'48 - roof and hood has surface rust. The rest of the body, doors, fenders have good paint. Not very interested in having to take them down to bare metal. Any suggestions? Could I use a rust converter on rusted areas and painted areas or use a different primer?

 

I think POR-15 is excellent stuff.
Sand your lightly rusted roof until it feels smooth.
You want to knock off the rust ****.
Maybe once with 80 grit, then 120 pretty good.
Then a finer grit if you dont mind sanding.
POR it, then while tacky, spray a heavy coat of good high fill primer.

On your previously painted sufaces, POR will not stick.
You are taking a chance that anything will last, but sand it enough to make it uniformly dull.

Then depending on what you want.....

I scuffed my 4 color 1960 Ford and sprayed it with Rustoleum.
It looks kinda good, dont look close but its just a work truck

 

If you dont care what it looks like, try the above mentioned process. POR is great stuff, but you wont be able to get a good finish with it. I only use it on frames and suspension parts.
I would recommend taking it down to bare metal (I also recommend media blasting for this to fully clean out all the rust), clean it good, then use a self etching primer. Then prime over it again with an decent auto primer, then paint.

 

hey chaos, isnt that what I said??


The original poster said he didnt want to do the right thing and " taking it down to bare metal (I also recommend media blasting for this to fully clean out all the rust), clean it good, then use a self etching primer. Then prime over it again with an decent auto primer, then paint."

I answered his question.

 

Banned, you dont have to be a smart a$$ about it. So what if you answered his question on the first try, I am allowed to post comments and opinions as well.

 

Just because I took the time to post something about this topic doesnt mean you have to come on here and be a jack a$$ about it. Starting to wonder about why you named yourself banned and realizing why. You must have been banned from here before.

I just gave my opinion about the what you said and gave another answer. The OP can take what ever someone posts and either use it or ignore it.

 

Gettting tired of all this girlie-fighting. Two other jerks just had one of my threads closed....

Anyways, all the above is good advise, but - if you want to keep the truck for a long time - I would add one step: use a rust converter. Any kind of Phosphoric Acid solution. I use Metal Ready, but there are many. Keep the bare/stripped metal (even rusty, doesn't HAVE to be blasted)wet with solution for 30-60 minutes. Then wipe off with wet rags, then dry well. Of course before putting on your etch primer, clean very well with a pre-paint solvent.

Hope that helps!

 

Here is what I have done many times with good success. I have never done this on an outside finish but have under the hood and other areas on cars/trucks. Sand it down to get the looses paint and rust off. Clean it with some rubbing alcohol until you get a clean rag after wiping. Wipe rust convertor on the whole area. If you brush it, it will build up alot and make for alot of sanding later. Just put it on a clean rag and wipe the surface. You have to work fast as it sets up rapidly. Apply several thin coats and let cure as directed. Then sand it smooth as you can. Epoxy prime it and sand that to desired smoothness for finish and prime/paint as normal.

 

P.S. If you want to kill yourself (first-hand experience), try spraying the rust convertor. It gets to everything and the fumes will have you gagging and hacking for 15 minutes - even outside !

But it does a great job....