chasing rust pin holes

[glhx]

i have successfully filled in around 200 small pin holes on the roof rail of my 69 dart. I have only done the drivers side so far. The problem im having is in the grinding of the fill welds. They are so close together that when i grind them down they are paper thin and stacking on top of each other. This will invite rust and i will not be able to remove that rust. I could grind down the fill better but then i would be getting into the original metal. There are no patch panels for dart roof rails and the vinyl top killed it. The roof skin is off of the car and is completely rust free. These pin holes have not killed the structure too much. it still feels strong.

I have these pin holes just over the driver and passenger window at least 1.5 feet along the roof rail, and at the bottom of the sail panel seam on both sides. The sail apnel i can use from the other car and section it. This roof is the donor cars roof, the one on my car is worse


Is there another way to deal with pin holes? I want this to last, that is why i wanted to fill it in with metaL. If it was on the floor board it wouldnt matter but this is on the roof rail and expensive primer and paint along with a vinyl top are going back on it. I dont want bubbles under the new paint

 

[76orangewagon]

you could try fiberglass resin, I used it years ago on a 1968 road runner trunk pan. but to do it correct you should cut out the bad area and patch it with good metal.

 

[rjsjea]

Gotta cut out the thin spots and do some patch work. It will come back to haunt you if you don't

 

[daliant]

Try to get some kind of paint on the underside of the roof if possable so it doesn't rust from the inside out. Patches usually hold up better than filling pin holes in the long run.

 

[BlueSwinger]

I certainly don't think this is the best or "right" way to fix it, but in a pinch, put masking tape on one side of the holes. Paint with POR-15. Let dry. Remove the tape and paint the side of the hole that had the tape on it with POR-15 also. Only if they're really tiny holes. This is a technique promoted by the POR-15 company. Again, NOT saying this is a SOLID fix at all, just an easy way you could do it if you are out of better options for a REAL fix.

 

[jefflock]

Can you replace the roof rail? I assume it's the part where the the vinyl trim fits over and is covered by the chrome trim.