It's time for my 2 cents.  This has been one of the favorite
methods of preserving the impossible-to-reach spots in old pickup
cabs for a long time.  I sort of fell into it by accident.  I
throw a rag or two, usually oily, in the bottom of the cab
corners and have no rust damage on a 46 year old truck.  I have
never used oil on the outside of the truck, but it has the
prehistoric road draft tube for crankcase ventilation.  This
spreads a fine layer of motor oil over the entire bottom side of
the truck and has preserved it well.  I'm not sure if you could
really do this on a periodic basis.  On the old iron, the oil
coating is renewed every time you drive :)

Mike Snow
1982 Westy Diesel
1953 Chevrolet truck (well oiled)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List
> [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> Of Doug Alcock
> Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 1999 11:15
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: RUST HOLE
>
>
> My 2 cents to the rust thread ----- comments solicited
>
> 1) Living in the oft frigid clime of Toronto  --- I've
> gone for years on
> the theory that it's best to park outside (and eschew
> the heated garage) to
> avoid the nightly melting
> of the snow/salt mixture into the nooks and crannies
> of your vehicle.
>
> 2) Any comments on the efficacy of spraying old motor
> oil on the underside
> of your van in the winter. A bit lo tech but this used
> to be common.
>
> Cheers,
> Doug
> '84 Westy ---- (that cam complete with definite side
> seam rust --- but no
> leaky heads, knock wood)
>
>
>
> From: Jeff Stewart <Fonman4277@AOL.COM> on 28/09/99 01:32 PM
>
> Please respond to Fonman4277@AOL.COM
>
> To:   vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> cc:
> Client:
> Subject:  Re: RUST HOLE
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 99-09-28 12:55:26 EDT, you write:
>
> <<
>  Bondo is bad -- fiberglass with proper metal prep is
> good. Harder to work
>  with but waterproof.
>   >>
>
> Yes, it is, but Bondo is a brand name, but has become
> the generic term
> applied to all body fillers, like Kleenex is to
> tissues. Two brands of
> filler, Claw Glass and Metal-2-Metal, are waterproof
> and are no harder to
> work with than the Bondo crap you get at Trash Auto,
> Wal-Mart, etc. You can
> get this stuff at Mattos in Falls Church, or mail
> order from Eastwood.
> Jeff S.