Ok please dont flame me for posting this bigger pic, but I like an opinion on this spot of rust, which I think is surface, it has been there for years and hasnt seem to get any worse in socal climate. would it be an easy DIY fix if all I want to do is spray primer?

I just want to stop the rust, and primer it so that I can send it for a respray at the end of the year. I have searched around the forums and most of them seem to deal with really bad rust like bubbles....

what grade/grit of sandpaper should I start with? Ok to use a sanding block/sponge? Or do I need a wire wheel? should I sand to bare metal? how much of the surrounding area should I take out? Note on this car that it is the ONLY spot of rust the door sills are fine and so is the rest of the body (97 dx).

 

Better off trying to get it painted as soon as you can.
Primer absorbs moisture so left primered could bring the rust back.

 

80 grit to remove the rust and paint, bare metal should be 6" round with the edges featherd out. You will need an epoxy over the bare metal as it is a corrosion preventer. I would just leave it till you get it painted. and yes primer is porus. So if you prime over bare metal and leave it in the elements it will rust under the primer.

 

its surface rust now easy fix. fix it before it starts rotting.

 

It wont do anything if he paints it in the time frame he says... If he wants to throw some protection over it just put some epoxy over it. It will just have to be sanded off again and re epoxied.

 

yeah funny thing is its been like that for years...at least teh 5 years since I got it. I guess socal weather cars are lucky!

knock on wood and FWIW, I have not had a suspension bolt seized up either (and I have removed just about every one of them!)