Alittle back story befor i ask some stuff & sorry for the longish lifestory read just want to explane as i feel like a idiot not knowing this stuff. So i've had my car for 2 years(51 packard) but only got it home recently and tore into it.Problem is the 2 people who were supose to help me out with it and teach me screwed me over so i no longer talk to them as i'm 22 loved cars my whole life but my dad(one of the morons) always put me down when it came to cars(he loved them but always thought i'd rather play video games over play with cars which he was wrong so he never asked showed etc). So i have no help at all besides 2 friends who want to learn with me as they want projects also & all the old guys at the car shows look at me like i'm stupid when i ask any question since i'm younger so this is the only real place i can turn too.So if you want to flame me go find someone eles as i really don't need it and yes i know some of these may be basic & the stupidest questions ever but i want to make sure i do the job right the first time. When ever in the futur i need to know something i'll post here which will most likely be alot. #1-I started to sand my car & everythings not coming off so i'm guessing i need a different paper right?What kind should i use and were could i get it or is it something eles i need to do to get everything off and down to bare metal?Theres also some places were theres like little deeper rust holes.Do i need to do anything different for those? #2-I can't afford anything other then paint can primer right now as i need to buy my floors & other parts for it so i was looking and whats the difference between primer sealer & sandable primer and if i need both which stages do i use them at? I'll have more questions in the futur i'm just trying to get it all sanded this weekend so hence why i only have those 2 questions for now.Thanks for any help
You won't get flamed here for asking questions, you'll get flamed here for asking questions that won't help you towards building a cool, reliable, and safe car. 1) I wouldn't worry about sanding your car down until you get the drivetrain worked out. A rough looking car that drives is much better than a nice looking car that sits. 2) Normal sandable primer is just a base for your paint to stick to. If you don't seal it, rust will still happen because the primer won't hold moisture out. There are some really knowledgeable folks here, stick around, we all want to see you younger guys "get it".
Why do you want it to bare metal first off? Yes rust will need to be cut out till you get to good metal and weld in a lil patch. If you do bondo work you use sealer so when you paint it looks more uniform w no bleed through. Sandble primer is usually thicker and will sand better w/o rolling up and crudding the sandpaper all up.
Your metal has begun the pitting stage. Sandpaper will not help you. It would take forever to get all the rust that way. There are two ways to attack this problem. 1 using power and 2 using chemicals. 1 Using a power tool such as a DA (dual action sander) with an 80 grit pad, just go at it with light touch. Too much in one spot will heat up a large panel and warp it. You are taking down the good metal as well as the bad this way but you'll end up with a perfectly clean panel. 2 Chemically strip the panel with commercially available rust treatment. http://www.kbs-coatings.com go here and read up on this stuff, it WORKS. You can use some home grown solutions like vinegar and the like but they usually require you soak the part in them for several days. Doing a fender or door wouldn't be feasible. As for your second question. If can primer is all you can afford, use metal etching primer as soon as you get the panel clean. It says as it's name implies, it etches itself into the metal chemically. Sandable primer is used to build up a coat on the panel that you sand smooth and is one of the latter steps in bodywork. Primer Sealer is THE last step before paint as it acts as a barrier between the primer, the body filler, the scratch glaze and your final paint coat.
Maybe put together a priority list and break the project down into groups as it won't seem so overwhelming. Check Eastwood.com for information on primers etc. As for the repairs, do them first. RichG has some good advice. As for learning, there are lots of knowledgeable people here and some will try to help you out. Just know that a few will bust your chaps no matter what. Just ignore them, I think alot of us want to see you succeed in your project. I'm not much on body and paint but I can probably help out when it comes to the mechanical and electrical part. Post some pics of your project so we can see what you are working with. Good luck! Eli
milecoupe, My personal opinion is also what I end up doing on my cars, which has nothing to do with your questions. The car in your avitar looks rusty, but I think I would just do what you need to for now to get the car running and mess with the paint later. If you are just learning this hobby it can be overwelming. We all started just where you are, not knowing anything. It all comes with time and experiance. Get the floor solid, the doors to shut and open, the brakes working good, and the engine running. You will have plenty of money in it by that time. Having a running car beats having a shiny one that is just setting waiting for money on all the mechanical parts you need. If its setting outside I guess it would be a good idea to keep it from rusting any worse. I am probably not the best one to answer your real questions. yes I do all my own work, but probably not the correct way. still learning after all these years. I hope I didnt come across wrong with advice, but you do sound kinda tense!! Just keep plugging away. It looks like its gonna be a really cool ride.
I'm with the other guys on this one. I wouldn't get too excited about sanding on the body until I got it running and driving and fixed any rust damage like floor boards first. For one, when you are working at getting it running, changing engines or what not, you are going to be leaning over the fenders a lot and any new primer or paint will stand a big chance of getting scratched up or marked up. Secondly, the "patina" thing is big right now even though I personally don't like it. It's just tired old worn out paint to me. But a lot of guys think it's cool and the hot lick so you aren't going to get beat up on if you do all the mechanical things first and then worry about slicking the body out. What are the plans? Keep the original engine or swap engines? Scrubbing it down with C.L.R.
They're right. Get it running first. If you don't have any money, you'll get it all torn down and it will just set there. Then you'll get discouraged and just want to get rid of it. If you get it driving, you can slowly work on it as you get the money and you'll still be able to have fun in it. And that's what it's all about! For questions about bodywork (and everything else) try this: http://www.how-to-build-hotrods.com/
^ This. When I was a teen I tore down several cars and never finished them-just for the reason listed above. You'll be bummed when your car is all torn apart, looking like shit and you don't have the $ or knowledge to make it look pretty again. Like the others have said, resist the urge to do the body first-get it running and enjoy it!
Young fella, you have to hold the dream of driving this thing alive. These cats have obviously been there. Respect thier wisdom. I'm dealing with the mistakes of my youth with my own car. It's torn down, disorganized. An 80's mess. Sure, I wanted a shiny show car. Now, a car that goes, stops, and steers is what I'm struggling to achieve. I bare metalled the body back when, then life happened, and now I have a car left with a "cover the metal, we're moving house " type paint job, y'know? Worse than that is the buckets of rusty nuts & bolts. Bottom line - get it running- people pay for patina. BTW, how rusty is it after sitting in the grass?
Fix your floors , drive train , brakes and good tire . That way you can drive it and enjoy the car as you fix it . If not it will sit and rot away because you have nothing but a pile of parts sitting in the garage that was once a driveable car ! Make a list of what you want to do to the car and STICK TO THE LIST ! If you keep changing the list , the car will never get done ! You have to have a plan to build a car . just do it in steps and it will be done before you know it . Just a thought ! Retro Jim
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