ease and seemingly a million other uses, the benefit of prolonged rust protection for bare-metal Pontiac parts makes Gibbs Brand Lubricant a must-have for hobbyists who would like to save time, effort, and money on their projects. Learn how and where to get this product by logging onto www.gibbsbrandlubricant.com.
