The problem with just sanding off the rust and then priming the bare spots
is that primer is porous, not waterproof - it will allow the rust to quickly
attack the metal again. What you must do is coat the primer with some top
coat to prevent this. If you do not have access to the right color paint
for the car, you'll have to substitute something that isn't too offensive to
your eyes, but don't just prime it and put it out in the weather again, you
will cause more harm than good with that approach.
Also, sanding it not the best way to remove the rust, as you will drive tiny
particles of rust into the surface of the metal. A better approach is to
get some "metal prep" (phosphoric acid, dilute solution) and follow the
directions for rust removal. Then neutralize the area with some basic
solution (perhaps ammonia and water, but others may have better
suggestions), then finally, when the area is totally dry, sand off the loose
paint flakes etc., and prime/top coat the area. This will last for a few
months, but you are going to have to have the car painted before long or
risk serious damage to the metal.
When faced with this problem on a car with serious rust bubbling up on the
roof, I took a sample to a paint store (I used the gas tank door) and had
them mix up some paint of the proper color, and used that as the final
coat - it looked surprisingly good, and protected the metal for at least the
year that I owned the car after that. The new owner totally repainted the
car, as I had advised her was necessary.
Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: Raffi Kondy <raffi19@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2002 1:48 PM
Subject: IML: 62 paint chipping
a few thin sections,
> especially on the deck lid, where after the car has spent a
> year outside, the paint on that section, which always had
> hairline cracks, has now started to ripple and chip off,
> exposing the metal underneath. I don't yet have the money
> to do a proper paint job on the car, but I want to keep the paint
> from deteriorating any further and rusting, which has probably
> already started to rust a little. I will probably need to
> sand and prime those sections which have chipped, but I have
> never done that before and am wondering if its easy or what,
> and if their are any tricks I should know. If anybody has
> some advice, please pass that knowledge along.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Raffi In San Francisco
> 62 Crown Coupe, 64K miles
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