Rich Wiltberger of Lockport, New York, has a soft spot in his heart for old Chevrolets. So when he was asked to restore a 1957 Chevy for display at a Florida restaurant, he jumped at the chance. It was when he finally got a look at the condition of the vehicle that he realized what an enormous task lay ahead.
The body and floor boards were covered with rust, far beyond anything Rich had tackled previously. He knew the job called for the very best corrosion protection, particularly since the finished product would be on display outdoors in the humid and wet Florida environment.
Rich stripped the car down to bare metal, then applied two coats of ZRC Cold Galvanizing Compound on all metal surfaces, including body panels, floor boards and supporting structures. Application was by spray gun. Rich knows that ZRC is the equivalent of hot dip galvanizing, and would provide the best protection against corrosion. Over the ZRC "primer," Rich applied black epoxy paint on the frame and undercarriage, and red enamel paint over the body.
The newly restored car was then shipped to Yesterday’s Restaurant in Destin, Florida, where it was mounted on a steel ramp atop the restaurant. The beautiful ‘57 Chevy has been christened "Sunshine." Congratulations to Rich Wiltberger on an amazing restoration, and on a truly innovative use of ZRC Cold Galvanizing Compound!
