Hey PDriver people,
I'm new here and to preludes. I've been obsessed over them since my homie got one. Now he's finally gonna sell me it and I can start working under the hood! First off, it's a 1992 Si, red w/charcoal interior. Of course it's 5 speed.
First thing I'm doing is bondoing any dents/scratches and fixing the small rust above the rear wheel well. Any suggestions on how to do this easiest and cheapest please let me know! I've been looking around here and have learned a lot and I hope to contribute to the community in the near future. I'm a 17 year old high school and college student working at a dead-end Barbecue job for 7.25/hr. Just saying, lol.
Hey, new Enthusiast from KC
Moderators: RedRacer, Moderators
-
spiffyguido
- Moderator
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:55 am
- Prelude Model: 1991 SE-SR
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Hey, new Enthusiast from KC
H22A4,
Welcome to PreludeDriver.com. We're glad that you found us.
Sounds like you're just as afflicted with a love for Preludes as I was at your age. Those were some prime days of motoring for me. So much fun owning a first Prelude.
I've got some experience with bodywork (re-painted two Preludes years ago), so I'll help you where I can. The key to doing good bodywork is patience and elbow-grease. It's not overly expensive, but it is very time consuming to do a good job.
For the rust, you want to first sand and grind ALL the rust out of the fender. Find away to protect the good areas so you don't scratch them up as you work, because you will slip. I was able to cut and sand most of my rust out with a few files and a lot of sand paper. Small tools like dremels and die grinders can help, but be cautious when you use them as they can really get carried away and take a lot of metal out if you're not careful.
Don't be too despaired if you have to swiss cheese the panel a bit. The bottom line is that in order to make a lasting repair, you have the get all the rust out. Rust is like cancer for a car. If you don't get it all out, it will likely come back. As you do this, make sure you take pictures if needed to remember the lines of the car as you'll be restoring this with fibreglass and bondo later on.
Once all the rust is out, if needed, get some rust converter and mop the area with it. This stuff shouldn't be relied on, but it can be really helpful for little bits of rust that are pitted into mildly affected metal sheeting on the body. On your car, pay special attention to the crimp points in the fender where the body panel and fender well is sandwiched together...it's a haven for rust.
With all the rust out and the rust converter applied, clean the area with a solvent of some sort. You don't want any grease residue at all in the area. There are specific solvents for body-work that you can use, but these are often meant for washing the car right before painting. Varsol, or a more timid solvent like mineral spirits will work just fine and save you some cash. As always, please work in a ventilated area, wear a respirator (best $15 you'll spend) and dispose of your extra chemicals and spill tray at the local firestation.
With the body clean and free of rust, you can start with the bondo. If you have a large hole to fill, I highly suggest the use of some proper fiberglass. Bondo is great stuff, but it's really meant for filling smaller gaps. If you have a hole that spans more than 2 inches, see about getting some fibreglass cloth and resin. It's not pricey, you can get it at hardware stores (home depot) and it works great. Follow the directions, and watch a few youtube videos on how to lay down fibreglass. It's gooey work, but the result with the fibre inside the resin is WAY stronger than the bondo alone. With the fibreglass filling the holes (if any), use the bondo to fill in the rest of the body paneling you had to pull out. As you do, try to shape things as close to the original shape as you can, and don't create any pockets for water. Shaping bondo is easy. You'll need some bondo, an old ice-cream pail lid to mix it on, and a bondo shaper. The bondo shaper is really just a rubber spatula without the handle. Flexible, tough, and great for laying out smooth lines. The trick to good bondoing is making sure you lay down some good lines, and then let it dry.
When the bondo is half dry, you can start to shape any excess down as needed with a body rasp that looks like a curved cheese-grater. When the bondo is half-dry, these work great and will save you tons of time later on. Again, this will really only be an issue if the holes are large.
With the bondo in place, get out your sandpaper. You want to start with a coarse grit, like a 60 or 80. Most sandpapers work just fine at this grit. Sand at this grit until you're closer to your desired shape. When you feel it's time, switch to a finer grit, and then a finer grit, and so on.
Once you're done sanding, the surface should be very smooth. Now you can lay down some primer. Primer comes in many types. Whatever type you get, you want to make sure that it is compatible with whatever paint you are planning to use. Find this out ahead of time. Usually one rattle-can of primer will go a long way. Mask off the area you've been working, and give it a few coats of primer. I used to use a high-build primer, because it went on thick and dimply and gave me the chance to do one more good sanding to really get the surface as smooth as glass. You want your end product to be wicked smooth, so take the time, and sand the blazes out of the primer with a very fine grit wet sand-paper (like grit 600, or higher). I always found that for the really fine sandpapers, the wet-sandpapers worked better. These ones you dip in a bucket of water before sanding. The water helps the sanding surface stay free of debris, and keeps the paper from getting all clogged up. If you accidentally expose any metal from over sanding, prime it again, then re-sand. Good bodywork is a process of adding, then sanding away, adding some more, then sanding away.
When all is said and done, you should have a primed surface that is as smooth as glass. Leave no imperfections, because you WILL see them under the paint. Paint doesn't hide any mistakes....it does exactly the opposite and draws attention to them. If you have sanded and primed things absolutely smooth, your repair can be virtually invisible.
Painting is probably the hardest part of the whole process. Depending on how big the affected area is, you might choose to take it to a professional for a quick fender spray. Automotive paint is VERY dangerous stuff in general, and it's very hard to apply well in a standard garage. When I did my cars, I bought a postitive force respiration system and built a spray booth, but that was expensive and a huge undertaking in itself. If I did it again, I'd just send it somewhere or rent a real spraybooth.
If, on the other hand, the affected area is small. Go to Honda and find out about the color code you need, and get a rattle can made up with the right color. Most good paint shops can make custom rattle cans for you if you bring them the color specs. Mask the area off, and spay it down. Be careful not to cause any drips, or lay the paint on too thick. It's not like painting a fence. Auto paint goes on REALLY thin and is heavily tinted to allow such thin coats. If you put it on too thick, you'll get drips or a surface texture that looks like orange peel.
That's it, you're done. On a final note, I'll just say to make absolutely sure that you wear the proper safety equipment for this project.
When you're sanding, wear a dust mask. There's no excuse not to. Sanding dust from a car is dangerous stuff. Fibreglass in your lungs in particular leads to life-crippling disease. A respirator is worth every penny.
When you're painting, wear eye protection, and make sure you clean up any spillage and dispose of it properly.
Always read the labels, and take the suggested precautions...they're on there for a good reason.
Hit us back with any questions you have. Post pics if you can so we can see the affected areas.
Welcome to PreludeDriver.com. We're glad that you found us.
Sounds like you're just as afflicted with a love for Preludes as I was at your age. Those were some prime days of motoring for me. So much fun owning a first Prelude.
I've got some experience with bodywork (re-painted two Preludes years ago), so I'll help you where I can. The key to doing good bodywork is patience and elbow-grease. It's not overly expensive, but it is very time consuming to do a good job.
For the rust, you want to first sand and grind ALL the rust out of the fender. Find away to protect the good areas so you don't scratch them up as you work, because you will slip. I was able to cut and sand most of my rust out with a few files and a lot of sand paper. Small tools like dremels and die grinders can help, but be cautious when you use them as they can really get carried away and take a lot of metal out if you're not careful.
Don't be too despaired if you have to swiss cheese the panel a bit. The bottom line is that in order to make a lasting repair, you have the get all the rust out. Rust is like cancer for a car. If you don't get it all out, it will likely come back. As you do this, make sure you take pictures if needed to remember the lines of the car as you'll be restoring this with fibreglass and bondo later on.
Once all the rust is out, if needed, get some rust converter and mop the area with it. This stuff shouldn't be relied on, but it can be really helpful for little bits of rust that are pitted into mildly affected metal sheeting on the body. On your car, pay special attention to the crimp points in the fender where the body panel and fender well is sandwiched together...it's a haven for rust.
With all the rust out and the rust converter applied, clean the area with a solvent of some sort. You don't want any grease residue at all in the area. There are specific solvents for body-work that you can use, but these are often meant for washing the car right before painting. Varsol, or a more timid solvent like mineral spirits will work just fine and save you some cash. As always, please work in a ventilated area, wear a respirator (best $15 you'll spend) and dispose of your extra chemicals and spill tray at the local firestation.
With the body clean and free of rust, you can start with the bondo. If you have a large hole to fill, I highly suggest the use of some proper fiberglass. Bondo is great stuff, but it's really meant for filling smaller gaps. If you have a hole that spans more than 2 inches, see about getting some fibreglass cloth and resin. It's not pricey, you can get it at hardware stores (home depot) and it works great. Follow the directions, and watch a few youtube videos on how to lay down fibreglass. It's gooey work, but the result with the fibre inside the resin is WAY stronger than the bondo alone. With the fibreglass filling the holes (if any), use the bondo to fill in the rest of the body paneling you had to pull out. As you do, try to shape things as close to the original shape as you can, and don't create any pockets for water. Shaping bondo is easy. You'll need some bondo, an old ice-cream pail lid to mix it on, and a bondo shaper. The bondo shaper is really just a rubber spatula without the handle. Flexible, tough, and great for laying out smooth lines. The trick to good bondoing is making sure you lay down some good lines, and then let it dry.
When the bondo is half dry, you can start to shape any excess down as needed with a body rasp that looks like a curved cheese-grater. When the bondo is half-dry, these work great and will save you tons of time later on. Again, this will really only be an issue if the holes are large.
With the bondo in place, get out your sandpaper. You want to start with a coarse grit, like a 60 or 80. Most sandpapers work just fine at this grit. Sand at this grit until you're closer to your desired shape. When you feel it's time, switch to a finer grit, and then a finer grit, and so on.
Once you're done sanding, the surface should be very smooth. Now you can lay down some primer. Primer comes in many types. Whatever type you get, you want to make sure that it is compatible with whatever paint you are planning to use. Find this out ahead of time. Usually one rattle-can of primer will go a long way. Mask off the area you've been working, and give it a few coats of primer. I used to use a high-build primer, because it went on thick and dimply and gave me the chance to do one more good sanding to really get the surface as smooth as glass. You want your end product to be wicked smooth, so take the time, and sand the blazes out of the primer with a very fine grit wet sand-paper (like grit 600, or higher). I always found that for the really fine sandpapers, the wet-sandpapers worked better. These ones you dip in a bucket of water before sanding. The water helps the sanding surface stay free of debris, and keeps the paper from getting all clogged up. If you accidentally expose any metal from over sanding, prime it again, then re-sand. Good bodywork is a process of adding, then sanding away, adding some more, then sanding away.
When all is said and done, you should have a primed surface that is as smooth as glass. Leave no imperfections, because you WILL see them under the paint. Paint doesn't hide any mistakes....it does exactly the opposite and draws attention to them. If you have sanded and primed things absolutely smooth, your repair can be virtually invisible.
Painting is probably the hardest part of the whole process. Depending on how big the affected area is, you might choose to take it to a professional for a quick fender spray. Automotive paint is VERY dangerous stuff in general, and it's very hard to apply well in a standard garage. When I did my cars, I bought a postitive force respiration system and built a spray booth, but that was expensive and a huge undertaking in itself. If I did it again, I'd just send it somewhere or rent a real spraybooth.
If, on the other hand, the affected area is small. Go to Honda and find out about the color code you need, and get a rattle can made up with the right color. Most good paint shops can make custom rattle cans for you if you bring them the color specs. Mask the area off, and spay it down. Be careful not to cause any drips, or lay the paint on too thick. It's not like painting a fence. Auto paint goes on REALLY thin and is heavily tinted to allow such thin coats. If you put it on too thick, you'll get drips or a surface texture that looks like orange peel.
That's it, you're done. On a final note, I'll just say to make absolutely sure that you wear the proper safety equipment for this project.
When you're sanding, wear a dust mask. There's no excuse not to. Sanding dust from a car is dangerous stuff. Fibreglass in your lungs in particular leads to life-crippling disease. A respirator is worth every penny.
When you're painting, wear eye protection, and make sure you clean up any spillage and dispose of it properly.
Always read the labels, and take the suggested precautions...they're on there for a good reason.
Hit us back with any questions you have. Post pics if you can so we can see the affected areas.
-
H22A4
- Lude Dude
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:54 am
Re: Hey, new Enthusiast from KC
Wow, I didn't expect a write up! Thanks a lot, it should prove helpful when doing this project. I'll definitely take pictures to keep everybody updated. The way I was going to repair the rust was to cut out the rust with a torch, slab a square of sheet-metal on it and weld it there. Sand it down and that's that. I was just going to bondo the small dents. I had no idea fiberglass was involved!
Would this way of going about repairing rust work with about the same quality as your way?
Would this way of going about repairing rust work with about the same quality as your way?
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spiffyguido
- Moderator
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:55 am
- Prelude Model: 1991 SE-SR
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Hey, new Enthusiast from KC
If you have access to a welder, forget the fibreglass all together. Welding in new metal will always be better than trying to piece things together with fiberglass and bondo.
I talked about fiberglass because it's more accessible to most people. Not every has a MIG or TIG just lying around to use.
Careful not to start the car on fire! I actually started my buddies lude on fire once while welding his rear quarter panel.
I talked about fiberglass because it's more accessible to most people. Not every has a MIG or TIG just lying around to use.
Careful not to start the car on fire! I actually started my buddies lude on fire once while welding his rear quarter panel.
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H22A4
- Lude Dude
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:54 am
Re: Hey, new Enthusiast from KC
Haha I won't. I have access to one only because my grandpa is a retired GM mechanic and has 2 chevy's. A 51 and a 52. He converted his 52 from a 3 speed column shift to a 4 speed floor shift. Pretty friggin sweet. He restored both of them. Refurbished and dropped 351's in both.spiffyguido wrote:If you have access to a welder, forget the fibreglass all together. Welding in new metal will always be better than trying to piece things together with fiberglass and bondo.
I talked about fiberglass because it's more accessible to most people. Not every has a MIG or TIG just lying around to use.
Careful not to start the car on fire! I actually started my buddies lude on fire once while welding his rear quarter panel.
-
spiffyguido
- Moderator
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:55 am
- Prelude Model: 1991 SE-SR
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Hey, new Enthusiast from KC
Pics of the chevys too. Those must be sweet rides.
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H22A4
- Lude Dude
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:54 am
Re: Hey, new Enthusiast from KC
Will dospiffyguido wrote:Pics of the chevys too. Those must be sweet rides.
I'll get those up today if I can.
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RedRacer
- Moderator
- Posts: 532
- Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2005 10:38 pm
- Prelude Model: 1995 Si w/mods
- Location: Alabama
