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From everything I read about POR15, it is a superior painting system. BUT... and the big BUT is that applying a single stage polyurathane requires far less surface preparation and is more compatible to the average skills of most do-it-yourselfers...
...Marq

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Thanks Marq.

I have a real issue with rust because my car already has it and I have heard that once it is there, it has to be cut and replaced with fresh meat, er metal. Since none of the rust is structural, and the car isn't likely to be worth much in the future, I was looking for a DIY solution in the spirit of the $50 paint job.

I have used por on a variety of small rust repair jobs where finish quality wasn't important, and it works. I was under the impression that its sucess was due to its ability to lock out air and moisture from the surface of the metal.

Are you saying that a smooth finish on a large scale with por is perhaps beyond the skillset of a beginning roller? I did not understand the single stage urethane reference.

On another note, with proper surface preparation, Do you think por-15 (or silver bullet)is unnecessary with the rustoleum paint?

I'm not so sure that some of POr's legendary results aren't due to the use of phosphoric acid (metal ready) during prep. I have some spots that I hit only with the metal ready and never topcoated, and they have not re-rusted in 5 years of outside exposure.

In fact, Whatever I end up using to ward off rust (POR-15, silver bullet, small animal sacrifice...), I will be prepping the bare metal with a liberal wash of metal ready.

I had initially intended on painting my frame with POR15, but decided against it once I realized what it would cost. I instead chose to treat it to the portable sandblaster and twisted wire cup brush to remove most rust. Then an application of "Metal Ready" and 2 coats of Rustoleum Hammered paint with a brush. I had a couple of rattle cans of the same for the hard to reach areas. I had some very bad scale in places but managed to get most down to bare metal.

Bob

Another frame picture.

Bob

Thanks Marq, Bobd, Challenger, and 69dartgt.

Bobd, that hammered finish looks awesome.

I will be testing different metal treatments and posting the results when I can get my car into the garage.

It seems that the beauty of this system is that if the rust ever does come back, it would be no big deal to spot repair and re-paint.

Happy Holidays.

Lets see how well the noob has studied...

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I havent read all the post because its so long but i am wondering if rustoleum is still the top pick in paint for this method.

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Rustoleum has to be thinned for rolling with mineral spirits and takes at least 6 coats. The finish is best topped off by buffing with a real buffer and progressive buffing compounds to receive the best finish. The advantage is the ability to paint right on bare metal.

Brightside, a yacht paint, is pre-thinned and has been rolled straight out of the can, but has been thinned further with a proprietary thinner from interlux or regular mineral spirits. Brightside goes on glossier and has covered in less coats, but still can be polished up like the Rustoleum. The advantage is a shinier finish before polish, and the ability to cover with less coats.

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Also witch mineral stuff odorless or regular.

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Regular.

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What is the best wetsanding technique. Charger said 600-600-1500 i think and ive read of others also.

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I think that depends on: how thick you lay the paint down, how smooth the finish is, how long you want to sand and how often you want to re-paint where you sanded off what you just painted.

Seriously, as was mentioned above, if you are unfamiliar with the cutting power of the various grits, maybe starting with 1000 and evaluating is the best method. Go one step higher if you are removing too much, one step lower if you aren't removing enough. The point is to sand to remove imperfections in the ultrathin layer you just put on. So go lightly and use lots of water.

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How do you get in the door jambs, under decklid, drip rails, and around other odd places.

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Foam brush, spraycan, hvlp gun have all been used.

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Thanks a lot.

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You're welcome.

How'd I do guys?

Nice work, Mike

No pictures but I wetsanded today started with 400 and switched to 800 right away, followed by a good wash dry and another coat of paint. The paint does seem to go on better then the first couple of coats. I plan on two/three more coats then I'll either wetsand 1500/200 followed by a buff/polish or

Brightside or rustoleum?

Mike Brightside Fire Red

can you spray clear coat urathane over the rustoleum paint

Wow, this thread is still going! I have a question that hopefully anyone on here familiar with painting Nissans via this thread can help. I hear that there is a tremclad red that is [Edited by Moparts - Keep it clean] near exact to the red on my 1990 240sx.

The reason I'm wondering is because for the most part my entire car is great for paint except for the rear 1/4s and rear bumper cover. If I could just do those to make her presentable....then later down the road the full meal deal.

I think its Sunset red?

Here's what I'd like her to look like!

Greetings all,

Long time reader, first time poster.

I've spent the better part of 4 months reading, and re-reading, posts in this thread and have come to the conclusion that THE top dog, number 1, question that a person NEEDS to ask, and answer themselves - honestly - it seems BEFORE even starting to think proceeding with this project today while thinking only about tomorrow seems to be...

"Do I really have the patience, along with the desire and drive to do what it actually takes to see this project through from start to finish?"

Once this answer has been reached, the next question before starting this project goes back to asking yet again...

"Do I really have the patience this kind of project demands?"

If a person can't be up front and honest with themselves from the start in answering these questions, it seems (from reading a number of the "undesired results" postings by a number of people) they wont get the end result they're seeking.

Maybe it's just my warped observations, but when reading back through posts where this system seems to be failing people, then placing the posts up against a time line laying the paint, number of coats, and cure times allowed before polishing... patience (IMHO) seems to be the biggest downfall each time.

Be that a lack of patience in proper surface prep, laying the paint on too thick or too soon before a prior coat, enough drying time before a wetsanding, or long enough cure time before starting the polishing steps.

I've read posts where a cure time has been put in a number of weeks, then being unhappy because the paint was too soft. Only to back-track postings and see that the time marks between the final coat applied, last wetsanding and the start of polish to wax were only a few days as apposed to a number of weeks needed for paint to cure by these same posting persons.

Yes, I have started this project process on a trunk and have been quite surprised (if not extremly impressed as well) by the results of this process. But, I would add that since I'm in no hurry, I have allowed in upwards of 3 days to pass between coats.

I've been using a cheap dollar store cup with a lid on it to mix the rustoleum in 1 cup at a time batches with 2/3 cup rustoleum to 1/3 cup 100% mineral spirits. I've layed down 4 coats over the course of a week and a half (at the very least) and will probably do the first wetsanding this weekend, there is some very minor orange peel, but the paint seems to lay on so thin that 95% of it all self levels out after a few hours.

Also about 2-4 minutes after laying a wet coat, I've been going back to "very gently" blow out any air bubbles that hadn't popped in the wet paint yet with a small can of compressed air only close enough to the wet paint to pop the bubbles without pushing the wet paint so those areas can level out with the rest of the area.

Now I've read time and again that paint used for professional spraying that it's not recommended that these paints be polished/waxed for at least a minimum of 6 weeks. Key words being "at least" in all of that. Given that rustoleum isn't exactly pre-designed as an automotive paint, I will be pushing this to be (for myself that is) to be 'at least' 12 weeks cure time, if not longer, before I attempt any polishing/waxing of any sort after what I deem to be the final coat (with at least 16-20 coats planned for).

Preach it Brotha, Preach it!

Wiser words have not been spoken. You are saving money by spending time.

I read somewhere that the current rage of reality fix-it shows, where a home is renovated in 30 minutes, has led to an increase in builders and handymen being called to bail out homeowners that started a project and couldn't finish. Unrealistic expectations of the time and effort involved to finish were the #1 reason cited.

Pic looks good. Keep us posted on your progress.