• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Rust protection and paint preparation

Share this page

LuckyLuke

LuckyLuke

Senior Member
Offline
Rust protection and paint preparation


For best paint preparation I'm looking for the following product information:

1. Primer for aluminum shroud
2. Primer for under chassis and inner fender for rust protection
2. Finish paint for inner fenders to resist pitting from gravel (softer paint?)

Spray wax for sills and inner chassis to protect corrosion
 
The best primer for the aliminum is zinc chromate but it can be hard to find. West Marine sells it in spray can form and 4 or 5 cans should be good for the whole car.

I have used any regular primer for the frame and chassis and topcoated it with enamel in the same color as the body.
 
If you have access to an automotive spray gun then use PPG DP-40 Epoxy primer (they also make other colors). Sand the metal first w/180 grit, or use the appropriate metal conditioner. This is good for steel and aluminum. PPG has an excellent web site that describes their products. Go to PPG - Automotive Refinish and navigate to the product descriptions.

PPG Concept is a 2 part 1 step urethane top coat. It's very tough although somewhat shiney. I use a flattener to tone down the gloss on chassis parts.

I have used PPG products for years with good results. Dupont also makes excellent products. However stick to the same manufacturer to avoid surprises.
 
I would second the idea of PPG epoxy primer, I painted a car with it 15 years ago, I no longer have the car but see it now and again, everything is still sticking down and nothing is rusting. Be very careful, once it dries about the only way to get it off is to sand it, burn it or nuke it, options you may not want to have to explore with many parts of the car. If everything is stripped bare probably not so much of an issue.


I would second the PPG Concept as well, it does not chip or scratch easily, sticks well, and runs can be sanded or cut off and buffed out.
 
3M makes a clear rocker chip protectant, available in rattle cans. I've had it on my other LBC for years, on the inside of the fender wells, and on the underside of the chassis, with good results. It dries clear, with a bit of a textured appearance. Pretty foolproof in application.

Be careful with all paint application, especially the two part epoxies and the zinc chromate. Nasty stuff.
 
Cutlass made a good point with the precautions and I should have mentioned it. Concept and epoxy primers (basically all paints with hardeners) contain iso cyanates. Most resperators have cautions on them about iso cyanates. Unless you have a positive pressure face mask be very careful around this stuff. Even skin contact can be hazardous.

Be sure to read the MSDS and other manufacturers precautions. Use common sense and don't be a tough guy!!
 
Back
Top