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Anybody using a donor car from the "rust belt" is going to have to consider removing or covering rust on their donor suspension and driveline. Over the past year or so, I've saved a few links from the UK Locost forum regarding Electrolytic Rust Removal, and combined them with the links I found for Rust Encapsulating types of paint (if you haven't seen this stuff, it covers and neutralizes rust). I really like the idea of the electrolytic removal for the front suspension components, but because of the size of the rear axle, I'd probably lean towards a combination of elbow-grease to remove as much rust as possible, followed by a coating of a rust encapsulator. Here are some links on the subject:

Electrolytic Rust Removal:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=9158
http://www.bhi.co.uk/hints/rust.htm
http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

Rust Encapsulating Paints:
http://www.por15.com/
http://www.halonmarketing.com/mall/MCU% ... 0Black.htm
http://www.nomorerust.com/

I like POR15 a lot. Doing the conversions that I do, I have a lot of issues with rust. POR15 is great. It's like powder coat in a can.

A gentleman that I know that builds scratch cars uses POR15 on his chassis instead of powder coating them, as he has found that he has a lot more opitions open to him after using POR15.

Greg Krzeczkowzki, of Honda of America in Marysville, OH, has noted to me that they use POR15 on a few of their projects. When pressed for info, he stated that they will use it on spot jobs and the like.

Instead of "encapsulating" rust, I like to use it as an awesome preventative (of course it is great at encapsulating rust and sometimes making the original piece even stronger than it was originally).

The guys at Coveland Motorsports ( http://coveland.com/motorsports/index.cfm?ID=43 ) use POR15 to coat their scratch built chassis as well. You can find their eBay auctions for Lotus 7 replica kit frames at http://stores.ebay.com/Coveland-Motorsports.

JoKer, thanks for the links on rust removal using electrolysis. I found the article on electrolysis and removing rust ( http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp ) very helpful and informative.

I can now see that I will no longer have to make my 4 year old son slave at cleaning small rusty parts anymore. Although he enjoys helping dad out, I suspect that he will thing that "homemade electrolysis for rust removal" will be way cooler. I know that I already think that it is pretty cool.

Thank you again.