I'm building a British roadster for the 2020 Challenge. Right now, the body and chassis are straight and rust-free ... but it's an old Triumph so it's just a matter of time. As it stands, the chassis is painted and the body panels are in primer.
Before I go any further, I'm thinking I should "rust-proof" the parts of the body that will be hard to access once the car is put back together: under the dash and inside the fenders, inner wheel arches, side sills, etc.
Is bare primer enough to stop rust? Should I apply POR-15 or something like that? If so, does it even make sense to apply a rust-encapsulating coating over primer?
I'd use cavity wax in the cavities like side sills etc and paint the others.
Because it is a Triumph everything unbolts. So for education and improvement, take the fenders off and clean/paint/protect them better than anything you can do assembled. I second the "cavity wax" suggestion from Tim, but after painting, since it is easy to brush paint the inside of a TR fender laying on the work bench. Most critical locations on a TR4 are the area around the tail lamps and the rear cowling above the fuel tank near the fender mounting. For the truly inaccessable spots Eastwood sells aerosol cavity wax with plastic wand sprayers about 18 inches long that squirt 4 streams 90 degrees apart. They also sell a self etching primer with similar wands if you know the hidden box is clean metal. Use these inside the chassis rails as well as the rocker panels.
NOHOME
MegaDork
12/9/19 1:39 p.m.
I would use the Eastwood cavity spray that comes with a special dispensing wand/tube.
That said, if you do this while prepping for the challenge, does it not go in the budget?
Pete
In reply to NOHOME :
That's why I'm asking. I'll need to budget for it ... and that stuff is pricey
Google homemade waxoyl. You can make it a lot cheaper than buying it. Depending on the solvent you use (turpentine) it may smell.
Epoxy primer seals metal really well. You have to remove or neutralize any rust before you spray it on.
