Best way to treat the rust on my roof?

[timk225]

My 1973 Duster sat under a car cover of some sort for years before I got it. For the most part, the roof paint is worn away and it is all surface rust. I need to do something to kill the rust, prime, and paint it.

I've seen the Eastwood products and across thew variety of them, I think I can get it taken care of.

Can anyone give suggestions, like wire wheel the roof, spray with Eastwood this and them use Eastwood that, etc.

If some other brand than Eastwood is better, I can consider it.

Eastwood has an ad where they can match any factory paint, but they can't handle HL4 Sahara Beige, which is what my car is.

I have an enclosed garage to work on the car, so it can be done out of direct sunlight.

 

[Professor Fate]

LOTS of threads and opinions on this.
Use the search function and you'll be reading all night.
Here's a couple to get you started:
So my Duster is mostly Rust Free...
Rust Converter

 

[Oldmanmopar]

The best way to stop rust is to remove it. Cover the whole car with a heavy tarp. Cut the center out around the rust and tape it down with duct tape. Get a small sand blaster and sand blast the rust off. Then paint it use a good epoxy primer . After that scuff it and primer it with a fill in sand two part primer . Block sand it smooth and paint it. The rust will be gone for ever.

The most important is to cover and tape up where ever you don't want the sand.

I found all those products they sell to stop rust do not last as a permanent fix

We blast all surface rust off and then strip the rest of the carcar with paint stripper. after taping all the gaps. Then sand the bare metal with 220. We never paint over old paint. You can see the grinder marks on the body under the original paint done at the manufacture, You actually see what you are starting with. If you sand the car you never know whats under the paint.

 

[Demonracer]

Be sure to keep the pressure of the blaster to a minimum needed and do not concentrate on one area, move the nozzle around so you don't make the panel warp.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Be sure to keep the pressure of the blaster to a minimum needed and do not concentrate on one area, move the nozzle around so you don't make the panel warp.

We just stay back and don't pin point any spots. Use the blaster like a large sander. We also use crush glass. it is different then Glass beads. we do not use Black beauty or aluminum oxide. If you ever blast at night you can see the difference in the heat they make. Also crush glass gives a smoother finish. It cleans without removing metal. Use a tarp and reuse the product , Just screen in back in the pot.

 

[Demonracer]

OMM, I whole heartedly agree. Too many newbies think media blasting is a cinch until they realize how much damage is done.

 

[barbee6043]

^^^@Oldmanmopar That is the ultimate method IF you have a guy that can Do it! Worping metal is easy , be careful.
Second best. You have pitted metal I bet. It can be DA, use a big wire CUP on a right angle grinder, but that does not take care of pitted metal with rust in that pit. I use a phosphoric acid solution to attack that. There are many hundreds of threads here on that. I personally, have not used a "rust convertor" type product in 40 odd years, every since every body man I had talked to said don't. Never needed it.
Like said above^^^ after the metal is clean, using a top grade epoxy primer is keep, 3 coats! Then TOPCOAT.

 

[Super-Cuda]

The best way to stop rust is to remove it. Cover the whole car with a heavy tarp. Cut the center out around the rust and tape it down with duct tape. Get a small sand blaster and sand blast the rust off. Then paint it use a good epoxy primer . After that scuff it and primer it with a fill in sand two part primer . Block sand it smooth and paint it. The rust will be gone for ever.

The most important is to cover and tape up where ever you don't want the sand.

I found all those products they sell to stop rust do not last as a permanent fix

We blast all surface rust off and then strip the rest of the carcar with paint stripper. after taping all the gaps. Then sand the bare metal with 220. We never paint over old paint. You can see the grinder marks on the body under the original paint done at the manufacture, You actually see what you are starting with. If you sand the car you never know whats under the paint.

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Totally agree Oldmanmopar!

I've been through this process before as well.

I found rust and damage in the roof and I opted to replace it with a rust free one rather than end up having to re-do the original one again later.

 

[jos51700]

The best way to stop rust is to remove it. Cover the whole car with a heavy tarp. Cut the center out around the rust and tape it down with duct tape. Get a small sand blaster and sand blast the rust off. Then paint it use a good epoxy primer . After that scuff it and primer it with a fill in sand two part primer . Block sand it smooth and paint it. The rust will be gone for ever.

The most important is to cover and tape up where ever you don't want the sand.

I found all those products they sell to stop rust do not last as a permanent fix

We blast all surface rust off and then strip the rest of the carcar with paint stripper. after taping all the gaps. Then sand the bare metal with 220. We never paint over old paint. You can see the grinder marks on the body under the original paint done at the manufacture, You actually see what you are starting with. If you sand the car you never know whats under the paint.

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^^^@Oldmanmopar That is the ultimate method IF you have a guy that can Do it! Worping metal is easy , be careful.
Second best. You have pitted metal I bet. It can be DA, use a big wire CUP on a right angle grinder, but that does not take care of pitted metal with rust in that pit. I use a phosphoric acid solution to attack that. There are many hundreds of threads here on that. I personally, have not used a "rust convertor" type product in 40 odd years, every since every body man I had talked to said don't. Never needed it.
Like said above^^^ after the metal is clean, using a top grade epoxy primer is keep, 3 coats! Then TOPCOAT.

What defines a 'good' epoxy primer?

 

[barbee6043]

What defines a 'good' epoxy primer?

Years ago I used the good PPG epoxy. Great but HIGH! For quite a while now (years) I use Southern Polyurethanes out of Atlanta for all my primers. Epoxy, urethane. Great products and best tech, good prices, fast shipping. Lots of people on here use it.

 

[timk225]

^^^@Oldmanmopar That is the ultimate method IF you have a guy that can Do it! Worping metal is easy , be careful.
Second best. You have pitted metal I bet. It can be DA, use a big wire CUP on a right angle grinder, but that does not take care of pitted metal with rust in that pit. I use a phosphoric acid solution to attack that. There are many hundreds of threads here on that. I personally, have not used a "rust convertor" type product in 40 odd years, every since every body man I had talked to said don't. Never needed it.
Like said above^^^ after the metal is clean, using a top grade epoxy primer is keep, 3 coats! Then TOPCOAT.

Oh yes, there are definitely some pitted areas in the roof. No holes yet but the day is coming when there might be. I was thinking of wire wheeling the rust, then phosphoric acid cleaning the rust out of the pits, then after a lot of washing and neutralizing the acid, the epoxy primer. I do have a garage I can do the work in. But I only have one of those tiny little Craftsman 6 gallon air compressors. If it can even power a paint gun it won't do it for long.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

PPG. is what I used but any epoxy will work. Any holes blasted in apply an epoxy putty after you spray the roof with epoxy paint.

 

[barbee6043]

Oh yes, there are definitely some pitted areas in the roof. No holes yet but the day is coming when there might be. I was thinking of wire wheeling the rust, then phosphoric acid cleaning the rust out of the pits, then after a lot of washing and neutralizing the acid, the epoxy primer. I do have a garage I can do the work in. But I only have one of those tiny little Craftsman 6 gallon air compressors. If it can even power a paint gun it won't do it for long.

Back in the 70s. my dad (I was about 23) primed and pained my 2 horse inline trailer, with a small Seats compressor and it has maybe a 10 gal tank with a siphon gun. F8 Mopar green met and it turned out perfect. It was bis first time at such.
Some people on gere buy phosphoric acid and dilute, cheaper than Ospho is same thing just costs more. YES be sure to neutralize!!!!!! Blow dry with air works.
I shoot the SPI epoxy with a cheap HF gun, 1.5 tip and at about 28-9 pounds. The last coat can be reduced and used as a sealer.

 

[Bodyperson]

I've used Evaporust with great success. The instructions are right on the bottle. Use QUALITY paper towels, not those cheap blue rolls of Scott shop towels. I did this one overnight twice before a good cleaning and a light sandblasting before non sanding epoxy and primer surfacer.
You can see the rust being pulled into towels.

 

[volaredon]

Getting ready to deal with that on a truck cab. I have another roof for it if it comes to that. I'm hoping I can find someone who can just fill it with old school lead. Otherwise I'm gonna be slicing a roof off as well.

 

[jos51700]

Getting ready to deal with that on a truck cab. I have another roof for it if it comes to that. I'm hoping I can find someone who can just fill it with old school lead. Otherwise I'm gonna be slicing a roof off as well.

Keep us posted if you find the lead guy.

That's about the only thing I'd to do my car that would add weight that I wouldn't mind.

 

[timk225]

For an epoxy primer, do you have to specify an acid etching primer or are all epoxy primers like that?

To neutralize any rust removers, just use water, or water / baking soda or anything else?

 

[Killer6]

For an epoxy primer, do you have to specify an acid etching primer or are all epoxy primers like that?

To neutralize any rust removers, just use water, or water / baking soda or anything else?

Evaporust requires no neutralizing..and at least the original version of it before CRC bought it protected against flash-rust, & could be painted over if the part was cleaned & dipped in fresh solution. Took paint beautiful on suspension parts I did 7 years ago, still lookin' good.

 

[MMissile]

This one ain't changing, as long as I own it. It'll never see weather.

 

[mopowers]

Why the need to get fancy with a rust converter/acid product on a roof panel. Just sand it down and shoot on some primer.

 

[Super-Cuda]

The best way to stop rust is to remove it. Cover the whole car with a heavy tarp. Cut the center out around the rust and tape it down with duct tape. Get a small sand blaster and sand blast the rust off. Then paint it use a good epoxy primer . After that scuff it and primer it with a fill in sand two part primer . Block sand it smooth and paint it. The rust will be gone for ever.

The most important is to cover and tape up where ever you don't want the sand.

I found all those products they sell to stop rust do not last as a permanent fix

We blast all surface rust off and then strip the rest of the carcar with paint stripper. after taping all the gaps. Then sand the bare metal with 220. We never paint over old paint. You can see the grinder marks on the body under the original paint done at the manufacture, You actually see what you are starting with. If you sand the car you never know whats under the paint.

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BTW... That's a fantastic job on that car OldManMopar!

Love the color.

Metallics laid out perfectly!

 

[barbee6043]

For an epoxy primer, do you have to specify an acid etching primer or are all epoxy primers like that?

To neutralize any rust removers, just use water, or water / baking soda or anything else?

Acid etch primer and epoxy primer are not the same animals.
SPI tech says to NOT sprat their epoxy primer OVER self etch primer>
Best to always read the products tech sheet!

I neurtalize Ospho with water. Apply the neutralizing coat, let sit maybe 4-5 minutes BUT NOT dry, wash good with water, some soap probably does not hurt. There are lots of treads on this subject here, search. Blow dry with air, wipe, so as to not flash rust.

 

[timk225]

I spoke to a guy who does high end body and paint work today. I told him there were 2 tiny holes at the lower corners of the windshield that'll drip water if it rains hard. He gave me some useful tips. He says he'd have to pull the windshield to fix them, new rubber windshield mounting can be ordered from Year One. But be careful, if my windshield has chrome trim (it does), then that's a different rubber piece than a non chrome trim car. Interesting trivia.

 

[str12-340]

DA sander, gentle touch and patience.

 

[Bodyperson]

DA sander, gentle touch and patience.

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It depends on the depth of the pitting. Light surface rust is easily mitigated. 50 year old field rust is a different story.