Hoping for paint in April. Got the area behind the headlights cleaned out and primed. The one small hole I found was apparently caused from a hole in the splash guard which let water into tiny area and then trapped it. I patched that with epoxy. There was a lot of rust in the bottom of headlight openings but I got it all out down to metal. The part between the headlight openings and the engine compartment (don't know what part it is - the wiring runs through it) wasrusty and I could not get to all the rust to sand it. Thoseareas I scraped as clean as I could with a flat screwdriver and then used Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer for heavily rusted metal. Seems to be pretty good stuff, kind of like POR-15but takes paint better. It's a reddish color and I topcoated that with gray primer, just because I wanted it to look all gray before paint (stupid, I know). The rest of the front didn't need much work. Most of it was rust free except for a light coating of rust on the hood release mechanism. Wire brushed and sanded that off.

[IMG]local://upfiles/82474/55D95B8DECD44D69ADDC95CCCF41BC08.jpg[/IMG]

 

good luck

 

It will be the original Honey Gold. Not my favorite color but I want the original look, and I don't want to paint all the good parts like the trunk, door jambs, etc. Also, the interior is pretty much perfect and it is the Olive Gold to match. I got lucky in that I know the shop that will paint it and they are letting me do the prep work which saves a bundle. Aside from the areas in the photo and a few patches it's still original paint so I'll have a good base once I strip the wax and sand it down. It's been years since I sanded a car and I am having re-learn the "touch" so I don't sand through the primer on the corners where it is easy to put a little too much pressure. The flat areas are easy...just time consuming.

 

Looks great Jim, keep up the good work! I think I have that same rustoleum primer you use.