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[zl600a1]

I have a 1999 model year Omega with a small spot of rust (about 4mm diameter) on the drivers door - almost centre of the door. What is the best way to touch it up?

Cheers

Dave

[holtender]

You must remove all the rust or it will return. Touch up paint on metallic finishes looks terrible to my eye, I'd  advise you to blow in some paint or pay someone to do it.

[Darth Loo-knee]

like already said think you would need to have it blown in, with having a door one side and a rear quarter the other if you just sprayed the door you wouls see the colour diffence. Unless it was under the buffer strip then i would chance it as it isn't in the eye if you know what I mean.
The other alternative would be to look out for a door the same colour which is rust free, easy to change too  

[zl600a1]

Here is the actual rust spot on the upper half of the drivers door (has to be the most used door - ain't that always the way?)

[sev]

if you just want to remove it, then sand it back to bare metal and apply an etch primer then undercoat and topcoat.

However, as its a metallic, you'll need to blend it into the panel, and with doors, that normally means blending in (blowing in) the colour onto the adjoining panels.

In the first instance, i'd scour the breakers to see if anyone is breaking a car of the same colour and vintage.

[zl600a1]

if you just want to remove it, then sand it back to bare metal and apply an etch primer then undercoat and topcoat.

However, as its a metallic, you'll need to blend it into the panel, and with doors, that normally means blending in (blowing in) the colour onto the adjoining panels.

In the first instance, i'd scour the breakers to see if anyone is breaking a car of the same colour and vintage.

Thanks....will do

[holtender]

Looking at your picture I'd say the rust is very easy to remove, I would suggest you spray the whole door panel and make sure you have a correct match on the paint.

This link was posted on here last month and is very informative.


http://www.carsprays.co.uk/

[zl600a1]

Looking at your picture I'd say the rust is very easy to remove, I would suggest you spray the whole door panel and make sure you have a correct match on the paint.

This link was posted on here last month and is very informative.


http://www.carsprays.co.uk/

Thanks for that...

[Richie London]

vauxhalls do small cans of colour match with the laquer. about 12 i think they were

[zl600a1]

vauxhalls do small cans of colour match with the laquer. about 12 i think they were

I have those, but do they "blend" in ok?

[sev]

vauxhalls do small cans of colour match with the laquer. about 12 i think they were

I have those, but do they "blend" in ok?

There's no reason why they shouldn't, are they aerosol cans?

the biggest challenge anyone faces even when in a proper sprayshop is knowing how much product was put on as standard, you see, the more you put on the darker it gets!

As a rule go for  2 coats of base coat (the silver) followed by 2 coats of clearcoat (laquer)

Also befoer you begin, it might be worth checking what colour primer is used, as the colour of the silver will be affected by this.

So, you got your primer / basecoat silver / clearcoat ;

Using dry sanding and a mask, rub back the rust spot till you get back to the bare metal.

Apply some form of rust treatment - if you can get it, etch primer, its like an acid that eats into the surface of the metal like a galvaniser.

By now it's all going to look a bit ropey, and more than likely it's about 3 inches bigger than the original blister, but don't worry!




Now for the fun part - ish!

Apply two coats of primer, filler primer is best as it has volume.

Be mindfull to use a sanding block throughout, and let the abrasive on the paper take the filler off, not the weight and strength in your arms.

Get a can of cheap black spray, and give the surface a quick dust - litterally just darken it, no more!  This is called a guide coat.
The guide coat helps you see what is a high spot and what is a low spot.
If it's a high spot, it will rub away, it it's low, it will stay until the surface has been smoothed to that level.

if you have some deep dents, get some body filler, ideally 'topstop gold' and spread a tiny amount on to the area you have the dip in. This is because your rubbing would have affected how flat this all is, and you need to bring the area back to flat before you can spray - or else everytime you look at it, you'll swear that there's a dent there!
Re-apply guidecoat, and rub.

When all guidecoat is gone, your surface is flat.


This will take time, and even in pro-bodyshops they might do this several times over before they're happy.

Now for the fun bit!!  

Mask off the car so that you have a frame around 6- 12" (yes 6- 12) around the little area you need to spray., mask panels either side and also the area above, and side window.

The rubbing will have probably made this around 4" diameter anyway!

going from left to right (never do the up and down thing) apply two coats of silver.

Give this about ten minutes to flash off, then apply two coats of laquer.

All the while, you don't want to spray to the edges of your mask, or you'll get a hard edge.

if you go too fast, you'll get dusting, and if you go too slow you'll get runs.  practice on a peice of scrap wood or metal first, in fact it's probably worth practicing the whole procedure on something small first.

After this, it's time to admire your handywork, and leave overnight.

The final step is this:

Polishing -
using a 2000grit paper wet and dry, gently dull the surface, till even, and where you have overspray lightly dull this as well.  Don't go too hard or you'll bust through the laquer.

Get a cutting compound like farecla G3 and cut the dulled areas till they are lovely and shiney again.  if you really wanted to, you could then use a G10 as a fine compound.

Cover in your favourite wax - and job's jobbed  

It seems like a lot of work, but once you practice, you'll find that it's more methodical than anything else.

Any other questions just ask.  

[zl600a1]

vauxhalls do small cans of colour match with the laquer. about 12 i think they were

I have those, but do they "blend" in ok?

There's no reason why they shouldn't, are they aerosol cans?

the biggest challenge anyone faces even when in a proper sprayshop is knowing how much product was put on as standard, you see, the more you put on the darker it gets!

As a rule go for  2 coats of base coat (the silver) followed by 2 coats of clearcoat (laquer)

Also befoer you begin, it might be worth checking what colour primer is used, as the colour of the silver will be affected by this.

So, you got your primer / basecoat silver / clearcoat ;

Using dry sanding and a mask, rub back the rust spot till you get back to the bare metal.

Apply some form of rust treatment - if you can get it, etch primer, its like an acid that eats into the surface of the metal like a galvaniser.

By now it's all going to look a bit ropey, and more than likely it's about 3 inches bigger than the original blister, but don't worry!




Now for the fun part - ish!

Apply two coats of primer, filler primer is best as it has volume.

Be mindfull to use a sanding block throughout, and let the abrasive on the paper take the filler off, not the weight and strength in your arms.

Get a can of cheap black spray, and give the surface a quick dust - litterally just darken it, no more!  This is called a guide coat.
The guide coat helps you see what is a high spot and what is a low spot.
If it's a high spot, it will rub away, it it's low, it will stay until the surface has been smoothed to that level.

if you have some deep dents, get some body filler, ideally 'topstop gold' and spread a tiny amount on to the area you have the dip in. This is because your rubbing would have affected how flat this all is, and you need to bring the area back to flat before you can spray - or else everytime you look at it, you'll swear that there's a dent there!
Re-apply guidecoat, and rub.

When all guidecoat is gone, your surface is flat.


This will take time, and even in pro-bodyshops they might do this several times over before they're happy.

Now for the fun bit!!  

Mask off the car so that you have a frame around 6- 12" (yes 6- 12) around the little area you need to spray., mask panels either side and also the area above, and side window.

The rubbing will have probably made this around 4" diameter anyway!

going from left to right (never do the up and down thing) apply two coats of silver.

Give this about ten minutes to flash off, then apply two coats of laquer.

All the while, you don't want to spray to the edges of your mask, or you'll get a hard edge.

if you go too fast, you'll get dusting, and if you go too slow you'll get runs.  practice on a peice of scrap wood or metal first, in fact it's probably worth practicing the whole procedure on something small first.

After this, it's time to admire your handywork, and leave overnight.

The final step is this:

Polishing -
using a 2000grit paper wet and dry, gently dull the surface, till even, and where you have overspray lightly dull this as well.  Don't go too hard or you'll bust through the laquer.

Get a cutting compound like farecla G3 and cut the dulled areas till they are lovely and shiney again.  if you really wanted to, you could then use a G10 as a fine compound.

Cover in your favourite wax - and job's jobbed  

It seems like a lot of work, but once you practice, you'll find that it's more methodical than anything else.

Any other questions just ask.  

Excellent, thanks...

Now I know what I am doing this summer!!!

[sev]

you're in east sussex, and i'm on the sussex/surrey border... perhaps we can see a plan forming...  

[zl600a1]

you're in east sussex, and i'm on the sussex/surrey border... perhaps we can see a plan forming...  

Thanks but I'll give it a go this summer...I like a DIY challenge!