Quick tips on stopping the rust on the cheap

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Let me add this, the pitted rust is small holes below the flat surface of the metal. The DA dos not obviously get into those pits. The wire cups helps get into those pits. You an also use some force with that wire cup. The ones I use are maybe 3 in. dia. Sandblasting gets the rust in those pits, but.....
There are always many ways to skin a cat, but some ways will work better than other. I have restored these old cars since the 80's. I have DA' ed rusted cars down to bare metal, used the best of PPG epoxy primers, and on rusted metal, Cars treated with t eh phosporic acid solution (Ospho) has had much better results pays later. But as time marches on, primers change and maybe get better ( or worse??)....... Rust a ***** and hates to die.
You are learning and it is fun. And as life moves along, you will find ways that work well for you.
 
don't spend much time or money on these rusted out inner fenders give it a lick of paint for now and buy new inner fenders and do it right in a few years when you decide to paint . jmo
 
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unless you doing a show car, POR-15 - best bang for the buck. Follow their directions.
 
Dave NEO said:
unless you doing a show car, POR-15 - best bang for the buck. Follow their directions.
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If you're getting the metal as clean as that last pic, while por-15 is a good product, is not intended for bare steel and there are many stories of application failure. Personally I'd use something much more forgiving and easier to apply.
 
Chryslerkid said:
Updated pictures after using the angle grinder. Worked great!
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Looks a lot better! Before you paint, make sure you sand that metal with 120 grit at least. The wire wheel polishes the steel, and you'll need some scratches in the surface to get a good mechanical adhesion.
 
I had good results using a wire wheel and then going over bare metal with this rust converter. Then I went epoxy primer over that
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What do u guys think of using white vinegar water for rust preventative? Good bad? Opinions? I’ll definitely scuff the metal before epoxy primer and paint.
 
Chryslerkid said:
What do u guys think of using white vinegar water for rust preventative? Good bad? Opinions? I’ll definitely scuff the metal before epoxy primer and paint.
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I sanded my car down to bare metal 3 years ago and never used any rust preventative or primer, just been sitting in the garage, bare steel.

I've had almost zero surface rust issues, and only broke out the sand paper maybe twice to clean a couple spots.

I'd challenge the need to do any rust prevention if you plan to scuff prior to primer anyway.

Just a thought.
 
Hmmm good to know. Do u live in a humid area? Where I live it can be pretty moist in the air. Wonder if that makes any difference. Either way that gives me hope of getting this engine bay done before it rests away again.
 
Another tip, Napa will mix paint for your paint code, for around $20 and put it in a spray can.
It actually matches decent, I used less than a can when I patched some rather large holes in the rocker panels of my kids daily driver.
 
It looks like you are makin good progress! Now add some sort of etch or Ospho and you'll be fine. I know it's not for everyone, and it certainly wasn't quick or easy. I have fought rust of all kinds for over 35 years and this was my solution on this Demon project: dustless blasting, metal prep, epoxy and then 2K primer. I've never had much long-term luck with any of those rust converters or encapsulators. I have used a product called Picklex-20 that is a similar to Ospho, then cleaned, prepped and epoxied over that with good results. I have also had great luck with POR-15 but just for covering and protecting rusted areas that will not be covered with a topcoat or see direct sunlight.

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Yes 70Sbird. Bottom of your clean car is perfect of a metal prep, or self etch primer, and go from there like you said..

Rust ecapsulators? That is simply trying to place a sealer over the rust where air does not get to that rust and keeps on rusting!!! yea right, what a solution. Blast off the rust to bare metal, best,... kill the rust, second best. POR 15,? yes I used some 25 years ago, Nothing tougher. BUT..... solution: clean the metal, self etching /epoxy primers, then 2k primer, sealer, top coat works much better, cheaper in long run too.
 
adamm said:
I sanded my car down to bare metal 3 years ago and never used any rust preventative or primer, just been sitting in the garage, bare steel.

I've had almost zero surface rust issues, and only broke out the sand paper maybe twice to clean a couple spots.

I'd challenge the need to do any rust prevention if you plan to scuff prior to primer anyway.

Just a thought.
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WOW!!!! you lucky *** !!!! steel, + moisture, + oxygen equals RUST!!!!! I sure would hit it with sandpaper good before any primer!!! I challenge you to sand a spot bare and closely look at the metal next to that.. IF you were in AZ with 0 humidity maybe, but MN!!??? come on!!!!!! LOL
 
barbee6043 said:
WOW!!!! you lucky *** !!!! steel, + moisture, + oxygen equals RUST!!!!! I sure would hit it with sandpaper good before any primer!!! I challenge you to sand a spot bare and closely look at the metal next to that.. IF you were in AZ with 0 humidity maybe, but MN!!??? come on!!!!!! LOL
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I couldn't believe it myself!! I'm often grinding & sanding areas as I'm doing a lot of welding at the moment, and still, very little change at all when comparing to untouched areas.

Before I epoxy I'll surely go over the car and prep properly.

I wouldn't believe it if I wasn't seeing it every week with my own eyes.
 
I like Rustoleum oil based paint. It's cheap and it WORKS. You can get it in the gallon container from Lowes for less than 30 bucks. I would even brush it on. If you do it carefully, it will dry so you will not see the first dang brush stroke. It's tough as hell too, when applied properly. The trick is sealing the metal from the air. If you do that, you can win. You can also spray it on, if you so desire, but IMHO, for a rust preventative, brushing it on coats the metal better and gets into the small pits better.

Opinions vary, but that's mine from personal experience.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I like Rustoleum oil based paint. It's cheap and it WORKS. You can get it in the gallon container from Lowes for less than 30 bucks. I would even brush it on. If you do it carefully, it will dry so you will not see the first dang brush stroke. It's tough as hell too, when applied properly. The trick is sealing the metal from the air. If you do that, you can win. You can also spray it on, if you so desire, but IMHO, for a rust preventative, brushing it on coats the metal better and gets into the small pits better.

Opinions vary, but that's mine from personal experience.
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I agree with RRR above, I use the stuff on my floors after I have cleaned and prepped them. Very durable tough stuff. Does not have UV protection but hey its the floors!!!!

About 20 yr ago I bought a B body convertible roller.. seems like it was a 65 dodge coronet 500. . It had tons of surface rust, we DA ed it down to bare metal , did the best PPG epoxy, primers, and top coat, so it was sealed bout as good as you could. IN 6 months it shows early signs of rust under all that. IT needed to have been prepped with acid!! I firmly beleive in it

Another true tale. 3-4 yr ago I traded a buddy out of a 65 cuda, the PO had stripped it to bare metal and it then sat outside all winter, Funny part is that it had surface rust on some panels but not others! WHY?? I don't know, I ran the DA over it and cleaned it up, prepped it with Ospho, ( phosphoric acid sol.) used a DTM epoxy primer, 2K sanding primer, and acrylic urethane topcoast. I had it for 2 years before I sold it, NO rust anywhere trying to form.
 
Wow good info and experience in here. Thanks guys! I will prep the metal and use epoxy primer and paint later when I’m done sanding down the whole engine bay. More pics to come!
 
That surface rust will come off down to small pits in the metal, to get it completely out you will have to sandblast. Worse case scenario the metal is thin. I am thinking the OP will not go that far yet. For now, sand it the best that you can, you can try a chemical rust stripper/converter, they seem to work, but I am not 100% convinced. You want to at least slow down or inhibit whatever rust is left and make the surface paintable, anything less will be rusty again in a short time.
 
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