I have a couple of rust spots on my car that I would like to try and fix. I want to go down to bare metal in those spots (ive tried rust converters before and the rust always comes back) and work back up finally blending the fix into the surrounding area. What are the steps and materials needed to do this and make it blend into the existing paint? Thanks
Rust Repair
- Thread starter NJSHO
- Start date
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rangerj
Active Member
OK, "Auto Body Work for Dummies" in 25 words or less. 
If the rust spot is not too bad it can be cleaned to bare metal with 60, 80, or 100 grit sandpaper. If the spot is deep rust it can be cleaned to bare metal with a stiff wire brush. I like to use a wire brush that attaches to a drill.
If the bare metal is deeply pitted the pits should be filled with a professional quality auto body putty (commonly called Bondo). The metal should be clean and bright. Follow the directions of the body putty maker. If the pits are not deep they can be filled with a filler primer. PS Bondo is a brand name. Its like every tissue is called Kleenex. Go figure!
You can get automotive filler/primer, and automotive sealer/primer, in spray cans at most auto parts stores. Get a good name brand like Dupli-color. To fill with primer it takes several coats. You prime, let dry, sand, prime, let dry, sand, prime, let dry, sand, prime, etc untill the pits are filled. This is commonly referred to as "block and prime". The primer should be a "self etching primer".
Once you have a smooth even coat of primer sand the surrounding area and feather out the edges of the body paint. Feather out the paint with 400 wet/dry sandpaper. You do not want to try and fill a hole with the color coat.
If you can see the "edges" it is not feathered enough. The last coat of primer should be the sealer/primer. Sand the filler primer lightly with 600 wet/dry sandpaper lightly. Do not cut through to the metal with the sand paper.
Once it is all nice and smooth, clean the area with drug store type rubbing alchohol. This will remove any grease or oils, like that from your skin that will cause paint not to stick. Mask off any areas you do not want paint overspray to get on, like trim or windows.
When you are ready to paint with color wipe the area one more time with alchohol and let it dry. Make sure your paint is well shaken so that the color is mixed properly. Again, dupli-color has spray paint mixed to match OEM finishes, as do a couple of other brand names.
Spray the paint in several thin even coats. Waite about 5 minutes between coats so that you do not build up "WET" paint so that it will "RUN". When you have a nice even coverage spray one last wet coat for the finish coat, but do not "run" or "sag" the paint.
If your paint is clear coated you will have to follow the paint manufacturers direction on how and WHEN to apply the clear coat. Use the same brand of clear coat as the color coat. DO NOT MIX PAINT BRANDS.
If you are talking about very small spots you can use the touch up paints, including primer and clear coats (the little bottle with a small brush inside).
It would be helpful if you went to the library and looked through a book on auto body work to see pictures of what I mean by "feather edging" the old paint surface, and by runs and sags, as well as technices for preparation of the metal, etc.
Hope this give you some helpful hints. Remember no matter how bad the paint turns out, it looks better than rust. Let it dry and do it over. rangerj
If the rust spot is not too bad it can be cleaned to bare metal with 60, 80, or 100 grit sandpaper. If the spot is deep rust it can be cleaned to bare metal with a stiff wire brush. I like to use a wire brush that attaches to a drill.
If the bare metal is deeply pitted the pits should be filled with a professional quality auto body putty (commonly called Bondo). The metal should be clean and bright. Follow the directions of the body putty maker. If the pits are not deep they can be filled with a filler primer. PS Bondo is a brand name. Its like every tissue is called Kleenex. Go figure!
You can get automotive filler/primer, and automotive sealer/primer, in spray cans at most auto parts stores. Get a good name brand like Dupli-color. To fill with primer it takes several coats. You prime, let dry, sand, prime, let dry, sand, prime, let dry, sand, prime, etc untill the pits are filled. This is commonly referred to as "block and prime". The primer should be a "self etching primer".
Once you have a smooth even coat of primer sand the surrounding area and feather out the edges of the body paint. Feather out the paint with 400 wet/dry sandpaper. You do not want to try and fill a hole with the color coat.
If you can see the "edges" it is not feathered enough. The last coat of primer should be the sealer/primer. Sand the filler primer lightly with 600 wet/dry sandpaper lightly. Do not cut through to the metal with the sand paper.
Once it is all nice and smooth, clean the area with drug store type rubbing alchohol. This will remove any grease or oils, like that from your skin that will cause paint not to stick. Mask off any areas you do not want paint overspray to get on, like trim or windows.
When you are ready to paint with color wipe the area one more time with alchohol and let it dry. Make sure your paint is well shaken so that the color is mixed properly. Again, dupli-color has spray paint mixed to match OEM finishes, as do a couple of other brand names.
Spray the paint in several thin even coats. Waite about 5 minutes between coats so that you do not build up "WET" paint so that it will "RUN". When you have a nice even coverage spray one last wet coat for the finish coat, but do not "run" or "sag" the paint.
If your paint is clear coated you will have to follow the paint manufacturers direction on how and WHEN to apply the clear coat. Use the same brand of clear coat as the color coat. DO NOT MIX PAINT BRANDS.
If you are talking about very small spots you can use the touch up paints, including primer and clear coats (the little bottle with a small brush inside).
It would be helpful if you went to the library and looked through a book on auto body work to see pictures of what I mean by "feather edging" the old paint surface, and by runs and sags, as well as technices for preparation of the metal, etc.
Hope this give you some helpful hints. Remember no matter how bad the paint turns out, it looks better than rust. Let it dry and do it over. rangerj
Mike Kopstain
New Member
It's doable and the above advice is great. Here are some pictures from the rust repair I did on my 93' last year...
Before Rust Repair:
After Rust Repair:
Take your time and make sure not to sand too hard.
Before Rust Repair:
After Rust Repair:
Take your time and make sure not to sand too hard.
I understand the sanding/priming process. The only thing I don’t understand is how when you put the final color coat that you don’t leave a "line" from old paint to new paint if you are doing a spot in the middle of a large painted area. Say I mask off an area then paint the unmasked area. When I pull the masking off wouldn’t there be a ridge or a discernable boundary between old and new?
Mike Kopstain
New Member
No because your goal is to blend the paint in that area. Mask off an area large enough that you can paint what needs to be painted but don't paint the whole unmasked area. The extra room is a buffer for blending.NJSHO said:
Racer X
SHO Pilot, Retired
I have a similar problem on my SHO on the roof above the driver's rear and passenger front doors.
Someone told me to try a product called Naval Jelly to take care of the rust in the pitted areas, as a final step before Bondo. I'm going to try it as soon as it gets warm outside, and let everyone know of the results.
Someone told me to try a product called Naval Jelly to take care of the rust in the pitted areas, as a final step before Bondo. I'm going to try it as soon as it gets warm outside, and let everyone know of the results.
rangerj
Active Member
Remove rust mechanically, NOT chemically. Most, if not all, chemical rust removers are an acid. If you were going to work on a low area, like the rocker panels, I MIGHT say go ahead and use it (Navel jelly). But working up on the body you have a very good chance of getting the stuff on places where it will do more harm than good.
Use sand paper or a wire brush on a drill to clean your rust spots down to bare metal. rangerj
Use sand paper or a wire brush on a drill to clean your rust spots down to bare metal. rangerj
Racer X
SHO Pilot, Retired
rangerj said:
What if I were painting the whole roof anyway?
The story:
Stone chipped off a lil bit of clearcoat, but I didn't notice. One day soon afterwards, I decided to wash my car at one of those self serve car washes. You know, the ones with the pressure wand?
Washing ths soap off, and the water jet hit the edge of the chip juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust at the right angle to get underneath the clearcoat. Unbeknownst to me (at the time) there was a small adhesion issue with my clearcoat and paint. And with a mighty POP!!!!!
I watched as an 18in x 18in section of my clearcoat got blasted off of my roof.
First I went like
Then the guy next to me went
. He then said "Oh **** yo. That suuuuuucks."Then I went like :cry:
I then dried my car and went home.
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