Paint & Body Gurus: Body Rust Fix

[firefighter7128]

Ok, got some rust comming on. I want to do what someone else should have done long ago. Cheapest method to stop and fill? I have seen spray on rust stop/filler in auto parts stores. suggestions? Also, how can i get a rattle can of my color to touch that up until i need to paint the whole car?

[Dave L]

you will need to cut the rust out then fiberglass over the hole. Welding in a patch is preferable. Once the fiberglass is down use bondo, prime and paint. If you just sand then prime and paint over it will come back.

A decent auto paint place will be able to mix you paint based on your paint code and then put it into a spray can. The other option is to have them scan your paint with a tool instead of the paint code.

[jsteve340]

For the spray paint in the can go to www.paintscratch.com .

[jackrussell]

Scrape, sand, and wire brush to remove ALL rust--- metal will be shiny. Fill and shape with Dyna-glass short strand fiberglass filler from auto parts store. File and sand to original shape. Take car to a Carquest auto paint store, have them scan your paint with their hand-held camera which gives the the paint formula to fill a spray can. Primer the area and spray. You may also need to spray on a clear coat. Ask where you get the matching spray paint.
If you get down to the bare metal this should be good for several years.

[jsb944]

As another option, which some may say is 'more correct'....you can easily get this part cut from a parts car...bring it to a trusted body shop and have a proper, welded repair performed.

The problem with any of the fixes (this one included) is that if you:

a) dont' get all the rust, it will reappear

b) don't find a way to get some rust protection inside of the above repair it will likely come back.

I have a similar issue I'll be facing on my S2...probably next year.

I've gotten the part from a parts car and will have it welded in.

I plan to leave a small 'port' through which I can spray undercoat into the void...then I have to decide if I am leaving the port opened as a drain or plugging it up.

[jackrussell]

Originally Posted by jsb944

As another option, which some may say is 'more correct'....you can easily get this part cut from a parts car...bring it to a trusted body shop and have a proper, welded repair performed.

The problem with any of the fixes (this one included) is that if you:

a) dont' get all the rust, it will reappear

b) don't find a way to get some rust protection inside of the above repair it will likely come back.

I have a similar issue I'll be facing on my S2...probably next year.

I've gotten the part from a parts car and will have it welded in.

I plan to leave a small 'port' through which I can spray undercoat into the void...then I have to decide if I am leaving the port opened as a drain or plugging it up.

Firefighter asked for the CHEAPEST way to make the repair. The picture shows a very small and accessible area to fix. I agree that ALL rust must be removed if possible. Another way to handle the rust though, if a small amount remains, is to spray on Eastwood Rust Encapsulator primer on the bare metal BEFORE applying the fiberglass filler. This would be good to use if any welding is done also.
All the welding jobs I have seen eventually show rust in the welds. In my opinion, welding may not be the ultimate cheapest way to repair small areas.

[jsb944]

I agree..welding a piece in is NOT the cheapest. I did a volvo 23 years ago (my 1st car) with rust 're-former' and duro-glass....it turned out great and lasted for 10 years before rusting through again....if you do that method correctly it works.

[firefighter7128]

what i think i am going to do it wire brush/sand the use the filler that is also a rust killer then primer with a light grey until i can get some paint than touch it up. should look ok when all done.

[jackrussell]

Originally Posted by firefighter7128

what i think i am going to do it wire brush/sand the use the filler that is also a rust killer then primer with a light grey until i can get some paint than touch it up. should look ok when all done.

Just curious---What is the filler with rust killer? May be better yet!

[firefighter7128]

i dont know the name of it. I have a freind who is the GM for a chain of AutoZones and he was showing me a spray can of filler that will also eat rust. it was $6.99 or so. He said clean the area, spray this into/on it, sand down, primer and paint. i'' go get some tonight and update.

[strath44]

The sad thing with a lot of the 944's here in the Uk is that the sills are getting really bad with rust. My old 84 looked like this pic when i bought the car and once i removed all the antistone chip it was worse underneath (unfortunately rusts from the inside out).

My advice would be to remove the vent cover in the door slam panel and have a good splash round with a long handled artists style brush with rust killer down where the quarter panel seam runs and then spray in a rust inhibitor like dinitrol or similar we have waxoil here in the uk. I think you can also get into the sill from access gromits behind the carpet near the seat.

In the end I had to get a local bodyshop to cut out and fabricate new sills on both sides and they are very good. The owner suggested that the best prevention to this would be some small drain holes in the sill to prevent moisture build up. This is def the achillies heel of these cars - that whats sending them to the scrapper in the uk due to the climate!

I would recommend anyone with even a tiny bit of rust showing or a bubble on the stone chip sealant (on the sills) to take the vent cover off have a look witha torch and get some antirust treatment in there asap! Prevention is cheaper than the cure will post some pics later!