92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Today I decided it was time to rip off the metal tape covering the rust spots on my roof. The first one wasn't as bad as i thought, until i made the hole bigger with just a pocket knife. The second one is worse.
I would like to now how to fix this, but with a bad budget. I would like to do it myself instead of having it professionally done FOR NOW. All i have is an electric sander (which has served me well). Telling me what grit to use for each step would be nice too. Here are the pictures:

Tmic87TPI

iTrader: (3)

try to find someone with welding experience to cut and weld those holes up. then just spray paint the spots until you can find an autobody guy to take it as a side job.

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Weld+grinding would probably be more than i want to pay. I think I am going to sand off all the rust, fill the holes with spray insulation to back the bondo that would go on after.
Though my friend welds...but I dont have sheet metal and I dont think he has anything to cut that.

1986Z28OWNER

iTrader: (1)

If you want to make the holes in your roof even bigger, go for it, but if you like you car and want to fix it properly, save some money and have it fixed the proper way, spray insulation atracts and holds moisture, and the holes will be back within a year and probaly 2-3X the size. but hey, thats just my

92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

you came too late for the "advice." I have been dishing out plenty of money every month for supplies/parts/service for this car. Cheaping out on a little body work won't kill the car. It's not permanent lol...Better than the rust spreading and look like **** that you're suggesting...
Just wondering...how is it going to hold moisture?

gurkgurkgurk

i agree, i knew this guy that had a 79 el camino and let it sit out for a while and it had some rust in the cabin, so he sanded it out and put a whole bunch of that spray insulation junk, and acouple months later he wanted to get it fixed permanently and he pulled out this huge chunk the shape of a french baguette and even worse, when he squeezed it, about a liter of water just came out. it was some of the gnarliest water ive seen too

92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

I said I would cover it with bondo and I did...I can't begin to think how moisture can get through 3 coats of paint, 3 primer, a little glaze, and bondo.

jay_d

haha....spray insulation. if you wanna do it like that by all means do, but if it were me and i didnt have money to fix it, id leave it alone. But if you feel you must fix it, get somebody to cut the rusty spot out, take masking tape and back mask the hole, get a fiberglass repair kit and lay down 3 pieces of fiber glass mat, then bondo over it....i hate to be telling you to do it like that, but just putting bondo in the hole would make an even bigger rust hole in about 6 months

92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

hm sounds like it would work...3 MONTHS AGO.
already did it guys...I was looking for other options but time passed. I can only do it right next time.

jay_d

i didnt see this til now........how do you think paint drys man? through evaporation perhaps? (unless you have a enzyme that makes it harden) if it can evaporate through the out side of the paint enough to dry dont you think it can get water in behind it?.....

1986Z28OWNER

iTrader: (1)

exactly... it is going to rust, believe me

Saber

iTrader: (2)

for a spot that big, to get someone to cut and weld in a new piece of metal it would not be that much. And you could have just sprayed it with some white spray paint till you got someone to paint and blend the roof. Dont resist the advice of TGO, they know a hell of alot, and trust me its all from experience. Someone has been there before and tried your exact method. Skimming dollars is not always the best method especially when it comes to rust.

92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

ok but how does it go THROUGH the bondo. the bondo would already be dried. In that case...wouldn't any car be rusted out within a year because of the moisture it has?
and why is this still going on? I asked for these type of responses 3 months ago and did not get it. You tell me now..

91ls1t56

you never should have used foam,steel wool would have been best.

jamon8

iTrader: (3)

I know its late but here is what I would have done.

1- take out the headliner and cut the metal out under the rust

oh yeah just a thought but the insulation will get moisture from the air so unless you sealed off the insulation you will get more rust.

2-grind, cut and sand untill the rust is gone.

3- por-15 the heck out of it

4-weld new metal under the roof. using a body hammer the whole time to shape the metal as you are welding

5- put some filler in the indentions between the new and old metal.

6-paint that sucka

oh yeah! weld the braceing that you removed from under the headliner

ericjon262

one thing alot of people don't realize about rust, rust needs no moisture to grow once it has started, covering it up will never fix the problem.

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Dude bondo is NOT water proof. Not even close. Bondo is catalyzed polyester filler. It is a sponge. It is unbelievably, NOT waterproof. Anywhere there is filler it must be sealed by paint. Bondo is a body filler, for filling dents and leveling surface imperfections that will be painted over. Bondo is not made for filling holes. Anything other than replacing the metal is a hack repair. If that is good enough for the car, that is fine.