Although my car has the original paint, I decided to sand it down to the metal for a complete restoration (hope I'm using the term correctly). I've begun the long and tedious sanding duties by hand and have sanded the front fenders. Note: The car is kept in the garage and never goes outside other than to move the car to the center of the garage. Below are my questions.

1. How long can I keep it bare metal before surface rust form.
2. Should I cover the panels to protect them? I already do this now with blankets, but don't know if it's necessary or good.
3. Should I use my car cover (Wolf 4 ply) to cover the vehicle when I finish working for the day to protect the bare metal?
4. What should I keep away from the bare metal, other than the obvious water?
5 If surface rust begins, what is the remedy?
6. I have a waterborne W&G remover that I plan to use to clean the panels prior to spraying, will this harm the bare metal?


Thanks...Al

Methodical wrote:1. How long can I keep it bare metal before surface rust form.

As short a time as possible. Less than 24 hours. Rust can begin to form almost immediately on exposure.

Methodical wrote:2. Should I cover the panels to protect them? I already do this now with blankets, but don't know if it's necessary or good.

Maybe helps with dust but you don't know what else the blankets might transfer to the metal. For example, if they're wool then it will contain some lanolin, or maybe they were washed with fabric softener which is near pure silicone.

Methodical wrote:3. Should I use my car cover (Wolf 4 ply) to cover the vehicle when I finish working for the day to protect the bare metal?

As per 2. above.

Methodical wrote:4. What should I keep away from the bare metal, other than the obvious water?

Air. No I'm not having a lend, air contains water and oxygen and that, even when dry, can begin the corrosion process.

Best thing you can do is seal up the panel as soon as possible with and epoxy primer.

Sounds good. If surface rust begins, what is the remedy? Also, I have the ********** waterborne W&G remover that I plan to use to clean the panels prior to spraying, will this harm the bare metal?

Thanks...Al

The problem is that it's already begun, long before you can see it. Rub down again with sandpaper again before you start painting.

Some say that you shouldn't use a solvent based W&G remover on bare metal. I do, and always have and I have no problem, but I'm very careful to remove it all. Water based? Don't know, but I'd be looking at the tech data sheet for sure. I do clean bare metal. last thing before paint with an alcohol based cleaner. That works and may be why I don't have problems from using Prepsol before.

As was stated, rust starts immediately on bare metal that's exposed to air. It's better to cover it
with a primer one panel at a time, if that's the way you're stripping it.

Rolling/brushing on epoxy primer is an option to keep clean-up at a miinumum. It's easy to mix up
just enough primer after a work session, roll it on, then toss the disposable roller. Then you can
block out the primer to prepare for the next step, instead of fighting rust again...

Thanks everyone. This helps a lot. Chris, I definitely plan to hit it with sandpaper prior to spraying the epoxy.

Al