[Tone]

Well guys....I broke my windshield trying to take the trim off.

So while I am waiting for the new windshield to come on wednesday, I took my Poncho's "hat" off yesterday. I found a semi-serious rust area, and a few minor ones. Couple holes. I made some of the holes bigger with a grinder, and I'm going to Bondo the holes. I just sanded the glue/surface rust off the roof with some kickass sandpaper, and grinded off the rivets for the vinyl. It looks pretty good, and I shouldn't have too hard of a time with the Bondo.

I never used it before, so I hope I mix it properly....still, it's a fun project, even if I have to buy a new windshield, lol....

I'm going to spray the whole car flat black "suede". So it's slowly turning black as long as I still have sandpaper and paint! =)

I post some pics of my progress later.

Tone.

[Greg Reid]

Bondo doesn't work too well over rust. You might want to re-think that one.

[Tone]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Bondo doesn't work too well over rust. You might want to re-think that one.

Too late.


What rust? I cut out the rust and then filled in the couple of holes I made with the Bondo, otherwise I wouldn't even have needed it. It sure does dry fast though doesn't it?? Damn!

I still have to sand some rougher areas before I paint it. I took my little brother car shopping with a bare metal roof and some patches of bondo, LOL. What a sled.

[Greg Reid]

If it's drying too fast, you could probably cut back a bit on the catalyst.
'All Metal', 'Metal 2 Metal' or some type of fiberglass strand filler may be a little better choice for filling in a hole.

[Tone]

I never did anything like this before, so it's quite a learning experience. I'll buy some different stuff each time for the comparisons, and I'll try some of the fiberglass goo next time.

I don't have my pics on the computer yet, but I'd like to show you my grind work and the holes. Really, there is no hole bigger than an M&M....and not many of them. I think the 73 LeMans really held out in spite of its weather-beaten vinyl roof. I did find some old Bondo work, and I think it might be from the factory, as the top of the roof wasn't even painted....??

I borrowed an electric sander, and I'm going to try to even out my way to thick Bondo job, so the paint doesn't look like crap. My first time with Bondo...wasn't sure what they meant by "thin layers". I'll go thinner next time for sure.

Thanks for your input Greg, and nice work on your car!

[Greg Reid]

I'm nowhere near an expert myself but I've learned a few things.
For one, the factory didn't really paint the roofs that were slated for vinyl tops. That contributed to the rust problems so often seen there. Sounds like you got to your's before it got bad.
Thin coats are definitely the way to go with the filler. Don't try to fill the depression the first application. I try to feather it out so thin at the edges that you barely even have to sand it to make he ridge at the edge disappear.
If you're filling a hole or ding the size of an m&m you would want to squeegie the filler out 4 or 5 inches. When you finish sanding, the outside 3 or 4 inches will be so thin as to be almost transluscent. When you drag a finger across it with a shoprag, you should feel nothing in the way of a ridge.
Now, look at what you sanded. The low spot will stil have a darker color to it where the sanding board (you are using a board aren't you?) missed it. Apply another thin coat. Sand again, repeat.
The low spot will get smaller until it's completely filled.

[Tone]

Ok...I'll do that feathering trick next time, I swear! Right now the weather is getting quite grim, and the forecast shows thuderstorms for like 2 or 3 days.....so I cleaned it up and spray painted the roof and over my crappy bondo with flat black. It would have been covered in rust by the time it's sunny again.

[Greg Reid]

Tone, did you at least seal the bondo with a rattlecan primer/sealer before putting the flat black on?
That setup sounds like it would cause more rust than you got rid of in the first place. The flat paints are porous and so is the bondo.

[Tone]

No I didn't. I guess I kinda rushed it. I'm gonna take a step backward, and maybe take another crack at that bondo work again. There's no need to hurry, and I'd rather it done right. Whatever you think I should do Greg. Thanks for the help!

[Greg Reid]

Post some pictures of what you did when you get a chance. There are lots of people here with more skill and experience than me but I've seen a few things based on my own mistakes.
You'll see rust popping through that flat black pretty quick if you don't seal the metal with something first and since you don't have a sprayer, even a rattle can sealer/primer will be better than just the black paint.
Dupli-color makes one of each..sandable primer and primer/sealer. The sealer will help prevent rust. The sandable will give you a decent surface to make the repair a little smoother....Then you can go with the black on top.

[Tone]

Cool, I'll pick up a can or two of some primer/sealer at Autozone...and maybe the one part filler and just grind or sand off my bondo and do it over. Since there isn't a lot of area to patch, I doubt I even need Bondo, but it's nice to get some experience under my belt.

New windshield was postponed from today to tomorrow morning, due to rain(wish I had a garage). The pinch weld should be fine, but I still have my fingers crossed.



Also Greg, I think the whole car would look good flat black, with all that shiny trim to contrast. Got any suggestions? I was thinking about doing one piece of the car at a time...like take the hood off, sand it nice and smooth, primer/paint.

[Greg Reid]

If you remove all the trim, sand it smooth and wash it really, really good, you could probably get a decent flat black paint job from Maaco for a couple of hundred dollars. The more you take off of it, the better job they'll do. Otherwise, they'll just mask and shoot.

[Tone]

Ya know, my neighbor told me the other day I should go to Maaco for a flat black 'suede' paint job. He said it'd be cheap. And I hear ya about taking off trim and stuff. Can you imagine rolling a car in there that's all bare metal and has no trim or door handles or anything! Haha!

[Tone]

Ok, so my windshield is out, and the pinch weld is in pretty bad shape. lots of holes along the top. The bottom and sides are far from rotting through, but the top is shot.

So the crew left, and I've got some gorilla hair and a tarp on the way. What a mess.

Any suggestions while I'm sort of in limbo?

[Greg Reid]

People roll cars in there all the time like that I imagine. You want as little masking as possible as every hard edge on the paint is a place that will start lifting eventually...Then you have that green paint showing through.
I don't know anything about gorilla hair and all that. I welded new metal in there.
I remember a thread a few months ago where somebody did that to the rear roof of their Firebird. You might do a search or start a new thread on it.

[Tone]

Word. I'll see if there's a thread about it. Also, I already broke off one of the rivets for the windshield trim, and another is in a bad spot of rust(probably not gonna make it).

I guess those little things are important eh?

[Tone]

Looks like I need a wire wheel for my drill, and some type of marine epoxy or resin to use with the fiberglass I already have. Hopefully it looks worse than it really is...but it sure does look bad.

[Greg Reid]

You'll need to treat that rust with something first before you start your patching. Do the search and start a new thread with pictures. There's guys here that know how to handle that with the best chance for success.

[Tone]

This kinda sucks....the ONLY time a crew can come before Sunday(I have work) with a windshield is tomorrow before lunch time....and the weather man is saying strong storms tonight with a good chance of large hail?!

WTF!?

Of all the times for it to hail...why tonight? And the battery on my drill lasts like 10 minutes. It's gonna take me all day just to get all the loose, thick rust off.

How would you lay the fiberglass into the channel? I'm thinking of one inch strips, and press them into the contours of the channel with my fingers. I used the Bondo a couple days ago...never the fiberglass stuff though...is it about the same?