Wing & Rust questions
 

I have been away for awhile, but I am back (If house and family will allow me some free time??? LOL) My 88GT is staring to rust and I intend to stop it.

1) There is rust strating on the rear hatch, where the wing makes contact (near tail lights). When I wash the car I notice that water seems to get trapped in there. Could the wing be mounted incorrectly? Has anyone heard of this before? Is there away to prevent the water from being trapped in there?

2) Each rust spot is smaller than a dime. Should I use Bondo? I have some experience burning lead (on batteries) has anyone heard of using lead to repair small rust spots?

3) It is winter time in NJ and may get cold in my garage (finally completed the garage). Can Bondo be used in cooler tempatures?

Thanks in advance

Chuck

Re: Wing & Rust questions
 

Bondo will not fix rust problems. In fact, bondo will seal in moisture and the rust will spread and the bondo will come out. Bondo is for filling dents, and used properly is good.

To get rid of rust, first you have to clean the area thoroughly, I use a wire brush on a drill. Get it really clean then neutralize it. There are several products available that will neutralize rust. I use a spray on product that sprays like clear paint and turns to a black primer. It seals the area so you can repair it.

If the rust has eaten a hole in the metal, it is best to cut it all out and weld in a patch. If it is small, you can make a small dent around the hole, cut a patch out of sheetmetal. Mix 2 parts of J. B. Weld and cover the area, then place the patch in and put more J. B. Weld around the edges of the patch and let it cure for 24 hours. Then you can sand it and fill the small dent with bondo, then prime and paint. (This is a good way to fill trim holes, too. Just make sure the dent is large enough that the patch is below the surface so the bondo completely covers it.) Welding is better, but most of us don't have welders handy, and some of us who do aren't very good with them (me).

The same goes for fiberglass, you can't fix rust with fiberglass, the rust spreads and then the patch cracks and pulls out. My 65 Coupe was repaired that way, fiberglass and bondo, and it was a mess, I had to replace both quarter panels because someone took the easy way out.

Finally, bondo will cure in cold weather, but the curing time is longer than when it is warm, so don't get in a hurry. Hope this helps.