Painting, touch-up, rust removal, rust prevention

GARBEAR44017

MEMBER
1999 CHEVROLET LUMINA
3.1L
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
94,000 MILES

My car body is in good shape. I have some scratches in the white paint. Some pranksters in the neighborhood key scraped my car, not a big deal. Some small spots of rust are trying to bubble through from underneath. I want to try to maintain the body. (Lost my last car due to rusting out body and under-body). What is best way to touch-up, including sanding away some of these tiny rust spots? I can use the white "touch-up" paints from auto repair stores, but does this have any rust inhibitors? What about just using some white primer? I saw some whitish Rustoleum paint in the auto store (for engine?). Can I use this? Of course, I should not just paint over rusty bubbles. I suppose I should sand away the rust and then apply some sort of rust inhibiting, hopefully whitish colored covering. One added question, the under-body. Should I scrape off loose rust and apply something like POR-15 covering?

1 Reply

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,937 POSTS

All good question, but not something that we deal with, in general. You are best to sand back around the rust and treat with a rust inhibitor or neutralizer, then prime and paint. Do not leave in prim as primer is hydroscopic, that is it absorbs moisture something that you do not want to happen, paint when primer is dry. Under body can be treated with a sound deaden-er compound. Also, remove any rust and prim and paint first. Look online for body repair sites and forums and talk to your local auto pain supplier they will be a good source of information as well.