Quick tips on stopping the rust on the cheap

Chryslerkid said

Minimal tools. No compressor. I’d love to do the entire engine bay in one shot. But the more likely scenario, one small chunk at a time.

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When i had the engine out of the 59, i crawled in with a spray bottle of simple green and a scotchbrite pad and started scrubbing. It had very little surface rust but it had loose paint and grime to deal with. That was a few rattle cans of paint. I cleaned up nice.
Even by hand you could make a decent job, given enough time...