Hi all,

After some depressing, yet appreciated feedback from you guys, I've decided that I'm going to start diging into the body of my car instead of trying to keep the current paint job prestine at the cost of rusty panels underneath. BUT, I'm in a bit of a predicament.

I'm planning on performing a semi-frame off restoration by removing the front subframe and building a dolley to support the body as my first welding project. I do not have access to any kind of media blasting facility, and am planning on stripping the paint using the stripping wheels I've heard great things about on this forum. I'm going to do one panel at a time to expose as little metal as possible to the garage elements. Because I will be working in my home garage, I'm not sure how to seal the metal after I've worked on it so that I can move onto a different area. Would purchasing a spray gun for my compressor be too much for a 3 car garage to handle? I am also looking at rattlecan methods, but do not know what is best. Any thoughts?

Get yourself a paint gun and coat it with epoxy primer, such as DP90 or something similar. You need to have your garage and equipment set up properly though, breathing apparatus, moisture filters for your compressed air, ventilation for the garage, etc.

Just do one panel ata time or however much you can do on a weekend or night but epoxy prime the panel when you are done, don't let it sit for a couple of days then prime. And DO NOT go the rattle can thing.

Blue Lightning. It is a rust convertor that you apply and they claim it will not rust in bare metal up to 1 year. My 68 Camaro body has been in bare metal for 3 years and just now startuing to show oxidation ina few spots where coverage was lacking. Primer can be applied directly over it. Cost about $50 a gallon and should do the whole car.

Mike

I agree with the epoxy primer recommended. That's how I did mine. Strip the car, sand with 80 grit on a DA, clean metal really good with wax and grease remover. Then spray your epoxy primer.

No rattle cans.

I've never used a paint gun before so sorry if these questions seem dumb. Whats the overspray like on a paint gun spraying epoxy primer? Since I am doing one panel at a time, can they be set to a relatively low setting so that I am not spraying my walls and floor?! (I will still put plastic on the floor and walls) Would leaving the garage doors open be sufficient ventilation to not kill my family?

I agree with the epoxy primer recommended. That's how I did mine. Strip the car, sand with 80 grit on a DA, clean metal really good with wax and grease remover. Then spray your epoxy primer.

No rattle cans.

That's the way I'm doing it too. I bought a cheapie spray gun to shoot epoxy. I have a two car garage that I'm doing the work in. Put 4 box fans in the back windows of the garage and crack the garage door about a foot. Sucks the paint fumes right out. poor mans paint booth. I do the same thing when I had to do a little sand blasting in window channels on the car. Just hung tarps around the car to contain the sand. the fans suck all the dust right out too. Actually I don't use sand anymore bought coal shards for less then five dollars a bag. It's safer to use then sand. Dust isn't as nasty. worked awsome on my control arms for stripping paint and rust.

What are coal shards,and wheredo you get it?

What are coal shards,and wheredo you get it?

I don't know where you live but around by me they have Menards stores. Similar to Home Depot. That's where I bought it. I just used it for the first time this week in my little sand blaster. Worked better then sand.

Do not use epoxy unless you have the proper safety equipment and ventilation. And be aware when painting in your garage that the other people in your house will likely be breathing what you are spraying unless you are exceptionally careful in sealing it up.

I use a rust converter too, I am pretty sure it is nothing more than some type of phosphoric acid. I wipe it on bare metal and it puts a protective coating on it, but it can be easily wiped or sanded off. It has proteced my car all year...no sign of rust yet...and I can clean it up and epoxy it when I am ready.

I use a rust converter too, I am pretty sure it is nothing more than some type of phosphoric acid. I wipe it on bare metal and it puts a protective coating on it, but it can be easily wiped or sanded off. It has proteced my car all year...no sign of rust yet...and I can clean it up and epoxy it when I am ready.

Maybe that would work. Do you just wipe it on the bare metal? My plan is to do the body work and then take the car to a pro to be painted down the road and I'd really prefer to not have to spray anything in my garage other than maybe some rattlecan primer. What is the name of the product you use? Does it dry to the touch after application?

Do not use epoxy unless you have the proper safety equipment and ventilation. And be aware when painting in your garage that the other people in your house will likely be breathing what you are spraying unless you are exceptionally careful in sealing it up.
Good point I forget that not everybody has a paintbooth. Use a good resperatortion system!

Maybe that would work. Do you just wipe it on the bare metal? My plan is to do the body work and then take the car to a pro to be painted down the road and I'd really prefer to not have to spray anything in my garage other than maybe some rattlecan primer. What is the name of the product you use? Does it dry to the touch after application?

I understand your problem, it is a hassle to spray small panels if you're not set up to paint. My car has been in bare metal since july. I chemically stripped, then used a metal prep. There are several brands, all are basically a diluted phosphoric acid. The one I used was what POR15 sells. Yes, it is dry to the touch. Some paint manufacturers dont like their epoxy over it, but it should be a relatively easy process to sand before paint is applied. It has kept the rust at bay while my bodyman is doing his metalwork.

You should also start looking for a paint shop. If you find a good one, they may work with you by priming your stripped panels one at a time, that would be the best alternative. If you find the right shop, they won't mind you getting some of the grunt work out of the way, but not many will want to paint over your bodywork.

I use a product from www.orisonmarketing.com (http://www.orisonmarketing.com) that makes a product called rust bandit. Works great and while your at it get some of their evapo rust product....does wonders on parts you can soak in it to safely remove all the rust. I just got done doing my hood hinges that looked awful and now look nearly new.

Try and buy a HVLP cheapy gun. Less over spray. Coal shards are probally what is sold as BLACK BEAUTY available at home depots. Epoxy primer is not only a primer but seals out moisture unlike rattle can primer. Have you ever sanded down unrusty metal only to find rust underneath? Also heard others warnings on use of paint stripper wheels as heat buildup will warp outer body panels just as bad as sand blasting.

HVLP = lots of overspray
LVLP = LESS overspray :thumbsup:
No matter which you use, as stated, you DEFINITELY hafta protect your lungs somehow, whether its with a fresh air system, or at LEAST a good respirator. Id go ahead with the epoxy, and Ill tell ya why lol.....cuz I like to do things the easiest way possible, and since its gonna hafta be sprayed eventually anyways, all youre really doing by buying and applying other stuff is adding more steps (and more money) to the equation just to delay spraying it. Of course thats just my 1½ cents worth.....

I personally am using some Pickelex, but if I were going to buy something now I would try the Ospho that so many on here have spoken highly of. I have heard you can buy it at local hardware stores and it is cheap. Most all of these products dry and sometimes will leave a whitish surface, but most of the time you can't even tell it is there...it just looks like bare metal. It works really well unless it comes in direct contact with water...this will dilute it and rust can occur, but as long as your car is in a covered area you shouldn't experience this problem.

In my pics in the link, I have it on my car in the bare spots and it doesn't even have a hint of rust...and it's been that way for around a year now I would guess.

:sad::rolleyes::sad:Pickelex:sad::rolleyes::sad:

http://www.picklex20.com/
hear you go :)
Larry

Yeah it works great for ensuring that you won't get adhesion with anything you use for a topcoat..

Put some epoxy on it and be done with it. there isn't a miracle cure out there..

Unfortunately it seems like Epoxy is not an option considering I'm working out of my home garage and I'd prefer not to make a mess of my garage or gas out the family.

I'm starting to lean towards using a rust sealer such as Rust Bandit on the areas I work on.

Chad,

People put epoxy primer over pickelex all the time without any problems. Have you personally used this product? Maybe you shouldn't comment about things you haven't used. The guys over at www.autobodystore.com use it all the time on jobs...and they are professionals. I don't necessarily recommend this one product, there are several phosphoric acid type products out there that will do the same thing, provide a layer of protection from mositure, and do away with any small amounts of rust that may have formed on the bare metal.

Paul has stated he wants a temporary fix, but some on here hasn't heard that I guess. Most of these rust converters will keep the metal from rusting...then when he decides he wants
to put epoxy on it, he can simply wipe or sand off the rust converters if he doesn't want them on there...not a big deal.

I will be putting my car in epoxy in about another year from now, but right now I don't want to spray epoxy on in a few spots only to take it off later...that is way too difficult.

I just epoxied my car in the garage this week,as long as you put plastic over the door to the house and dont open it for a while ,leave the garage door open a bit,but not enough to allow dust or leaves to come in you will be fine.I put plastic over my door and push pinned plastic on the walls clamped plastic to the underside of the car layed plastic on the floor,it turned out perfect. USE SOME KIND OF BREATHING FILTER
Kenny

I sprayed epoxy in my garage with no problems. Use a respirator. It didn't get all over the floor or walls not a big mess like you might think.

If you go with the epoxy it it will solve your flash rust worries. Then you can scuff it up and move ahead when you are ready to start the rest of your body work. Anything else you use would need to be removed back to bare metal before starting anything else. IMO that's just extra work for nothing when you can put some epoxy on it and move on. Seems like the way to go to save your money and work.

I did my car myself and this is how I did it. Not saying it's the ONLY way but I found it the best for me. This is the way almost every body man I talked to recommended. I made a few mistakes along the way on my car and had to do things over but I learned from them.

Unless you are welding or doing patch work on your panels I would want the epoxy under any filler or primer work anyway.
This epoxy process was one of the things I did that I feel was money well spent.

I agree with everyone that epoxy is the best, but Paul has stated over and over again that he doesn't want to do that right now; he wants a temporary way to keep the metal from rusting. I am kinda in the same boat, I had my quarters welded on and a tailpain...I have several places where bare metal is exposed...at this point I did not want to spray epoxy on just a few places, so I wiped on some phosphoric acid and this did the trick. Next fall, I will strip the entire car down to bare metal and spray epoxy in my new garage.

Below is a pic of the rear quarter of my car...you can see it is bare metal except for the light coat of acid and it has been that way for probably 6 months without any rust. The good thing is it didn't cost much to do and took me about 30 seconds to wipe it on.

I agree with everyone that epoxy is the best, but Paul has stated over and over again that he doesn't want to do that right now; he wants a temporary way to keep the metal from rusting. I am kinda in the same boat, I had my quarters welded on and a tailpain...I have several places where bare metal is exposed...at this point I did not want to spray epoxy on just a few places, so I wiped on some phosphoric acid and this did the trick. Next fall, I will strip the entire car down to bare metal and spray epoxy in my new garage.

Below is a pic of the rear quarter of my car...you can see it is bare metal except for the light coat of acid and it has been that way for probably 6 months without any rust. The good thing is it didn't cost much to do and took me about 30 seconds to wipe it on.


I understand where you're coming from. I'm not trying to argue just throwing ideas around. The acid will do the trick. But I would not paint over it but that's me. So he's going to have to clean it off before primer. My base primer would be epoxy.
So if he is going to do his own primer work he'll have to clean the acid off whenthe time comes. Then the water from cleaning it off will cause it to flash rust. So he'll have to sand the metal, clean it, then spray it. So what have you really gained?
If he is going to take it to someone else to primer he'll have to rely on them to clean it off. One thing I found out with my car is when I counted on other people to do things like this it didn't get done.

All I can give is my experience. To me epoxy is the best temporary or permanent solution. I could go to Lowes, Harbor Freight etc. and buy a cheap spray gun and in 30 min have the whole car sprayed in epoxy or just a few panels depending on what is necessary.

I can tell you that my car sat in bare metal in my garage for 6 months with nothing on it and it didn't rust. The only place it rusted is when someone would stop by and lay their hands on it. Then it would get a little flash rust where they had touched it. I would hit it with some fine paper or scotchbrite and it was gone. I'm not recommending that he should leave it in bare metal, just telling you how my car reacted.

Unless your garage is really damp don't expect it to just start rusting because it's in bare metal. Strip it and wipe it down really good with Wax & Grease remover to remove the oils from your hands.

I eventually went the epoxy route. If it were me I would strip 2-3 panels and then spray them with epoxy. Then I would move on to a few more panels. But that's just me. Most epoxies I have seen recommend sanding the metal before spraying with epoxy so any flash rust on it will be removed then anyway.

Everyone has to use the knowledge and opinions people give and do what's best for them.

You are right...bare metal probably will not rust if it is in an insulated area...but I have had my truck in a bare metal building and when there are temperature changes everything will sweat and rust if not protected.

I am in the process of replacing my dash right now and it only had a speck or two of rust on it here and there where it had been touched. We started adding onto the garage it is in so we had to take one side of the wall off...in just a couple of days time the dash developed flash rust, so I wiped it down with some of the acid, as I don't want to epoxy it until all of my welding is done.

I'm not arguing that epoxy is the best route, I think he knows that from all of the comments made.