Doing a frame off on my 65 malibu. I want to begin by sandblasting some small areas of rust, such as around windshield channel where calking used to be, on the inside of doors, and the front cowl area which was exposed once I removed the fenders.
Once I get to bare metal I need to cover with a primer, which may have to stay for about a year, before I take the car to paint shop for final painting. Not sure if I should use base coat, clear coat, or urethane, etc.
What kind of primer should I use on these small spot areas. I heard of a "wash primer" which may be better than an epoxy primer. I dont know anything about primers really. Can someone help? I was told by a paint shop salesman that I could use POR15 on the bare metal, then before it has cured, I cover it with primer or paint, this would avoid, he says, the ti-coat primer by POR15. I have used POR15, have some left over, it seems a good product. Do they sell epoxy primers in spay bombs? as I dont need much to cover small spots. After I do the spots of rust, I intend to remove all remaining paint on car, by chemical stripper I think. I should use epoxy primer then? YOur comments please.

Bhawk. I have done the same thing with my 66. I have a very short paragraph on my webpage http://www.si.hhs.nl/~rob/experience.html about blasting and priming. Are you leaving the car inside or outside ? Most (all?) primers absorb moisture. I wouldn't leave it outside for a year without covering the primer with paint. 2K primer will cure over time, which makes it nearly impossible to use it in a spray bomb.

Rob



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www.si.hhs.nl/~rob (http://www.si.hhs.nl/~rob)

rusty66, what is 2K primer? The car will be inside all the time I expect. Now that I think more about it, the primer is not likely to be on more than about 9 months. Are you suggesting I use what you call a wash primer, then cover it over within a certain number of hours with an expoxy primer?

Bhawk. Modern primers are 2 component based : primer and hardener. When mixed the primer will cure in some 2 - 8 hours depending on brand, type, mixing ratio an temperature. When spraying a reducer is added. Mixing is done according to man. prod. sheet.
As far as I understand the best primer for bare metal is a wash primer (contains phosphoric acid to neutralise any surface rust), but that should be covered with an epoxy primer before doing the rest of the bodywork (you cannot put plastic poly. filler directly on top of a wash primer). When done wet on wet the latter must be sprayed within the curing time of the first (some 2 hours). When cured you should sand in between.
When media blasting the bare metal should be covered with a primer within 8 hours. I was not familiar with wash primers and sprayed epoxy primer on the bare metal.

Rob
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www.si.hhs.nl/~rob (http://www.si.hhs.nl/~rob)

[This message has been edited by rusty66 (edited 09-07-2001).]

I sprayed epoxy primer over the bare metal immediatly after blowing loose sand off the metal. One thing I should have done, was make sure I had ALL the sand off the metal. I have places where the sand is in the paint. You can't get it out after the epoxy dries.
The epoxy is very tough stuff. The only drawback is before you can spray any primer over it, you should scuff the surface with some 80 grit in a D/A. The epoxy has a very smooth finish that does not bond well unless you do this.