The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop outside storage questions

Guys, here is my dilemma....I have no shop. I am wanting to work on my cab ie replace panels, but want to make sure I can make progress while protecting what I don't need to work on. What kind of primer would you guys suggest I get if I have to replace sheet metal, then primer it for the night? Also, what would you guys suggest I do to protect the body while I'm not working on it? I am thinking of replacing a panel, primer it, throw a thick blanket completely over the cab, then wrapping that in a tarp to keep as much moisture off of it. Think that will work?

Man I wish I had a shop, but we are renting now and should be doing so for at least the next few years. I just can't wait any longer, watching my second replacement cab rot in front of my eyes. I have GOT to get the cab done. HELP!!

Assuming you don't have a compressor and spray equipment I would say Rustoleum. If you do then see your local paint shop or tractor/farm supply store for an enamel primer. It will protect the metal and still come off fairly easy when you want it to.

Also, once painted all your tarps and wrapping will accomplish is keeping the moisture in. If it's covered with paint you shouldn't need to wrap it.

Mr. Tmater is right. I once wrapped a sock around a spindle to paint the body of it and forgot to remove the sock. When I did the spindle was completely rusted and destroyed. All due to the sock collecting moisture from the air.

When I get a new panel I spray it with epoxy (assuming you do have a compressor) and that holds up to the weather for a long time and you can sand it a bit to add any filler you may need. Even if there is some dolly and hammer work, I would do the same thing and just sand down where the hammer strikes were made and spray again.

Thanks, guys. I do in fact have a compressor and sprayer. This is exactly the info I needed, thanks guys!

Or you might try a portable canopy, which is a pipe frame with a tarp over it. I got one thats 10x20 which is also great for working when the sun bears down on ya, because I don't have a shade tree near my shop.
Dan

I am ashamed to say that I've had a project chevelle outside for about four years now. Totally bare metal quarters, doors, and filler panel behind the rear window. The metal now is as clean as the day I stripped it, and it's because I use metal prep surface conditioner, and keep it covered with a regular car cover and a shade canopy. Every now and then (months) I go and scrub it down with a scotchbrite pad and more metal prep, wipe it off, let it dry, and cover it back up. You gotta keep the rain off it though, or you are doomed. Of course, on second thought, maybe So Cal has a bit to do with it.

Local climate has a lot to do with it. I don't have any real idea what conditions are like in Alabama, I've only been there once and it was 30 years ago and only long enough to drive across the state.

In my area we are famous for our rain. Its not as bad as you hear, but moisture is a very real problem.

I would never wrap anything in a tarp because it does hold the moisture in and quickly leads to problems. I make sure things are far enough off the ground for air to flow under them, and I place some kind of barrier between them and the ground.

I currently have a cab setting out back. Directly on the ground are a couple of pressure treated four by fours. On top the four by fours is a 70's car hood which allows rain to run off to the ground, and keeps moisture from coming out of the ground into the cab. Then the cab is simply sitting on that hood.

This approach has worked pretty well for me, and I don't usually cover something stored that way. It would ideally be under a roof, but never wrapped in anything that would retain moisture.

I do put the things I care most about in my shop under a roof over a concrete floor. But shop space is finite...

The owner of the shop that did the body work on my 38 told be that etch primer will protect against rust during storage. He said the manufacturer of the primer claims you could keep the parts at the bottom of a swimming pool and not get rust. Sounds a bit much to me but shoot, etch primer didn't even exist when I was a body man.