Thread: what to do?

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My truck has been sand blasted and hit with epoxy primer about two years ago. It has been inside for most of that time and only recently stored under a tarp outside. I have noticed some small areas where surface rust has started What is my next move after I get the truck back inside to continue the build?

You could either sand the rust areas and treat with a rust converters, or hit those spots with something like por 15, or if it looks like it is going to rust other places, take it down to metal and start again. For me, not having a show car, Por 15 over the whole thing was the cheap way to go, I guess it depends on how fancy you need this ride in the end, and what you plan to do with it. Others on here will have more detailed answers depending on what you want as a finished product. I was sort of under the impression that epoxy primer would seal out moister and keep the metal under if from future moisture issues, it might be that just the spots that are rusting is the only places the metal wasn't sealed up, or that rust was still on the frame when the epoxy primer went on.

I'm sorry if I gave the impression it was on the frame, it's not. I have my frame in Por 15 and its fine. The areas are on the cab of my truck. I think most of the moisture happened during transport across the mountains when I moved and then sitting outside until the space in the garage was made available.

Whoops, I looked at your avatar and got misslead!

primer wont stop moisture from seeping back into your fresh metal .. if you are building a truck with a lifetime paint job then start over and go back to bare metal again .. if you just want a paint job to last 5 years or so fix the spots and continue on ..

Hoss he said epoxy primer

epoxy primer is the most water resistant primer but its not 100% water resistant and will still take on water. i think i would just start over, who knows how far the contamination underneath is.

When you say start over, what are you meaning? I'm hoping not taking the entire cab back to fresh steel as I have done a lot of body work in filling seams, low spots etc. with filler.

hmmm, really hard to say if its because of surrouding elements of being outside or if there was some contamination under the primer, even a hand or finger print could cause rust. i think i would start by stripping where the rust is and beyond a few inches to see if there's more underneath. i would think that if its been brewin for 2 years you should see little pits underneath if there's more. how many areas are there? i just worry about down the road if you end up refinishing over something that might haunt you thats y i say consitter just starting over. also when i was in school one of my teachers had said that epoxy only lasts for a year without being top coated? has anyone else heard that before?

Just to add some more info. There wasn't any appearance of rust until I brought the truck out to BC, from Alberta. It had been inside up until that point.
I will take it down at the areas that are showing the rust coloration down to the metal and the immediate area surrounding them, Thanks for the advise!

Is the truck still for sale?

After 3 years I rather doubt it

Originally Posted by NTFDAY

After 3 years I rather doubt it

Especially since the poster was asking for advice on how to proceed, and never mentioned selling his truck.

If you remove the rusted areas and prime with an epoxy primer, you are ready to finish. I have to disagree with the one who said epoxy primer will take on moisture. If you apply it properly in the correct temps 65-80 degF, you can put the body in a lake and you won't get rust.