In a message dated 10/08/2008 2:22:30 P.M. Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

        Michael & others  intrested.  I do this all the time for customers &
if fact just  redid the camper side of my personal '87 Westy last week.  So
listen  carefully.

Clean the area to be repaired with automotive Wash & Wipe Metal Prep to
remove all grease, wax and any other paint contaiminates.  Using a wire  wheel on
an air tool or drill, remove the flaking rust from the rust spots and  remove
all paint surrounding the rust spot so that you see at least 1/2" of nice
shinny metal around the rust spot.  Using 80 grit aluminium oxide sandpaper  by
hand or with a oscillating round eclectic or air sander, sand the rust area
and feather edge the surrounding paint to that the new primers and paint  will
blend in without leaving an edge.  Prep the area with POR-15 Marine  Clean and
Metal Ready as per the instructions.  Apply POR-15 to the rusted  area using
an automotive touch up spray gun just overlapping the feather  edged paint
slightly. If there are any rust holes or perforation they can be  repaired using
automotive Fiberglas cloth with the POR-15, try to keep the  surface as level
as possible by working the repair from the back side if  possible.  Pieces of
metal may be used the same way as the POR-15 will bond  two pieces of metal
together if the POR-15 preparation instructions are followed  precisely.
Countersunk pop rivets can be used to hold the two pieces of  metal together until
the POR-15 cures.  NOW here's the real hard part of  this repair.  If at all
possible you MUST apply the POR-15 to the rear side  of the rusted area your
trying to repair to insure a perfect everlasting  repair.  If you do not
encapsulate the metal then the rust may return as  air causing oxidation of the metal
can get in from the unprotected  surface.  Now, before the POR-15 has cured
apply a few coats of grey  Urethane high build primer, you must apply enough
primer so that when you sand  it you will not sand through the POR-15 as this will
compromise the POR-15  coating and render it ineffective as a rust deterrent.
 Once the primer has  cured, sand with 220 grit aluminium oxide sandpaper to
smooth, apply more high  build primer or polyester resin to fill any pock
marks or small deviations in  the surface that need filling, final sand the area
with 320 grit aluminium oxide  sandpaper, then using 3M red buffing pads, rough
up the area of paint around the  area to be colour sprayed.  This will help
to blend in the new paint to the  old paint.  Any areas of the surface that may
have been sanded through to  bare shinny metal, as opposed to rusted metal,
must be primed with Vinyl Wash  primer before painting.  Once the area has been
sanded properly  and prepped with Wash & Wipe, apply the paint colour of your
 choice.  The use of Wash & Wipe metal prep to clean the surfaces  to be
painted should be done before beginning the repair and before  painting.  Proper
masking of areas not to be painted is  also needed.  After the paint has cured
use rubbing compound to blend  the edges of the new and old paint.  It will
never be perfect but will look  good until your ready to paint the entire van.

>>>>Vanagonauts,

My trusty '82 Westy is suffering  from cancer in small spots all over
the van.  In the desert, where I  currently live, it will take many
more years to do any real damage to the  van.  However, I'm moving to
New Hampshire next spring.  I worry  for the van.  I have already
arranged indoor storage, but I know that  the rust will accellerate in
the humid climate.

Photos here  <http://picasaweb.google.com/slowmachine82/VanRust>

I greatly  admire the restoration work that is being done by some of
our list members,  but I think the cost is beyond my budget.  I'm
looking for recommended  strategy and techniques for dealing with this
myself.  Stripping the  van and paying a professional body shop is not
an option, at least not in  the next 12 months.  I'd like to be able to
do small areas on the  weekends.  I'm more concerned with corrosion
control than cosmetics,  but I'd like the van to remain all-white while
I do spot repairs.   Precise color-matching of the spot repairs is not
important to  me.

In the past, I have attempted rust repair on other vehicles  by
sanding, rust converter spray, prime and paint.  The rust  returned
every time.  I have a compressor that is too small for  full-on
sand/media blasting, but it may be enough for one of  Eastwood's
spot-blasters.

I don't want this to get out of control  and destroy this wonderful
van.  Please point me in the right  direction.<<<<<<<<

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15,  2008