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Old 09-23-2011, 04:33 PM   #1
MattTHEpainter
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Default DIY Rust and Dent Removal

I'm pretty sure it is every Impreza RS owners fear that one day they will have to battle rust on either the quarters or roof. I bought my Impreza with a single rust bubble above the windshield, knowing that one day I would fix it. The rust was spreading along the windshield and I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. So I decided to pick at it and give myself the much needed motivation for the project.

Materials:
Sand paper 36,80,180,220,320,400. Long board and DA style
Polyester filler ie. Rage Gold
Angle grinder with 36 grit
Die grinder
High build primer
Self etching primer
Naval jelly
Stud welder
Masking equipment


First call your local glass company to have them remove your windshield. Depending on the company this should be about 60$. I didn't realize the extent of the damage until the windshield was removed.







I used an angle grinder with a 36 grit disk to grind down all the rust and removed any remaining windshield adhesive. I also used a die grinder to get into any spot the angle grinder could not. Be careful not to grind the metal too far, or use excessive force; this causes heat which can distort metal. After all the rust is ground down it should look similar to this.





Luckily the rust on my car didn't create any holes that needed to be patched. To prevent the rust from coming back I used "Naval Jelly" over all the bare metal.



Now for the fun part; smoothing the grind marks and repairing dents. I am assuming that the hood flew up at some point in my cars life, causing the dents on the roof. First thing I like to do is outline any damage in sharpie.

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Old 09-23-2011, 04:35 PM   #2
MattTHEpainter
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Then pull any dents with a "stud welder". This will reduce the amount of body filler needed. Anywhere you will be applying a stud, grind to bare metal to create contact with the welder. Once a stud is welded to the metal you will attach the slide hammer to the stud and pull on the slide hammer while tapping on the area surrounding the dent. As Newton proved "for every action, there is an opposite but equal reaction...". So normally there will be high spots around the perimeter of the dent. As you pull on the slide hammer and tap the high spots the dent should being to "walk" out. (note: this will take some time, but with practice this procedure will become more clear)





After any large dents are pulled it is now time to apply the filler. First grind down the work area with 80 grit sand paper on a dual-action sander. Use the sander flat and you will slowly start to see the different layers of paint/primer. Any dents will become apparent because they will remain painted and the area around the dent will become bare metal.



I prefer the brand "Rage Gold" when it comes to body filler, and is trusted in most body shops. You will need a flat, non-porous, surface to mix the filler on. Everyone has their own techniques when it comes to using filler. I like to apply a good amount on my first coat. This first coat is where the majority of the "fill" should come from. Use a spreader to put down as much filler that is needed to fill the dent and overlap surrounding area. Let harden, and then begin to sand with 36 or 80 (depending on size and depth of work area) grit sandpaper on a block. Sand in a diagonal pattern // then \\ crisscrossing and creating an imaginary "X" over the work area. Do this until you level the filler with the surrounding metal. This will take some practice to get correct. A helpful trick is to apply a guide coat of black spray paint to see if there is any low spots or high spots in the filler.





Continue this process of applying filler and then smoothing, and after every coat go to a higher grade sandpaper. (80,180,220,320,400). Stop when you feel, with your hand, that the surface is level with the surrounding area and there is no bumps, or dimples. You will finish the filler with 400 grit before applying the glaze. Glaze is basically used to fill any fine scratches still left in the surrounding metal from sanding, or pin-holes that are in the filler. You will apply this extremely thin over the filler with a decent amount of pressure to fill any imperfections. Let the glaze dry and sand with 400 grit using the same process as before, but not so much that you start to take off material from the filler below. You will see the glaze fill the scratches and pin-holes.

Now sand the entire work area that you will be priming with 400 grit sand paper. "Feather out", sand any lips from the various layers of paint to make sure there are no ridges that will be visible when painting. If you can feel it with your fingers you will definitely be able to see it when it’s painted.

Mask up for high build primer by back taping your work area and covering anything you do not wish to get primer on. Never apply primer to the edge of the tape or you will get a "hard edge". Apply "self etching primer" to any bare metal. Then use high build over the work area.

Let the primer dry for the recommended time, and wet sand with 400/600 grit paper. Use the same X pattern over the whole area. Be careful to not sand through the primer.





That is pretty much the basics. If anyone is in need of further information or clarification just let me know. Finished product (instead of going to the down draft I brought it to my friend's garage with a homemade booth. I did this to stress upon the do-it-yourself title, and show that a 80,000$ booth isn't necessary for a quality job, although it does make it easier):






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Old 09-23-2011, 07:06 PM   #3
JPiddy
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You sure do make this look easy! Good write up.
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Old 09-23-2011, 10:28 PM   #4
Tweeder
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Ahh I was excited to see this. Excellent detail in the write up. Hopefully I will be using this in the near future. Also is there a certain size dent a stud welder wont help with (aka quater size on the curvature of the fender)? I hope there are more of these DIY's to come.
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Old 09-24-2011, 02:44 AM   #5
mynameisgavin
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nice job man, how much would you say this cost total?
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Old 09-24-2011, 04:23 AM   #6
down_for_the_scooby
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Hey Matt, always a fan of you're write-ups. Quick question, where do you source your filler from. I've been stuck using bondo and fiberglass but your fillers seem to go on really smooth.
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Old 09-24-2011, 04:04 PM   #7
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Excellent write up.... glad to see someone doing body work the correct way. Down_for_the_scooby, check your local yellow pages for Autobody Supply or something similar. Rage Gold is an excellent filler that's hardly more expensive than Bondo brand from a hardware store.
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Old 09-24-2011, 10:01 PM   #8
MattTHEpainter
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tweeder View Post
Ahh I was excited to see this. Excellent detail in the write up. Hopefully I will be using this in the near future. Also is there a certain size dent a stud welder wont help with (aka quater size on the curvature of the fender)? I hope there are more of these DIY's to come.
Just about any size dent a stud welder will be useful. If you can get behind the dent a better method is a body hammer and dolly. What type of DIY's are you looking for?
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Old 09-24-2011, 10:04 PM   #9
MattTHEpainter
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Quote:
Originally Posted by down_for_the_scooby View Post
Hey Matt, always a fan of you're write-ups. Quick question, where do you source your filler from. I've been stuck using bondo and fiberglass but your fillers seem to go on really smooth.
I appreciate that, thank you. I usually go to local distributers, but a good website for all your auto body needs is autobodytoolmart.
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Old 10-18-2011, 09:21 PM   #10
860go
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Bravo, now if you could just get rid of that sweet blue carpet
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Old 10-19-2011, 12:05 AM   #11
starcraft227
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one quick question about the homemade booth. Where did your friend get those big plastic cover to make the booth? I couldn't find one though. Thanks for the advice
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Old 10-19-2011, 12:12 AM   #12
MattTHEpainter
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I believe he got it from Home Depot.
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Old 10-19-2011, 10:30 AM   #13
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i would be better if u came to md and painted my car
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Old 10-21-2011, 12:07 PM   #14
MattTHEpainter
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaffer View Post
i would be better if u came to md and painted my car
Fly me down, I work for peanuts
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Old 10-23-2011, 01:48 PM   #15
liquid_paper
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hi i scraped the bottom of my rocker and there is a protective plastic/rubber "bumpy" compound that has now scrapped off my 2010 impreza. since the damage is under the car i don't want to do to much but my main concern is future rust prevention. can i purchase the filler and just cover up the areas where that "bumpy" compound rubbed off?
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Old 10-23-2011, 02:44 PM   #16
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That plastic/rubber bumpy compound stuff would be called undercoating.
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Old 10-23-2011, 06:17 PM   #17
MattTHEpainter
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Quote:
Originally Posted by liquid_paper View Post
hi i scraped the bottom of my rocker and there is a protective plastic/rubber "bumpy" compound that has now scrapped off my 2010 impreza. since the damage is under the car i don't want to do to much but my main concern is future rust prevention. can i purchase the filler and just cover up the areas where that "bumpy" compound rubbed off?
Hit any bare metal with an etching primer, then get a rubberized undercoat that will adhere over a primer/existing undercoat. Most chain part stores have spray cans of it. Just read the label for instructions.
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Old 03-21-2012, 09:03 AM   #18
Killerspeed56
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Default Rust and Dent

hey body gurus need some advise/tips on how to fix couple spots i got on my 01 rs. Posting pics so you can see better than me tring to explain it,hope im posting this in the right section.
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Old 03-21-2012, 10:32 AM   #19
Drowner
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The rust on the window edges and pillars is probably much worse than what you can see, especially at the windshield. If you pull the molding, you may find it goes rather deep, and will be a decent affair to fix.
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Old 03-21-2012, 10:46 AM   #20
Killerspeed56
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Is that something I should attempt to do or should I give to a body shop or even be worth doing. Obviously won't know until dug into
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Old 03-21-2012, 07:20 PM   #21
MattTHEpainter
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Bringing it up for educational purposes.
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Old 03-21-2012, 07:25 PM   #22
MattTHEpainter
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Common RS rust spots

Check my thread out:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=2245842

I would get an OEM replacement left quarter. That will take care of that dent, and the outer panel rust. A body shop will charge you a lot of money to completely fix all that rust. What is your aptitude for body work? This is a very extensive project.

If you have any specific questions, I can help you out.
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Old 03-21-2012, 08:18 PM   #23
Tanktheory
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Hey, you're link in the above post goes to this thread. Just a heads up!
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Old 03-21-2012, 08:58 PM   #24
Killerspeed56
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I haven't done any body work before but 100% willing to get it a go with the proper instructions. Can I just body fill that dent with bondo or something? Really don't know the steps to replacing the quarter panel.
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Old 03-22-2012, 06:02 AM   #25
Daddy_Digital
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MattTHEpainter View Post
I would get an OEM replacement left quarter. That will take care of that dent, and the outer panel rust.
you can replace the whole quarter panel? the ones in the back? unless u plan on cutting the old rusty one out and then welding the new piece in. or are u talking about replacing the front fenders? i mean..you do body work. so this is something you do for a living right? so this is business as usual for u. but some of these guys are not auto body repair men who dont do body work for a living but willing to take a shot at fixing their own car. but if i were you, i wouldnt recommend a noob or someone with out any experience in body work, to replace the entire rear quarter panel.

for those who dont know how to do body work, hire someone who does. yea its expensive. if u cant afford it, save up for it. i have rust right above where the quarter panel meets the rear bumper cover at the wheel well. ive thought about doing it myself but i know it wont come out right. so thats what stops me from doing it. im saving up to hire a person who knows what to do and have them do it right..the first time. it will cost even more if he has to come in and not only have to fix what i tried fixing, but also un-fukcing my fukc up.

Last edited by Daddy_Digital; 03-22-2012 at 06:11 AM.
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