Hoop Paint Question

[PeteG41]

Looking for a little advice. Paint is the last thing on my list for my project since I know it comes with a hefty price tag, and am about to spend about 11k on the motor/tranny rebuild. I met up with a guy this weekend who restored a 66 Hertz, so I was able to pick his brain. I mentioned the shape that my hood was in, but that I wouldn't be doing paint for a while. He said to get this all sanded off, and to hit it with primer to make sure the surface rust doesn't turn into more of a problem. I don't have a paint booth or even a garage to use, but would like to get this addressed. Whats the plan of action that I should take? The original hood was stolen, and replaced a while back with this one. My plan was to sand it down, prime it, and hit it with some black just to protect it until an actual paint job was in the works.

 

[Sheriff41]

Just primer won't protect your hood very long unless you use an epoxy primer. While the mechanic shop has the hood off for their work take your hood and prep it yourself. Check with one of your local automotive paint supply stores and see if they can set you up with some spray cans of the right material. Spaceage in Mesa used to be able to do this.

 

[PeteG41]

Just primer won't protect your hood very long unless you use an epoxy primer. While the mechanic shop has the hood off for their work take your hood and prep it yourself. Check with one of your local automotive paint supply stores and see if they can set you up with some spray cans of the right material. Spaceage in Mesa used to be able to do this.

Yep I knew I couldn't just leave it in primer, would definitely have to spray something on top of that to seal it. I've heard of that place, want to say my step dad bought some paint for his motorcycle there. Would 300 grit do the job or something a little more aggressive at first? I obviously dont want to make waves in the hood and extra work in the long run, but want to address this before it gets worse. I know some people have used CLR and a scotch pad to just rub it all off, but I fell like that won't be enough bite for my situation.

 

[Sheriff41]

Tough to say without seeing your hood in person. There may be some chemical methods, especially if the rust is pitted into the metal. I'll defer to others on the chemical options. Sanding is more labor intensive but safe and forgiving. Google "sandpaper for auto body work" and you'll find some good information.

If sanding, it really depends on how you plan to sand it- machine or hand - and the type of sandpaper you're using. Sanding by hand with a sanding block, I like to start with a 120-grit. If the surface is really bad you could go to an 80-grit, then follow up with a 120- or 150-grit. 240- to 320-grit is getting into the fine/extra fine papers and will take a lot of elbow grease and patience. You want to have some bite on the surface for material adhesion. Too smooth and you may have adhesion problems.

It's really a trial-and-error thing but from the picture I don't think you have to worry about ruining your hood. It should come out fine with some sweat equity.

 

[tpj71mach]

You will want to strip it down to bare metal and sand off any rust and that will take 80 grit and then you can go over it with 180 to lessen the sand scratches. You want keep the bare metal scratched up enough for the direct to metal primer to grab on tight, you can worry about finer sand scratches as you primer for paint later. The best way is to use a DA sander if you have an air compressor to run it. If not use an electric dual action sander, this will make the job easier on you and sand more evenly. Once it is sanded down to clean metal, spray it with a direct to metal epoxy primer. This will keep it from rusting if it is going to be stored indoors. If it is going to be out in the elements then you will need to get some paint on top of the DTM epoxy primer to protect the panel from moisture. If this a re-pop hood and only had the EDP coating on it then the bottom will also need the same done to it to protect it top and bottom. Eastwood makes a 2x Aerospray epoxy primer that is a direct to metal primer in an aerosol can that works pretty well if you do not have a compressor or spray gun. It's not cheap, around $30 per can and you would probably need two cans to cover the top and bottom of the hood. They also have a similar paint product in a limited amount of colors, they have rat rod black and some grays. These paints use the two part paint/activator like the primer to create a harder more durable finish. You can check it out on their website if you like.

 

[PeteG41]

You will want to strip it down to bare metal and sand off any rust and that will take 80 grit and then you can go over it with 180 to lessen the sand scratches. You want keep the bare metal scratched up enough for the direct to metal primer to grab on tight, you can worry about finer sand scratches as you primer for paint later. The best way is to use a DA sander if you have an air compressor to run it. If not use an electric dual action sander, this will make the job easier on you and sand more evenly. Once it is sanded down to clean metal, spray it with a direct to metal epoxy primer. This will keep it from rusting if it is going to be stored indoors. If it is going to be out in the elements then you will need to get some paint on top of the DTM epoxy primer to protect the panel from moisture. If this a re-pop hood and only had the EDP coating on it then the bottom will also need the same done to it to protect it top and bottom. Eastwood makes a 2x Aerospray epoxy primer that is a direct to metal primer in an aerosol can that works pretty well if you do not have a compressor or spray gun. It's not cheap, around $30 per can and you would probably need two cans to cover the top and bottom of the hood. They also have a similar paint product in a limited amount of colors, they have rat rod black and some grays. These paints use the two part paint/activator like the primer to create a harder more durable finish. You can check it out on their website if you like.

I will be using an electric sander, going to have to wait to pull the trigger on a compressor setup until I have the space to store one. I exchanged a couple emails with SpaceAge here in AZ. So my plan is to get it all sanded down, hit it with a rust converter then self etching primer, then a paint primer, sand that to make sure its smooth, then finish up with a coat of black enamel. The hood was taken off another car, as you can see it is orange and actually in very good shape. I thought about just using some scotch brite sanding pads to knock off the top layer. It isn't pitted so I don't need to take too much off, at least I don't believe so.

 

[Hemikiller]

Primer will protect it well enough until you get into the paint phase. You're in AZ, how often does it get wet? You can prime it gray to match the car and use some low gloss black to do the hood pattern if you felt like it. My first couple cars were rattle-canned in the front yard of my parent's house here in CT, were driven daily in rain, snow and all sorts of other foul weather. The primer outlasted the cars.

 

[PeteG41]

Primer will protect it well enough until you get into the paint phase. You're in AZ, how often does it get wet? You can prime it gray to match the car and use some low gloss black to do the hood pattern if you felt like it. My first couple cars were rattle-canned in the front yard of my parent's house here in CT, were driven daily in rain, snow and all sorts of other foul weather. The primer outlasted the cars.

In theory it won't get wet at all. It is under covered parking, and based on my weather stripping it most definitely won't see any weather. Once I sand it down, spray it with the converter and etching primer, am I okay to leave it like that and attempt the hood pattern? I heard that regular primer attracts moisture without sealing it, but the AZ desert isn't exactly humid. Part of me would rather just apply black to the whole thing, erring on the side of butchering the masking layout.

 

[Hemikiller]

In theory it won't get wet at all. It is under covered parking, and based on my weather stripping it most definitely won't see any weather. Once I sand it down, spray it with the converter and etching primer, am I okay to leave it like that and attempt the hood pattern? I heard that regular primer attracts moisture without sealing it, but the AZ desert isn't exactly humid. Part of me would rather just apply black to the whole thing, erring on the side of butchering the masking layout.

IMO, I'd simply knock the rust off so the best you can, hit it with a rust remover such as Rust Bullet Metal Blast, then prime over that. A proper paint job will strip it all back down and start from zero anyway. Anything is better than bare metal.

 

[PeteG41]

IMO, I'd simply knock the rust off so the best you can, hit it with a rust remover such as Rust Bullet Metal Blast, then prime over that. A proper paint job will strip it all back down and start from zero anyway. Anything is better than bare metal.

Easy enough!! Much appreciated for some direction.

 

[mrgmhale]

Man, you got some really great guidance with the preceding posts. FWIW, the suggestions are pretty much what I would have responded with, although the posts above go into more detail than I may have. We have some really great experienced folks in this forum. I stand in the shadow of some real giants, as it were. As much as I may know and have experience with, nobody knows it all. I continue to learn ever more in this forum. The info shared is as much appreciated as are the questions posed. This helps make my retirement all the better, as participating at both the learning and sharing ends of the conversations, I feel I am remaining relevant and useful to others.

 

[PeteG41]

Man, you got some really great guidance with the preceding posts. FWIW, the suggestions are pretty much what I would have responded with, although the posts above go into more detail than I may have. We have some really great experienced folks in this forum. I stand in the shadow of some real giants, as it were. As much as I may know and have experience with, nobody knows it all. I continue to learn ever more in this forum. The info shared is as much appreciated as are the questions posed. This helps make my retirement all the better, as participating at both the learning and sharing ends of the conversations, I feel I am remaining relevant and useful to others.

Your knowledge has definitely helped me in my other threads! I was given some great advice for someone with fairly low knowledge on things. On the bright side I was definitely on the right track in my thinking before I asked the experts. I knew I needed to get it sanded down, but also am aware these hoods aren't cheap so wanted to err on the side of caution before I dove into it. I did some treatment on the surface rust spots on the body. Took it down to bare metal, hit it with rust converter, then some enamel to seal it. Assumed it would be the same process with the hood just on a much larger scale.