Thanks Beechkid!
Something else I learned too. The 3M 05973 Rubbing Compound is a medium compound and has a extra fine companion product along with a final product called ultrafina. So it is actually a 3 step system before the wax..

how do you remove the wax i put on in order to re-polish the area? Use the denatured alcohol again?

Thanks... Yes I think it will look great after following your advice and having a learning curve....

 

Hi Beechkid!
I finished the hood and rt fender as well as all the white around the grill and between the bumper. Good thing I am not trying to do this for a living!
The pads that come with the little cheep buffer I bought are the bonnet type and the foam and terrycloth does not wrap around the sides. So I am thinking I need to get some different tools for some of the areas the buffer cant reach.
Would you recommend any of these tools used in a battery drill to use in tight areas?
I am going to take the spare tire mount off the rear door but I still have to work around the ladder and luggage rack on top as well as the small areas around the windows.

1-1/2 in. x 2 in. Cylinder Buff Bob
1-1/2 in. x 2 in. Cylinder Buff Bob

2 in. x 2-1/2 in. Tapered Buff Bob
2" x 2-1/2" Tapered Buff

3 in. Mini Polishing and Buffing Kit with 1/4 In Shank 4 Pc
3 in. Mini Polishing and Buffing Kit with 1/4 In Shank 4 Pc

Ok thanks and have a wonderful week!

 

Hi Anna...yeah, any or all of those would work, just make sure it is a variable speed drill, keep it slow...slower than you think and use a lot of product to keep things cool................

 

Just read through this. Can't wait to see the end result. Keep the pictures coming!

 

I will post more pics when I can get back to it!!! The hood has developed a whitish haze since I did the work in April.. I haven't washed the van or any more buffing since the last pics. Valve covers started leaking and had to stop and work on that..

But while I had the doghouse off I noticed a small area with a little rust so I thought I thought I should fix it before I reinstall the doghouse and front seats. I also started working on the rust under the passenger door.
So I need to get some advice on where I missed up or if I am ok so far..

Do I need to top coat over the primer area where the doghouse seal goes or can I just replace the doghouse for now..
I also read many different posts about how to and not to use Ospho.. So I experimented a little..

Here is the doghouse area. I wire brushed and sanded the area before applying the Ospho last night. Today i wiped the area with a wet rag several times and then sanded the area. Next I used denatured alcohol to wipe it down and then primered it.

Yes Rustoleum Automotive grey primer from home depot.. (just read a post about that and bondo)..

If the pic is a bit confusing it is because I have a 12" mirror between the doghouse opening and the engine so I could look under the lip for rust. The rust was only on the top and edge.






Next is the door area. Scraped the old filler/bondo off, wire brushed, sanded, taped the area off and applied Ospho using a rag so it wouldn't drip everywhere. Next as per new instructions I read: Ospho needs to be neutralized before it drys. If it has been over night, reapply a second coat to reactivate the Ospho and then rinse it thoroughly with water to neutralize it. Instructions also said not to sand the area after Neutralizing because the Ospho is poris and if snaded it the primer will not adhere as well ..
So I reapplied and wiped down several times with a wet rag. Used a heat gun to dry the area incase any water went down in the seam. Then i wiped it down with denatured alcohol and primered it.. (Same Rustoleum)
Should i go a head and use Rustoleum enamel paint or go to the auto paint shop and get a color matched acrylic paint? I will be changing the the door seals at a later time and may strip all the filler off then...

OH I bought some Bondo 907 Glazing and spot putty. I was going to apply it first but didnt kjnow if it woudl stick to the surface after the Ospho.. The package says ok to use over primer..?? Do I even need to use the filler if I top coat it? The drivers door has none in the middle area... If its better to then I will since I have it.. I guess I need to prime over the filler too before a top coat?











Thanks
Anna

 

Do I need to top coat over the primer area where the doghouse seal goes or can I just replace the doghouse for now?

Well, in general, primer is not designed to act as a top coat...but as long as it's not exposed to weather (water, etc.), it should hold up for a while...but it would always be best to spray color on it.......and for right now, sure, use rustoleum but just remember where you have sprayed this because when and if it comes time for a repaint, it all has to come down to bare metal.

 

Ok thanks very much Beachkid for that info! i went ahead and sprayed it with some white enamel spray paint i had... Yes those are just small spots and later when i do the door seals I may wind up removing all the bondo at the door seams unless it can be fixed by resealing over the areas where it is cracked..

I will take some pics and post them later but there are several areas where the bondo/seam filler? from the factory has cracked at the seams.. I haven't found any others with rust but would like to fill those little cracks... I guess the proper way would be to remove it all and reseal everything? That would require repainting at least the inner doors and door jams...
For now I just want to stop rust at any places I find....

Thanks
Anna

I wonder in some areas the seam joints could be rinsed with denatured alcohol and then put a thin coating of clear silicone over them or would that create more problems? I have several tubes of Fleetcraft silicone rubber adhesive sealant i bought to reseal around the side windows with and I had no idea it expires! says use by 04/2017!

 

Ok, well here is the door repair for now..




Here is the corner of that same door but there is no rust. It is the worst area on the door.




This is at the lower corner of the rt rear door and fender seam.




This is one of the upper corners. I have noticed that all of the upper door frame seams appear to have what originally might have been a heavy clear tape over the seams where two pieces o metal meet.




here is the other side of the rear door. I believe the tape over the joint here was painted over when they did a repair on the side panel. On the rest of the overhead door seams the tape is yellowed and cracked.
What kind of tape is this and can it be replaced?



here is a better pic of the one over the drivers door.


Thanks Again
Anna

 

oooo........that needs to really be removed and looked at to see what exactly is going on underneath..............there are specific seam sealers that the local autobody/paint supplier will have sitting on the shelf....the checking ingeneral could be from a variety of causes...water contamination to (very probable) excessive primer build-up/incompatability.