Rust bubbles......what would you do with...

I started with a small rust bubble under the paint....about the size of a nickel. It is located on the doors down low.
I started grinding only to find bondo from the previous owner. I found a couple small pinholes but nothing major.
I am afraid that this may turn into a full blown door reskin if I keep taking away the mud.

Should I remove it all then deal with it or throw some POR-15 on the inner doorskin and throw mud back over it? It's on the 50 Fleetline. I'll try and post pics tomorrow.

 

It really matters how long you want the door to last, if you wanted to spend the time on it i would get it all sandblasted to see what your dealing with, then put in how bad of shape its in and worth fixing or cheaper and less time to replace. If all you see is a couple pinholes it shouldnt be too bad underneath there. Pics will help when you post them. Nate

 

Hey Root,
you better see how far them bubbles have gone..I started with the same size rust bubble on the Dodge in the rear wheel lip by the time i got done looking at it the whole lip had to fixed

 

Roothawg-I would recommend taking a flashlite and a small mirror and get in the inner door and look over the BACKSIDE of that lower door skin. Then you really could tell how much trouble you're in........

 

Root, I say go all the way to bare metal, and repair it as needed to rid it of rust.
Then, after is is repaired, fill with filler as needed to smooth it, then finish as you would have before you found the bubbles.
You did say this was the favorite son's car?
And you were teaching him how to work on the car?
Jim

 

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I am afraid that this may turn into a full blown door reskin

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door reskin!? ****, mine turned into a full-car bare-metal respray!! be careful!!!

 

I took it down to bare metal and all I saw was a couple of pinholes in the metal. I guess the water was running in the pinholes and causing the filler to want to lift. I will probably take it all out....cause that's the way I am. Dang......

 

Fix it.....now. I had the same deal on my car when I bought it...old bondo on the doors, tiny bubbles... Took it down, POR'ed both sides, painted it...and 8 mo. later bubbles again. Lived with it for a while, did the same process over, spotted the paint back in on the corner of the door...and it's back again. Apparently there is a lot of overlap when the inner and outer skin meet...and there's no way to get the rust out once it starts other than cutting the outer skin off. Thant's probably why you will see my car in primer...or at least spots next year..It's driving me nuts...like a wart on a supermodel or something...

Brian

 

yeah, I am in the same boat now with my rear quarters. Now I tried you route using the POR15 and it still got worse. Now my Bellflowers are in the way and I still have the same bubbles but more of them, so I too well be having primer spots for a while, because I cant get to them now with the bellflowers in the way..

 

Remove the paint from the whole car. Set it out outside for the winter. The pinholes won't be an issue then the car will finally have the Hamb patina.
If you do decide not to reskin, After treating the cancer with your concoction of rust killers and welding if necessary. My advise would be to put a first coat of fibergl*** resin on before using the easily workable stuff. Fibergl*** will prevent any moisture from seeping through to the outer paint. I hate rust bubbles (frustrating little *******s)

 

It is low in that area. Looks like there might have been some damage previously. I may just grind it all out. I am afraid of what I may find. The rust doesn't seem to be that bad.

 

the worst thing about the little *******s is that if you see one you know it's happening everywhere.

you probably have paper thin metal in the other door, in the rockers, in the wheel wells, in the radiator support, where the inner fenders attach to the body, in the trunk, in the drip rails, around the headlights, at the bottom of the rear gl***, every lap joint, every spot weld, every boxed brace, inside and under everything that can catch moisture...

there is only one solution if you want it to last, cut out bad, replace with good.

Paul

 

Hey Root,
As has been stated, take the bondo out and see, otherwise you will always wonder when rust is gonna raise its ugly head again. I found no rust on the Grand Prix when I started working on it but there were two spots where they had filled in dents about the size of my fist with bondo. Better safe than redoing a paint job prematurely.

 

Root,
I'd probably por15 the inside of the door.
I would definatly dig the mud out and if you can remud it here's a trick an old guy (older than me) taught me.
Before you smear any mud back on it paint the rusted area with some fibergl*** resin (minus the cloth).
When the resin is dry then mud over the resin. If you don't seal it up the rust will keep popping through.

 

Ya'll can believe that tale about fibergl*** resin sealing rust and blocking moisture if you want too..I've tried it. You can also use newspaper, screen wire and bondo to repair rusted rockers. It might take the rust longer to show up, but it will still be there. The only solution is total removal of the affected area.

Brian