What would you use as a top and under coat for the areas? I won't be able to work on it until tomorrow..but want to make sound decision on what I pick up. As I was looking at the aerosol spray liner to use.
CUTLASS Interior refresh project
- Thread starter RICKDIZZLE
- Start date
In my dad's '78 Camaro with relatively clean pans we just used primer and topped it with latex house paint, but that's not exactly the right way. I still have yet to do the entire floor of the Cutlass but I cleaned the surface rust under the rear seating area with Rust-Oleum Rust Dissolver then covered it with rust converter spray, then sealer primer. For top coat I just used regular flat black enamel inside, and intend to treat the underside the same way. I may switch it up and go with Farm & Implement paint but it's still just acrylic enamel over sealer primer. I think that's enough, but am interested in also using a galvanizing spray if it's compatible with the paint. That's new territory for me, as is cavity wax and protective films.
Started with this:
Converter Spray
Sealer
Enamel
I have no experience with but am interested in trying Fluid Film, Rust Kote, Corrosion X, CRC Corrosion Inhibitor, and Krylon WL740 Zinc Rich Galvanizing Compound. It seems to me that galvanizing, sealing, and painting would be great, and a film of wax would be extra protection for the underside of the car. And it can be removed or reapplied.
Hopefully someone with a bit more experience will chime in.
Thanks for the detailed reply. I want to get this right the first time lol. I don't want it coming back or making it worse.
I really should have attacked mine differently but I get a feeling that you'll be thorough as all hell. Just be sure to replace any seam sealer that's bad or missing- that black junk just pops right off.
I got down under the car and cleaned up the bottom side from my welding and what not, around the rusted spots that had holes.
From there I got down with 100 grit sandpaper and started to hit all rust spots and general area around the rust inside the car. I also removed the seam sealer from that front drivers side section. I plan to this weekend, hit it with the acid and then move forward. You guys think this needs more prep work or is this a solid start?
From there I got down with 100 grit sandpaper and started to hit all rust spots and general area around the rust inside the car. I also removed the seam sealer from that front drivers side section. I plan to this weekend, hit it with the acid and then move forward. You guys think this needs more prep work or is this a solid start?
Today did a lil more front floor clean up and moved on to acid treatment.
Then I hit it with the Ospho acid. Ensure you wear chemical gloves and eye protection. This stuff is nasty lol. Painted a thin layer on everything I prepped inside. (Also dabbed it on the raw spots under the car too) It is working very well as to be expected. Areas that had any light rust after sanding with 80 and 100 grit started to turn black pretty quick as it was changing the chemical composition of the rust. This is after about and hour and a half.
This stuff is thin like water so a very little goes a long way. I will let it fully dry for the 24+ hours it recommends. It will create some "white powdery residue" as it cures and dries as seen above.
My next steps are as follows:
I will fully clean all the areas with acetone that were treated today. Then I will be using marine grade epoxy to back fill the pin holes from the top and bottom of the floor board. Once that fully cures and it sanded down, I will hit it with some form of sealer. Slow but steady progress. Trying to do this right to prevent more issues many years down the road.
Then I hit it with the Ospho acid. Ensure you wear chemical gloves and eye protection. This stuff is nasty lol. Painted a thin layer on everything I prepped inside. (Also dabbed it on the raw spots under the car too) It is working very well as to be expected. Areas that had any light rust after sanding with 80 and 100 grit started to turn black pretty quick as it was changing the chemical composition of the rust. This is after about and hour and a half.
This stuff is thin like water so a very little goes a long way. I will let it fully dry for the 24+ hours it recommends. It will create some "white powdery residue" as it cures and dries as seen above.
My next steps are as follows:
I will fully clean all the areas with acetone that were treated today. Then I will be using marine grade epoxy to back fill the pin holes from the top and bottom of the floor board. Once that fully cures and it sanded down, I will hit it with some form of sealer. Slow but steady progress. Trying to do this right to prevent more issues many years down the road.
Put masking tape on the bottom of the floor to keep the epoxy from running through the holes onto your garage floor. Learned that one the hard way.
Today did a final clean up prior to epoxy. So learned a valuable lesson. Originally started to do a wipe down with acetone...until I realized it was softening the paint in areas of the floor I didn't want to lol. So after cleaning that up, resanding all that with 100 grit and ensuring I was good, I then wiped it all down with odorless mineral spirits. Worked perfectly. Let fully dry and even used a hair dryer to ensure it was all evaporated out. Then as being that I had a couple tiny pin holes post welding. I taped the underside and mixed up some Marine Epoxy. I then ensured I pushed it into any area with a pin holes and "skim coated" a thin layer over those problem areas. This I will let cure for at least 24 hours then uniformly blend it down by hand sanding. I will then put a skim layer on the underside spots as well and do the same there. Then going to apply fresh seam sealer and let it cure. Next I will shoot a sealer/paint. Thinking about using POR-15 Top Coat and Sealer. Not 100% sure on what I will use just yet. Was gonna use Rustoleom Reform and Seal. Still doing some more research here. This is how it looks today. I even put a lil skim coated on areas that previously had some deterioration. The epoxy is visible by its darker color gray
That is a lot of work you are undertaking, and it looks very thorough.
In my research about sealers, people said that Mastercoat makes the best sealer now. KBS and POR-15 are up there too.
In my research about sealers, people said that Mastercoat makes the best sealer now. KBS and POR-15 are up there too.
Today knocked down the cured epoxy. Then cleaned up the seam sealer in the rear and up under the rear seat. Passenger side sealant appears pretty solid. So not intending on messing with it. I got down and put down new seam sealer across the drivers side. I honestly can't belive how big the gap was at the rear floor pan to rear seat. Like 1/2"...not even kidding. I took care to fully clean it out and clean the areas of seam sealer. Then hit with 80 grit paper, cleaned again and put the sealant down. Probably work on masking and taping stuff tomorrow then my next day off hit it with paint. As being I live in a dry climate and car only sees water when washed, I'm not using a rubber coating on the inside. Will use a coat of Rust Reformer on the bare metal, then top coat with a matte white of sorts. Thus if a problem starts again..I should be able to see it vs have it trapped in/under rubber. At least that is how I hope it works lol. Pics of today's progress.
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