Guys, I am detailing the engine compartment and undercarriage on my 67 Vert. Doing it the old fashioned way with wire brush, sand paper and elbow grease. No media blast. I am ready for primer and need advise on the treatment steps and paint products.

Assuming that I can use standard auto primer /filler and augment with rust retardant paint for the pieces with some remaining rust. I plan to use the POR-20 (temp resistant) paint (in spray can) for the engine compartment and the POR-15 for undercarriage.

Is this a sound approach? Other considerations?

I've spent a lot of time on this subject this year. I can give you some advice based on my experience. Keep in mind some of this things I did may not be applicable to your project for a variety of reasons.

I will assume you will have rust issues, grease, oil, tar and under coating. Peeling, peeled, multi-layered scratched, lifted and lifting paint. Holes exist in some of the body panels because of corrosion.

1. What to do about rust?
If you have holes in the panels you need to patch with new metal.

2. Surface rust?
Chemicals can remove this rust, stop the rust in it's tracks and prepare the metal for painting.

3. What about oil, grease etc.
Remove with chemicals so paint can adhere to the panel properly. Wax and grease remover products are available for this.
Always clean panels first. Don't sand panels etc. and then clean them. Sanding dirty, greasy panels just move the crap into everything.

4. Paint removal - Media blasting
Media blasting (glass, sand, soda) is a very effective way to prepare your body panels but not necessary for all situations.
No matter what media blast method you use it's imperative that the surface is properly prepared for paint. All you work
spent removing the material off your panels is wasted if your paint does not stick to the panel.
I do not recommend any type of media blasting where the DYI guy buys the tools and then blasts it himself.
This will save you no money, take way to long to do and therefore, IMO, I waste of life!
Get it professionally done. Media blasting GOOD, doing it yourself NOT GOOD.

5. Paint removal - chemical
I lucked out. I found a company in town that does media blasting of vintage cars and they also dip panels in an acidic bath
leaving you with a panel completely void of any material on or in the piece you are dipping.
For example, a fender dipped removes the paint from the exterior and interior steel.

6. Primer - Sealing your exposed metal
When your ready for paint you need to seal it first. Use a excellent 2 component epoxy primer sealer.
I used MP871 from PPG. You can use this paint for sealing the panel in bare metal or priming over bodo or sealing
your body panels ready for top coat.
This stuff is very strong and durable and looks awesome (for primer you would be amazed.

7. Paint Top coat - black
I've looked at a number of products, talked, emailed people to find what would look the best (original look, very durable, easy of use).
"Super black chassis undercarriage paint" from Bill Hirsch was extremely easy to use and apply with a spray gun or brush.
"I also tried PPG Delfleet Essential Semi-GLoss 3:1 Black" This stuff is amazing! Goes on easy, looks fantastic and is very durable.
This is a single stage Polyurethane so it's super strong and no clear coat required. Just adjust the ratio to achieve what % gloss you
want for your topcoat. I used 3:1 for 60% gloss.

There's a start for you...questions?

I used Rustolieum satin black on miscellaneous engine compartment parts. It matched the chassis black color and finish almost perfectly.

Rustoleoum is incredibly durable paint, and it will outlive all the expensive stuff. If Eastwood is also good stuff, it's probably Rusto with Eastwood's label.

If you love sanding, dust, chemicals, spending lots of money, and SLOW, stick to what you love.

I've preached this for decades, always falling on deaf ears. A while ago, it was unheard of on the 'tube. Maybe my preaching is starting to actually connect. No! It's not bad/failed paint. Yes! It's that easy. No! You don't need heat, but you can play around and see what happens.

The guy with the red vette: it would be ten-times faster with a holder.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-2BKQOu1No

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7kr6F8mXsM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZpgspwJtW4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR9faQRZEqg

actually, the guy with the red vette sucks at the process, lousy technique.

For what those people that are stripping With the razor method
I think itis a good one.
However, not much use for panels with rust issues
or situations where you want the panel completely stripped.
I had my fenders dipped and all the paint, bondo etc was removed
both sides and in places you cannot see.

My doors need just the top coat removed.
I don’t want to dip because I don’t want to strip
the doors mechanical parts.
I will try the radio blade method for
may doors.

What rasor blade type do you recommend?

I have been restoring a variety of makes of American cars for over 40 years. I've always used and been happy with Rustoleum products until I used the semigloss black on my Firebird. It faded in about a year so I had to redo it. I wonder if they have changed the formulation of their paints or if I just got a bad can or two.
I've used a selection of black paints from NPD for different areas per their recommendation. I'm happy with these despite their very long cure time (about 30 days to completely cure). They offer an "Eggshell Black" for the cowl. It is fantastic in appearance and I think it would look good on the inner fenders. I used it with great results on my air cleaner too. Just a thought but if you aren't committed to another brand right now you might want to try a can to see if you like it as well as I do.