Practically Classics Forum

Hello,

I am restoring a Healey 100 very slowly. Last year I had all 4 wings blasted at a place near to where I live at a cost of £300 and feel very underwhelmed with the results. Rust could be seen in the pitted section of the metal. I painted the wings with a zinc rich primer and carried on working on them. I am now at the stage where I need to start the filler work but feel reluctant to do so when I know that they are fundamentally still rusty. I had though about getting them dipped and e-coated but have heard a few negative comments on that process. I am worried about the wing wheel arches which was made with a wire bead and the metal folded over it and therefore becomes a trap that is difficult to get at and also the wing return section where it bolts to the A post which is similarly challenging.


So, essentially looking for some suggestions on what I should do with the 4 wings.

Cheers
Steve

Media blasting is the best method. Unfortunately some monkeys have overcharged you and done a poor job.

Any paint on metal hampers panel beating.

Aim for a straight panel without using filler.

Filler is part of the painting process not part of the repair process.

Bob.

I would strip the panels again and clean up the rust as far as possible, perhaps with a wire wheel. Then I would Epoxy prime. That wil encapsulate and prevent it breaking through again, if you didn't manage to get all of it.

I decided that the cost was just too much. I have bought a sand blasting machine and will do it myself. The sand is pretty expensive because it weighs so much. Once done I will treat with POR15 metal ready and then paint with POR15.

Hopefully it will be dry over the weekend so that I can get going on it.

Cheers for the help

POR-15, although superb at what it does best, is not the correct choice for that job. Certainly sandblast the metal clean, but then all you need is Lechler Epoxy primer. Seriously, it is THE material for that job. It is cheaper than POR-15 too. It will seal and prepare the panels as well as being one of the few substrates that filler will go over. The primer is stable and is not (unlike conventional primers) hygroscopic. You can spray it without air fed equipment as it does not (unlike 2K products) contain Isocanates. It can be tinted to any colour and once gone off, can safely be left for months before flatting and topcoating.

Classic Microcars wrote:POR-15, although superb at what it does best, is not the correct choice for that job. Certainly sandblast the metal clean, but then all you need is Lechler Epoxy primer. Seriously, it is THE material for that job. It is cheaper than POR-15 too. It will seal and prepare the panels as well as being one of the few substrates that filler will go over. The primer is stable and is not (unlike conventional primers) hygroscopic. You can spray it without air fed equipment as it does not (unlike 2K products) contain Isocanates. It can be tinted to any colour and once gone off, can safely be left for months before flatting and topcoating.

Got to agree with that, broadly.

I woudn't treat it with metal-ready, in spite of its name it leaves a slightly powdery finish on the metal and won't be a great surface for any paint to key on to, whatever you use. OK, its rust-killing properties could be a good belt-and-braces approach, but you'd then really need to clean it all off again afterwards to give a "pure" metal surface for paint to key on to.

Classic Microcar's advice to use epoxy primer is a good one, the other choice I'd recommend is a decent etch-primer, I've found this stuff superb, it grips and "etches" onto the steel better than anything I've seen and is then virtually impossible to scratch or flake off - a good basis for any further coats of whatever sort of paint you may wish to use.

I think either choice will work well but I do agree that POR15 on top of metal-ready won't be the best way to go, especially after you've gone to all the bother and expense of blasting the panels.

Keep us updated with how you get on - some pics and story of this resto would be good if you have time!

Cheers

Sand blasting is illegal and dangerous. I assume you mean media blasting.

After media blasting the steel will go rusty with in hours. So blast and then immediately hit it with a coat of good quality aerosol etch primer. Then panel beat the panel.

The panel is best refitted to the car while panel beating this will ensure that the panel still fits the car after panel beating. Once happy rub panel down and hit it again with the etch. Then heavy coat of high build primer. If storing the panel a light coat of clear coat will seal the primer.

Bob.

Etch primer is superceded by epoxy primer. In my tests and those of others, the epoxy adheres far better to all substrates and then does not need overpainting with something else. I am amazed that etch primer followed by high build is even considered when such a superior alternative exists.

If it's just surface rust,use Vactan or Fertan,which is known well in the marine world. Google it and look at the images