I had to fabricate new front and rear window channels on my 72 chevelle because the vinyl top had done it's job to the best. I soda blasted the entire top when finished and epoxed it till I had more time to get back to the body work. I wiped the bare metal with laquer thinner just prior to spraying..here it is 3 months later and I have rust trying to come through it in places. I have a quart of etching primer, was wondering if I needed to restrip roof and use it. But I don't think I should have this problem of rust..Just trying to figure what I did wrong..The epoxy was sherman willams off brand I think..I bought it at napa...I never used epoxy before and with saying that...should have i left it alone. I don't mind being told to leave it to the pro's Just wanted to do it myself.:thumbsup:

I think your problem is the soda blasting. Check out the SPI forum on soda blasting or call up Barry at SPI

http://spi.forumup.org/viewtopic.php?t=1745&highlight=soda+blasting&mforum=spi

That is a great link.

I did not know how soda would need careful cleaning afterwards. Seems like no matter what, stripping a car is just gonna be a lot of work in the garage, regardless of which method chosen.

I wanted to have my Elco's body dipped and EDP'd. I can get the dipping locally, but here in SoCal I don't know where I can have it put into the primer bath.

Eric

I bead blasted the top of a guys 66 8 yrs ago, it had some pitting and mild rust. We used POR-15 on top of it. then he used etching pimer, paint, no issues.

Soda does little to nothing on rust, so if you had rust pits in the metal soda blasting didnt remove those pits.

Etching primer is outdated technology, it too would have had rust bubbling back through.

I would strip the roof back to metal then cover the roof with navel jelly. Navel jelly will eat away any rust you have without harming the metal, its llike paint stripper but for rust.
Keep the surface moist and scrub the metal with a red scuff pad as well, this helps speed up the process.
Once the metal is clean wipe the surface with water. Then wipe it clean with a water borne surface cleaner like PPG's dx101.
Sorry but lacquer thinner is a very poor surface cleaner.
Now da sand the roof with 80grit, wipe the metal clean again with surface cleaner then epoxy prime...Eric

I'll do it to it.......Here in memphis we don't really have any good restore shops..we have some hot rod builders, but they tend to look down on us do it yourselfers here..it's all or nothing attitude from the few I've met..I would love to to dip this body in something to clean and prep it...just have to do it by hand..gives me a reason to drink with buddies