Gregski

My 68 coupe had a vinyl roof. One of the previous owners ripped off the vynil to allow it to breath and minimize the water damage. The vehicle sat outside in northern California but the roof still rusted. I would like to share my attempts with you on how to remove the rust yourself.

My budget is $100 bucks a month to spend on the car, but that is to bring back the entire car to life, so please don't suggest I save the money for a couple of months/years and take it to a "reputable" shop to have it done. The point is to do it yourself and eventually paint it instead of vinaling it all over again. I do not have an air compressor, so I can't media blast it.

Your feedback and advice is very much appreciated as I have not done this before.

rst08tierney

There are a few ways but the first question should be :

Is the vinyl going back on?

also...

Are there holes or bubbles in he metal?

(you also need to pop off the rear window molding, you will find more rust damage in that area as well)

Gregski

No

No

OK

andrewmp6

Just sand the surface rust and use spray cans of primer for now.

Gregski

Should I use the Rust Converter primer, you know the one that sprays on gray but turns to black where it comes to contact with the rust?

jcoby

if it's truly just surface rust, naval jelly (or some other phosphoric acid based product like ospho or even diluted phosphoric acid), a box of scotch brite pads, and a spray bottle full of warm water.

apply the naval jelly and scrub using the scotch brite pads. keep everything moist with the water. when you're done, rinse off the metal with clean water, dry, and prime. it will take 4 or 5 hours but it'll cost you $20 and will not warp, scratch, remove metal, or otherwise damage the roof as long as you don't push a big dent in it.

as for primer, 2k etching primer is the cheap old school way. epoxy primer is much better and will act as a primer/sealer. you can use a $20 harbor freight gun to apply it. I would not use rattle can primer on body panels unless you plan on taking it back off later.

andrewmp6

Surface rust is nothing sand paper will take it right off.Or do what jcoby said will work too.

rst08tierney

Reason I asked if the top was going on, I would have suggested after sanding to roll por15 on the roof.

You are very lucky you only have minor surface rust, my roof was a joke and took some work.

Gregski

1,000 thanks for all the advice. I am confused on "epoxy" primer I guess not all primer was created equal, LOL. Are you saying the stuff in the spray can is NOT epoxy? And in order to apply the epoxy stuff I need a spray gun? I honestly don't know but would like to do it right and not have to do it all over, needless to say body work is on the bottom of the list of fun things I like to do.

Gregski

So first thing I decided to try was sand paper / sand sponges and handrollics and elbow grease. From Home Depot I purchased a pack of three sheets of 320 grit 9 inch by 11 inch sand paper and one Ultra Fine (grit unspecified) sanding sponge. Decided to go with that because of what I read on the internet, and I knew I could always go coarser but didn't want to start off with some media that would put holes in my roof, know what I mean Vern?

My buddy came over to help me fight the rust, and after about an hour of working said: "You're better off using paper towels!" meaning the grit is too fine on what we have. It was around lunch time anyways, so after picking up some tacos at Carollina's we went across the street to AutoZone.

Armed ourselves with some 9 x 11 inch 120 grit paper to cut up for our sanding block, and three different sponges: Green 60 grit, Red 100 grit, and Yellow 320 grit. The sponges are pretty cool if you haven't tried them already you might wanna, they conform to the shape of what you are sending fairly well.

Rust is a b-a-s-t-a-r-d, very difficult to get rid off by hand, maybe it could be done but I don't have months to spend on this doing it by hand plus it would take hundreds of dollars in media. After about 6 hours spent with these products wet sanding I think it is time to try some chemicals.

Using images off the web for the sponges because my camera didn't wanna focus on them when I took my pictures. Other's are authentic, LOL.