First step is to identify the minor rust areas on your car. Most areas are just the paint oxidizing and the primer showing with surface rust shown. These areas can be fixed by just a lot of elbow grease.
Rust Removal
First you need to remove all of the paint and rust that is on the surface. You can use a paint remover and sandpaper for this step. After most of the paint has been removed you have to sand the surface to bare metal and make sure there are not any areas that are rusted too thin to prime and paint. There are several products that are available to help with rust removal, we are just covering surface rust on this page.
Surface Prep
After the area is down to the bare metal, the next step is to prep the area for paint. There are several products available for your prep work, POR-15, Marine Clean, Metal Ready and AP120 Metal Prep. The surface must be cleaned of all grease and other materials you used to get the paint off before using one of the above products.
Primer
When your project is ready for primer, there are several products that are made to prepare the surface for primer. You can use a Self Etching primer, this will provide a good base for your paint project. Other primers are available, your need to use several small coats. Lightly sand and clean between coats with a tack rag. This will prevent any debris showing up latter. After three coats of primer your surface is ready for your final paint.
Please leave any comments below.
Great tips on rust removal and restoring, If you have a particular section which you find has rust through the metal how could you get around that?
That will be covered in another page. You will need to remove all rusted material and get a replacement panel to weld or glue into place. How big of an area do you have and where on the car it is located will determine what steps you take. If you have a picture of the area you are talking about send it to me and I will personally answer your question.
John