This is a body/interior question. I took the metal support arms off the inside of my '72 Malibu (on each side of the windshield) and my plan is paint them. I noticed some surface rust which I wire-wheeled off. I went a little further and found some more rust, etc etc. graemlins/angry.gif I have almost got all the paint (and rust) off, but do I need to take every last speck of paint off, or just primer over what little is left? If I primer the bare metal, then paint color, that will work, right? graemlins/clonk.gif :D

Bare metal must de etch primed, regular primer cannot bite into metal.

???????

Sorry, I've never heard of de etch primer....Explain please..... :confused:

you can buy a little spray can of etch primer from paint store, just give it a light coat and them primer. Primer cant bite onto bare metal, it'll just peel off. So, bare metal then etch primer, primer, and paint.
Of course, Im one to talk, because i just painted some bare molding for headliner with semi-gloss... it held up on my last project... BUT do what you feel is the 'correct' way.

Bubba

If you want a good finish, get a bucket of water and some 600 grit wet-or-dry paper, which you can get at any auto supply store. Wet sand those pieces until they are smooth and the remaining paint is feather edged. This means not being to feel where a painted surface transitions to an unpainted surface when you drag a fingernail across it.

Rattle can primers and paints will work okay for this application. those pieces are mostly out of the weather and won't be subjected to much wear and tear.

70convert396 meant to say that it must "BE etched" not "DE etched". That was a typo.

Shows how much I know about paint and body! I would have looked real cute going to a paint store and asking for De Etch paint graemlins/clonk.gif I would expect them to want me out of the store then...

Hey thanks for all your help! I'm getting all the rust off tonight (waiting for my cordless drill to charge) and going to paint them tomorrow. I can't wait. :D

Has anyone ever seen those painted white? Headliner, seats and door panels will be white too. Dash is black

Randy thanks for addressing my typo- or maybe it is just 7th grade french coming back!

Marci- take your time and do it right the first time while you still have it apart. Get all the rust out, etch, prime and paint. If you must simplify you can get special trim paint that has etch built in.