Morris Minor Owners Club

hi,

need some help making my car look smokey grey again. yesterday i finally bit the bullet and dealt with a patch of rust which i through would be serious, just under the head light. The paint had blistered and i was expecting a hole beneath. Turns out the head light gasket had given up and water was tracing down and finding its way to metal. Thankfully the rust was just on the surface, and is now dead.. sanded off and treated.

I've temporarily stuck some hammerite on the surface but i'll get around to doing a proper job later this week. whats the best way to protect the metal, and then to apply the surface colour again? I know i can get spray cans matched to my car from wares. how easy is it to get a reasonable blend to the old paint.. and does any special prep need doing? also.. how many coats should go on, and will i need to wax on top.

Another problem i have is some minor rust stains on the edges of some panels.. just redding under the paint. should i sand, jenolite, and go through the same procedure with these areas? they're very small areas and i really don't want to make the car that patchy!

feeling very novice about this!

as always, thanks for the help

James
Can I suggest getting hold of a copy of Haynes Car Bodywork Repair Manual form your library.It's got a section
entitled " Repairs on a shoestring " which covers all the spraying at home with an aerosol tips.Plenty of pictures
for the novice.
Take your time...preparation and care is everything for an acceptable finish.A rush job will always look like a " rush job " !!
Matching 40 year old paint is difficult for the professionals, so don't expect a new Rolls Royce paint match !!

RE your other post, enlargening the door drain holes won't do any harm but rust treat the bare metal.
Removing the door card and treating from the inside as well, would be a good idea.Shield the door glass ,mechanism
and surrounding paintwork with a rag/ masking tape, if using an aerosol.

Bob

Spray cans from Bull Motif are large, and work well ..... and likely to be more economical than from 'Ware'. Warm paint cans in hot water before use.

Note that you may have a paint reaction with the Hammerite! I think they say it takes six weeks to cure? Better grinding off again and using an etch primer before priming, flatting etc.

that was my plan.. the hammerite was a quick cover Guessed it was better to get the flaky paint that was pooling water off quick and then seal it until i have time to get some proper paints. Should i be painting any rust proofing layer on at all.. or will an etch primer be enough before spraying. I'll grind the hammerite off, sand the area down to a nice finish and give it a going over with jenolite before painting.

Also.. when i do spray i guess i'll need to blend it to the old paint. will the paint adhere just as well to the glossy good paint surface as the treated and primed surface, or will i get a bad reaction and worst flaking?

thanks for all the help, think the book sounds like a good plan!

Yes you got it!

No problem for blending into the existing paint, just make sure that any polish is thoroughly removed and the area is lightly keyed with 1200 wet and dry. A blending or fade out spray may help as can a machine polisher!