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Topic: Painting and rust stain

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Painting and rust stain (1/18)
 7/3/10 8:48pm
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

Hi
I am new, first post. I have 1974 Vette T-Top. I am in the process of removing the paint for a new paint job. I am doing it the old fashioned way, Razor blades, sandpaper and muscle. Nuts I know.
I have found rust stains in the door jambs just below the windshield posts. Everything seems solid but I am wondering If this is a big issue. I have not found any rust YET. I don't plan a full blown restoration I just want a decent looking Vette but I also don't want it to self destruct when I leave it to my Grandkids. (I'm a little old)
Her is a picture of the rust stain. Left front pilar

Here is the car and paint removal process so far. This took about 3 hours. paint only tho. I know I still need to sand off the primer Once I remove the paint. It seems like there are two coats primer. redish brown top coat and gray beneath that. Should I remove both layers of primer.
I will also be installing the original 1974 rear bumper.

BillinNashville2010-07-15 15:54:51

______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
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Painting and rust stain (2/18)
 7/3/10 9:06pm
rod7515Lifetime Member
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Red Lion, PA - USA

Vette(s):
1974 White 350 Corvette, TH400 Automatic 1972 Tangerine /Go Mango Convertible 383 Stroker, 2004r Automatic


Joined: 10/27/2006
Posts: 1182

I have a white 74 as well and I have the same marks in mine also. Was wondering the same thing so I will be anxious to see what replies you get. Let me know how your paint stripping goes. I may have that job in  the near future!
Rodney


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Painting and rust stain (3/18)
 7/3/10 10:22pm
eboLifetime Member
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Holland Patent, NY - USA

Vette(s):
#1 *1980 White, Red interior 14,000 mile #2 *1980 Red, Oyster interior 93,000 miles Resto project car, rebuilt to 383 stroker


Joined: 6/3/2008
Posts: 4420

Have you pulled any of the window (windshield) mouldings off yet? I sure hope that's not tell tale signs of the birdcage rotting away.......Shocked
Evil Smileebo


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Evil Smileebo
Painting and rust stain (4/18)
 7/4/10 12:20am
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

Rodney
From what I am reading this seems to be a common problem. This car is from Michigan and I don't know if it was Garaged before I got it in 2004. I have always had it Garaged and never drove it in rain or snow but who knows how it was treated before I got it.

Ebo
I hope not too. I am not up for a full blown restoration on this Vette. Just can't justify the expense right now. But I will pull the moldings and see what is under there. I checked the rocker channels and from what I can see there is no rust there so I am hoping this is only the beginning of it. If so I can stop it before it gets worse.
BillinNashville2010-07-03 21:29:16

______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
Painting and rust stain (5/18)
 7/4/10 8:46pm
KDADDY79
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Dutchess County, NY - USA

Vette(s):
White '79 Corvette. It's a driver.


Joined: 8/27/2007
Posts: 2484

I'd suggest carefully removing the interior windshield trim - header and pillar post(s).
I did this with mine and found some surface rust. I cleaned it up a bit and painted it with POR-15 rust inhibitor paint. Now it's done and I don't give it much thought.
 
Good luck with yours. Let us know how it goes.
 
Kevin 
Painting and rust stain (6/18)
 7/4/10 9:27pm
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

Thanks Kevin
I plan to pull the trim tomorrow and see what's under there. Mine's a driver to but I want to look good when I drive it :)
BillinNashville2010-07-04 18:27:47

______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
Painting and rust stain (7/18)
 7/5/10 11:22am
eboLifetime Member
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Holland Patent, NY - USA

Vette(s):
#1 *1980 White, Red interior 14,000 mile #2 *1980 Red, Oyster interior 93,000 miles Resto project car, rebuilt to 383 stroker


Joined: 6/3/2008
Posts: 4420

Bill, do like Kevin says......he knows "Stuff".
www.eastwood.com has some great products for rust. They have a brand new kit for inside the frame rails, that can be done easily from the ground. I'm going to do both my cars with it for the "just in case" good feeling. For sure let us know what you find.
Evil Smileebo


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Evil Smileebo
Painting and rust stain (8/18)
 7/5/10 1:55pm
VetteSpecialties
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Mounds View, MN - USA

Vette(s):
70 LT1 coupe, 69 350 HP coupe, 69 390HP 427 coupe, 71 LS5 convert, 85 coupe, 93 coupe


Joined: 5/24/2007
Posts: 1031

From the pictures, it looks like the original paint cracked, and rust formed beneath it rather than rust flowing down from above.  If so, it is a minor problem.  Just clean all the paint off and treat it with POR 15 or equivalent.

Larry
Painting and rust stain (9/18)
 7/13/10 12:51pm
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

So far it looks like those rust stains are localized. I removed the cracked paint and only found surface rust on the metal but there is some small pitting there. I will grind it down to clean metal. There appears to have been some filler added there but they didn't do a very good job of it. Not contoured nice at all. You can see that in the picture above. I will rework that so it looks better. At the very top just below the chrome cover there is no rust.

______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
Painting and rust stain (10/18)
 7/13/10 1:44pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20126

There would be a filler of sorts in that area, since there are a couple of panels welded together there...so you're not really looking at some kind of "Bubba" repair.
Pull the kick-panels off and have a look behind them. Water will pool up in that area, and rust big-time. If there isn't any major rust in the kick-panel area, then what you see in that first pic is basically surface rust, prolly just as Larry said, from cracked paint, and water getting under it onto bare metal.
Hope that's all it is, anyway!


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Joel Adams
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Painting and rust stain (11/18)
 7/13/10 4:36pm
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

Joel
I am looking at the color of your 74. Medium Red Metalic. Since I am not going to paint my vette with the original Silver Mist I am free to go with any color.
I've narrowed it to Blue or red. I don't care for the Bright reds like your 1985 I prefer the darker reds.

Can you be more specific on the color. Paint brand, Base coats, etc. I really don't think I am going to try painting my Corvette myself but I'd like to be specific when I get to the paint stage.


______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
Painting and rust stain (12/18)
 7/13/10 7:13pm
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

Ok
now for bad news. Well sorta I think. I have the kick panels off and as everyone has suggested I found rust. It is at the bottom around the mount. I don't know how severe it is. I can't poke a screwdriver through it but there is a fair amount of loose crusty rust in there. I will scrape as much loose as I can and vacuum out the loose stuff.
Now the question. How does the water get in there. What do I have to do to stop it from getting worse. If I never plan to remove the body from the frame can I just fill it with fiberglass or bondo? Looks like POR-15 will be the solution.

Any ideas?

Here is what I found. I scraped all the loose rust away and this is how it looks. It isn't rusted through but there is rust there. One small hole. but the rest is pretty solid. Also I think that is the vent door to the right. It won't open. It looks like it has been glued shut.

BillinNashville2010-07-15 15:58:37

______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
Painting and rust stain (13/18)
 7/14/10 1:15pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20126

A/C cars will NOT have a vent door on the driver side, so no worries there.
That appears to be a fair amount of rust, but....mine had about the same amount in that area, too. Cleaned it up and coated it, and I quit worrying about it. Nothing I can do anyway.
The water gets in there from the fresh air system(look at the ends of the area where the wipers are, under the hood, and you'll see the wire-mesh grills to keep stuff out). If the drains in the bottom of the cowls are stopped up, and they usually are, water will pool up down in the kick panel area. Water leaking past the windshield seal will also run down there, and also rust the windshield header out.

I can't give you any specifics on the paint on my '74, other than it is a base/clear, code 74L. I think it is a PPG paint, but it's been so long ago I just can't remember.
I can remember this..."ALL Corvettes are RED...the rest are mistakes!"


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    

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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Painting and rust stain (14/18)
 7/14/10 1:53pm
Willis76Lifetime Member
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Rockland, MA - USA

Vette(s):
76, L48, 4spd & 09, LS3, 6spd


Joined: 1/30/2003
Posts: 584

Mine looked very similar too, agree - clean it up and treat it as best you can, not much room to work in there - and move on. It should last for a long time. If it's like mine, it  generally only gets wet when I wash it and I can't remember the last I washed it, other than the tires.
 
Keep smiling, it's supposed to be fun - LOL
Willis762010-07-14 11:01:48

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Painting and rust stain (15/18)
 7/14/10 2:30pm
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

I can remember this..."ALL Corvettes are RED...the rest are mistakes!"

Ha. Good one. I'll remember that.
I haven't looked under the windshield yet. That will come later. I will be replacing the windshield anyway. It has some really bad wiper scrapes in it. and it's pitted. Glares pretty bad.
I wonder who the engineer was who decided on the placement of the fuse block. I can barely get to it. The wiring in there doesn't look too cobbled up so unless something isn't working I think I will leave it alone. But there are screws missing and things that are not attached under there and some knobs that I have no idea what they do. Guess I better look in the book.
I will decide the color when I get ready for paint and that's a ways off yet.

Thanks for the advice on the rust. I found a little more rust on the back side of the plate the rocker panel attaches to but it isn't too severe. I will coat that as well.
I ordered the rust coating stuff.



______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
Painting and rust stain (16/18)
 7/14/10 2:38pm
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

 
Keep smiling, it's supposed to be fun - LOL

I agree. It is supposed to be fun. But now I am dealing with the "Are you going to work on the Corvette again today? I really had some things I needed you to do."


Good advice, deal with it and move on. I am not going to obsess about it. Although being a Virgo that's almost impossible.

I am wondering if I should remove the bolt and rubber mount that's in there before I coat it.
Naaa. Probably not worth it.


______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
Painting and rust stain (17/18)
 7/15/10 10:47am
Willis76Lifetime Member
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Rockland, MA - USA

Vette(s):
76, L48, 4spd & 09, LS3, 6spd


Joined: 1/30/2003
Posts: 584

[QUOTE=BillinNashville]
 
I am wondering if I should remove the bolt and rubber mount that's in there before I coat it.
Naaa. Probably not worth it.
[/QUOTE]
 
If it were me - I would read up on body mount replacement w/o a frame off before I'd get into it; and then I'd get out the $100 cuss jar because the $5 one will never generate enough funds to to put her back together in a reasonable time. Wink


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Painting and rust stain (18/18)
 7/15/10 9:19pm
BillinNashville
Former Member

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Vette(s):
1974 coupe. 350 CID with Turbo 400 trans. Decal says 8.5:1 compression. Needs paint and AC replaced but don't plan on full restoration. Car runs strong. No big problems so far. 67,000 miles on Odometer, probably rolled over


Joined: 7/3/2010
Posts: 65

I did the reading. Yes, I will wait on that. It can be done anytime and I don't think removing the bolt will do any good at all.
I suppose there is no way to repair that rusted section. Maybe with a frame off job but that isn't going to happen.
Thanks


______________
It has been over a year since I started. I had to quit the project so the car just sat in the garage. I was able to get started again in May 2012. As of July 27 2012 I have done the fiberglass repairs and applied Slick Sand High Build Primer.




https://www.c3vr.com/member_uploads/14401_14500/14470/Doors-off-(Copy)201261111476r.jpg
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