Just a little up date for this thread. As mentioned, I was planning to work on paint as soon as temperatures warmed up in the spring. But here it is almost fall, and I'm finally getting serious. Things always seem to take longer and cost more than you think. Finally though I have a plan, or at least I thought I did. I have a guy lined up for next week to water blast the areas of my truck that haven't been worked on yet. Another guy is lined up to get the exposed areas epoxy primed right away. The blaster guy said there is a chemical in the water he uses to protect against flash rust for at least 3 days--probably longer.

To get ready for next week, I started removing things this morning like the running boards, hood, tail lights, windshield, wipers, cowl vent, rear window glass, door handles, and the rubber molding between the fenders and the cowl. Everything was going well--and then I saw it. There were bubbles coming up through the primer on the passenger side rear quarter panel around the wheel opening. RUST was rearing its ugly head! Again!!

Like most of my truck, this wheel arch area had some rust, but I thought it had been repaired--only 6 months ago; when the inner wheel tubs were done. I checked and there was a metal piece welded (or maybe brazed) behind the area where the bubbles were coming through. Obviously though all the rusted metal in front of the repair had not been cut away.

My semi retired auto body guy did the repair very recently-- last February in fact--and his response was that rust always comes back. He said that in order to really fix the area where the rust bubbles were coming through he would need a rust free wheel arch piece to weld in place. And even then he said this area was likely to rust again because the heat associated with welding would make the metal suseptible to rusting. He implied that every time you weld something, paint bubbles and rust are likely to occur eventually.

So now I'm getting ready to paint, and already experiencing rust coming up through the primer. Discouraging. My truck was caught outside in a rain shower maybe twice since the rust repairs were made--and never driven in the rain. No wipers. Is rust really as inevitable as my auto body guy seems to think? I don't get that impression from reading about rust repairs on this forum.

So, what to do? Interestingly, when I wasn't really looking anymore, I came across some rust free inner wheel tubs and the 4 interior panels that are attached in front and behind the inner fenders. The guy who had these parts also says he has a rust free wheel arch for the driver's side--but the passenger side is unfortunately missing on the truck he is cutting up. He sold me his parts at very reasonable prices--so reasonable in fact that I bought the wheel wells with the idea that I wouldn't use them. Mine were already "repaired". I was thinking maybe my son could use them when his turn comes to restores my truck many years from now.

Does anyone out there have an F1 panel passenger side wheel arch piece that they would be willing to part with? If I had both wheel arch pieces, maybe I would go ahead and replace the "repaired" inner fenders and save my son the trouble down the road.

Sorry, I don't have any pictures yet of the rust bubbles.

 

So, today I encountered yet another unexpected curve in the road to getting my Dad's truck back in shape and on the road. My semi-retired auto body guy--the one who was going to get my truck in primer as soon as it was blasted--was robbed last night. Someone broke into his shop, blacked out his windows, backed up a truck, and stole substantially all my guy's tools and equipment. One vehicle was also taken as well as all the keys and plates for the vehicles that were in his yard--about a dozen.

My truck and tools were in a shed away from the shop and I guess not readily seen in the dark. Fortunately I didn't experience a loss. Of course my keys were in the ignition. Last night's robbery could have been a personal catastrophe for me.

My guy is understandably upset, and at 71, he said he is done--effective immediately. My truck is somewhat taken apart and not very drivable. My guy was nice enough deliver it back to my house this afternoon on his flatbed. He was anxious to get my truck off his property just in case the thieves come back tonight for the vehicles they have keys and plates for. Blasting for Wednesday is off.

I still could have the blasting done in my driveway and do the painting myself. I painted the front clip myself with my equipment, but I have gotten used to the idea having someone else with more experience and a better compressor do the spraying. I was going to just do the sanding.

Attached is a pic of the rust bubbles that are forming on my truck's wheel arch. My plan at this point is to grind off the filler and make sure all the rusted metal underneath is cut out before re-filling. There is a new welded or braised piece of metal behind the repair that was done.

 

You said there is braising under the primer, that is likely your problem, paint don't stick too well to it and why you shouldn't use it..