Patching up rusty paintwork

[Welderpaul]

A couple of our vans are looking a bit worse for wear. Generally they are in good nick, but have rust spots about 50mm in diameter, plus the usual rust along the bottom of the door seams which makes them look tatty.

Car spray paint always seems to be like water: I presume its a case of getting rid of the loose stuff back to bare metal, whack the filler in, sand down then a number of coats of spray - primer..basecoat..top coat?
Any advice of the best makes to go for?

The tricky ones are in the middle of door panels where matching up might be tricky. Doesnt need to look like a show vehicle - just to tidy up and look reasonable.

 

[madkayaker]

There fords so designed to rust sand back rust treat over paint then sell

 

[Chickenjohn]

-snip- I presume its a case of getting rid of the loose stuff back to bare metal, whack the filler in, sand down then a number of coats of spray - primer..basecoat..top coat?
-snip-

If you want the job to last you have to completely get rid of ALL the rust before painting. The only way to get into the pits is with blasting, say a spot blaster otherwise the rust will be back in a couple of months- especially as winter is coming soon.

 

[barrygibson]

A good way of covering the stuff at the bottom of the doors is to first rub back to base metal then stone chip three inch up the door.Prime then over paint with your matched colour.
The spots you have in the centre of panels need rubbing back to good metal.treating with a good stopper then a coat of decent primer and then do a local repair.
This entails covering the primed area with colour then blowing the rest in with fade out thinners.
sometimes though its easier to just paint the full side depending on how many spots you have.

 

[steveo3002]

not sure if it would look tidy enough for you, but some brush on paint is much thicker and should cover it for longer

t cut around the repairs before you start , so you touch in onto fresh looking paint rather than a tired grubby finish

maybe consider masking the bottom 6-8" off and doing it a contrasting colour ?

 

[Dune]

Don't forget that it takes oxygen, potential difference and an electrolyte for rust to form. So where you have patches in the center of a panel thats because some of the paint has been chipped off. Bottom of doors if you just rip out and paint it will start again, you need to cover the inside of the door to stop any one of the three from rusting inside out.

 

[Philly]

Paint the vans burgundy, be harder to spot and you wont be fighting a losing battle

 

[Welderpaul]

Probably a bit agricultural, but we are on with the afformentioned patching/bodging works. Used a flap disc to get back to bare metal and applied fine filler and rubbed back. Have put primer coat on and will top coat in the morning. Whats the best way to 'blend' the new paint with the old. Inside wheel arches etc not a problem, as there is an edge to work to, but in some places they are isolated patches that will stand out.

Done the bumpers with some real heavy black stuff - back to black or something, turned the manky grey bumpers back to new. Done the insides of the cabs with baby oil, they look brand spanking new and has got rid of the smell of sweaty blokes.
I was thinking of selling them cos they were looking at bit manky but look like a new pin now. Off to look for some personalised plates to hide the ages. All cheaper than buying new.