Keep in mind this is a low dollar summer driver project. 1973 Coupe Deville. I removed the vinyl top due to rust bubbles underneath. Only one hole in the lower window channel will need to be fixed and I will probably take it to a shop to have that area fixed. There are other spots on the top. Maybe a dozen small (quarter size) areas and a couple of big areas (dollar bill size) that the metal is pitted pretty deep. I wire brushed them and there is no holes. I was going to POR15 the areas and be done with it but the top guy says I should do some body work so the top would turn out better. Any ideas on the proper steps to a nice finished product?

Don't use POR-15 on rust. It's junk, period. It's good for maybe painting the inside of a garbage can, but don't use it on your car. Wire wheel or blast the rust pits, then fill them with plastic or filler primer, then sand flat. Prime with epoxy primer. Then top coat it with a good enamel of some sort.

Ok, So wire wheel the pits, then use a filler primer, or are you talking about a plastic filler??? Also, I was thinking epoxy had to be aplied to bare metal. You are saying to put epoxy on top of a filler primer or epoxy on top of a plastic filler?? Just set me straight if you can.

There are several ways to deal with rust pits, assuming the rust is gone.

I do the body filler on bare steel, then etch, then filler primer. It's your call. If the pitting isn't real bad and can be filled with filler primer, you can skip the body filler.

Talk to your paint rep about how their paints work. You have to decide if epoxy primer is needed, or if you can get away with etching primer.

I use Sherwin-Williams, and their epoxy can go on first, then plastic filler can go over it.