I plan to do all the body prep work on my 72 Chevelle and then have the car professionally painted. I don't have any of the equipment I would need to prime the car myself.

So here's the catch. As I slowly prepare different sections of the car for painting over the next couple of months, how do I prevent the metal from rusting in the meantime? Do I have to re-sand the whole car when I'm ready to prime or is there something i can put on the bare metal to keep it from rusting while it's waiting to be primed?

I can't be the first person running into this problem, so I hope someone has some practical advice to offer.

Thanks!

Rattle cans ?

Originally posted by Dean:
Rattle cans ? If I use primer in a can I believe I'd have to strip it all off in the end anyway so that a real primer could be applied. There's got to be an easier way!

Originally posted by larry757:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Dean:
Rattle cans ? If I use primer in a can I believe I'd have to strip it all off in the end anyway so that a real primer could be applied. There's got to be an easier way! </font>[/QUOTE]I think your SOL, bud. I've seen products that can be applied and will hold of rust for a few days or a week but.........

If I am wrong I would like to know as well since I will be in the same boat here shortly and I am confined to a garage where I cannot spray from the compressor I am getting, even primer, since my friggin water heater / pilot light is right there. Fear I would send the joint up in flames.

A light coat of etching primer in a rattlecan will do the trick,it will come off easily with thinner or a light sanding. A guy I know had a 65 Impala stripped to bare metal and was putting something clear on it with a rag. This car sat outside for a while and metal was still perfect. He re- applied every so often. Not sure what it was though. Check with Eastwood possibly?

I'm doing my '72 the same way. I'm using Sherwin Williams 988 G.B.P. Self Etching primer. It's a rattle-can primer, but works great. Did my roof & cowl area after they were taken down to bare metal. It's held up great. Our weather has gone from 0 to 64 and back to 0 with all sorts of rain & snow tossed in. With all that moisture, I'm surprised anything short of paint would work. $7.90 per can. I won't have to take it back off when it comes time to put the other coat on. [ least i hope not ]

You don't have too but... the 2 part etch has acid in it and bonds much better.

I understand doing it yourself, although I really doubt you will find a professional shop who will paint a car with your "rattle can" primer work, no matter how good it looks.

I suggest taking an auto body shop course at your local vocational school or community college in the evening.

A paint job is lots of prep (your elbow grease here), quality materials (rattle cans don't cut it), lots more prep, and quality paint. IN fact, I'd rather see more money spent on body prep (sanding, etch, blocking & primers) than on the paint.

If nothing else, after the class, you may find a paint job is more than the guy that sprays the last color.

Originally posted by DG:
I really doubt you will find a professional shop who will paint a car with your "rattle can" primer work, no matter how good it looks.
He said he wanted temporary rust prevention, he intends to sand it back off I think.

It is very easy to sand back off


Just turn the WH off MM

Dean,
Ok, I stand corrected.

But I think the auto shop class is probably the best bet since you may be able to "project" your car if you plan on doing it yourself.

This is a good option to get to the tools like the sanders, compressors, spray guns, etc....

Maybe take the class more than once to do areas of your car, finishing each area with epoxy primer, which is the most durable primer.

Another suggestion is to put your car in the hands of an auto shop class. Course, I would get real familiar with the class, & the instructor.

And I would check in frequently.

When you finish a panel you could take it to a body shop or friend with a gun and have it sprayed with epoxy. No since in doing the work twice. If you supply the primer I bet someone would spray it cheap.

You really don't need much in the way of a compressor or spray gun to apply primer, somebody has one you can borrow-ask around. Wear a good respirator and have good ventilation. PPG and Transtar both offer a DTM roll-on primer, some shops really like the stuff but I've never tried it. Bob

Just to clarify what I said earlier, I'm not using the rattle can primer on whole car. Just the roof until the vinyl top gets put back on.

72Boo, you really need a paint of some kind under that vinyl top, a single stage urethane would be my choice.

baddbob71- Thanks--It'll be painted when the rest of the car is painted. I just put it on for winter. If the shop feels they need to restrip it and put better on, they will. [ I shouldve clarified that as well. graemlins/clonk.gif ]

Enrolling in a body & fender class at a local Vocational school sounds like a great idea for folks that don't have any of the necessary tools and equipment.

If you get to bring in your own vehicle and work on it yourself with supervision and learn while doing it too, you couldn't ask for a better deal.

Originally posted by Dean:


Just turn the WH off MM LMAO!!!! Well, theres a novel idea. hahahha, Oh man I need help. :D :D

I can design and blueprint an entire network platform in my sleep and cant think to turn off the damn water heater. Sheesh.....now where did I leave that common sense.......