Rust-stupid question

Silverfox

What does natural patina thingy mean? There is absolutly no flaking or holes. I really want this to be like new one day. The inside of this wagon is practically immaculate....... runs great..... I want it to look good on the outside too but I dont want to do anything dumb now. And thanks on the dog!

 

Natural patina...letting the car look its age with all its light rust and flaws showing but cleaned up real well. Makes the car look like an honest survivor. However, you have told me you don't want that and are shooting for original beauty. I like either one but your car, from the sound of it, likely lends itself to bringing it back to showroom. At least cosmetically. It does look like a nice box wagon...I like these box wagons and have built a few of them myself. Keep posting pix in and out and keep us posted on your resto chores!

 

Basically sanded down the rust, used body filler and now about to spray the touch up. It's far from perfect but i'm satisfied for now and it's been a learning experience. Now i just want to spray it and drive around the last couple of weeks of summer. However, the muffler has now gotten to the point where it's not driveable and I'm not sure if it's worth making a costly repair like that with the rust it has.

 

Stick a cheap muffler on there and drive it, mo!

 

After sanding, you need to apply (right away, after tacking) a primer-surfacer. Rust formation starts immediately on bare metal, and you need to cover it with something.

 

Heres Joe's F-85 wagon at a recent Friday night cruise in.
Everyone loves the patina on the wagon and it attracts alot of attention. The challenge with a look like this is to preserve it exactly like it is without letting it deteriorate.

 

Patina

How is that done? That looks awesome!

 

the muffler and pipes coming from it are all rusted and busted. going off what it cost me when my caprice sedan muffler went, it was a little over $200 if i remember correctly. it's hard to justify spending that right now.

if this comment was for me, i did put the primer on it once sanded. just didn't mention it in my post. the cover it with something i may have messed up there. i was waiting to get the color match spray.

 

Long moment, but thanks...

Yep, sand her down. Rust is really a live fungus, and if you're anywhere near any salty air, well, even 20 cans of spray paint will be a waste.

Once you get down to the rust rash or pit, you can use any of the rust-converter sprays, as long as they're compatible with your final paint type, then primer, then paint and wetsand, and repeat for as many coats as you want. My Roller job cost me just over $200 in 2007. I still have 2 quarts out of 4 quarts left and 4 cans of spray can, for door frames and those curvey zones. So maybe the real cost was about $150.

 

Grab a can of spray zinc chrome-ate primer works great to seal bare metal before you can get it finished.

 

To do it right you sand the surface rust and paint paint down to shiny bare metal with an orbital air or electric sander with 80 grit discs then shoot a coat of epoxy primer over it. The steel will be sealed from air and moisture and will never rust again from the outside, very durable so not easy to scratch or chip off, no need to paint over it if you don't want to right away, I waited three years on my Vista. You do all your filler over the epoxy unless it's a metal type filler that calls for it or lead. Avoid lacquer primer spray bombs, not compatible with the new finishes and it's porous, it will rust through it in a few days over bare steel without a finish to seal it. You'll need a compressor and gun or some way to spray the epoxy, or you can use a paint roller (common technique at body shops now), a brush would even work. It's a 2K/2 part mix and doesn't come in regular spray cans, not toxic like some other type primers and the clears so it won't kill or injure you, still use a respirator.
Kirker direct-to-metal Enduro-Prime epoxy is inexpensive and very good, you don't need etching primer over sanded steel, it's comparable to the name brand big-buck epoxies and lots of pros recommend it, compatible with all brand finishes.

Smart Shoppers has great prices on it along with other refinishing and body supplies.

http://www.smartshoppersinc.com/Kirker/primers.html

 

Some of the newer epoxy primers you need to sand and coat within 48 hours, or they get so hard that the top coat will not bond to them well. I only learned of this recently, when a friend primed and painted a car, and the paint started to peal after a few months. The rep from the paint manufacturer informed him of this fact when they came to inspect after he lodged a complaint with the manufacturer. It was on the instructions on the primer can, but like most people, he didn't read that far down on the instruction panel. The primer was as hard as glass. Paint and paint systems change faster than the average guy can keep up with them.

 

BV Thanks for that Kirker link.

Junk, what brand of epoxy paint. I can use that on my custom yard gate frame. I made it from old bed rails, had it welded up, and then painted it with Rustoleum, but its a pain to repaint the wooden boards, every couple years. That non-stick feature got my attention. Might even use it on the trailer and BBQ frame.

The green frame on these pivoting gates (rotate on greased bearings that fit perfectly on 1 inch hitch pins) - and the 4.5" steel posts are embedded 4.5 feet down (frost level) in that concrete apron under the gates.