Rust where the vinyl top meets the body.

[Shelby]

I pulled the strips of trim of to eliminate the surface rust starting there. I really don't want to have to pull the vinyl as it's still in really nice shape. How can I make sure I get it and keep it from happening again? Suggestions would be awesome. This is the same spot before removing trim and after I started sanding.
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[SmoothNlow]

Looks like pretty typical rust. I wouldn't be to terribly alarmed unless the rust has gotten underneath the vinyl top itself. If you see bubbles under the top, or spots where its lumpy for no apperant reason, that's rust and the tops gonna have to come off to fix it. Other wise it will continue to spread. They don't call rust "cancer" for no reason lol. But if the worst issue is what you have pictured, id say your ok. Put some good primer and a skim coat where the metal is rough, if you wish, and paint it. The less time bare metal is exposed, the better BTW.

[Mohawk Freak]

I have the exact same problem. I'm gonna lay into it with a sandblaster and cover it with zinc chromate primer. After that it's just fill and sand. Blasting behind that trim with an air hose or a good blast of water periodically goes a long way toward keeping it from holding water again. The debris hiding behind it can be unreal.
Not for nothing, I took the vent screens off the cowl and found an inch of crap on the inside. No wonder water leaked down the firewall and rotted the floors. It couldn't drain out!

[Shelby]

It looked like it might extend up under the vinyl but I'm not finding any bubbles or lumpy patches. So I'm gonna save the vinyl top for this incarnation. I just wanted to make sure from people who have more experience in this than me. ( I'd rather be safe than F this up) It'll be primered yet this afternoon. There's unfortunately only so much ground I can cover by myself.

[Shelby]

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Finally, started to get tired of working morning to night. Blah... Be glad when it's done.

[SmoothNlow]

Wow! Looks like you made a lot of progress!! Jus remember, lots of block sanding. Make sure shes straight and smooth before she gets color! No sense in going through all the work your doin to have wavy panels that aren't straight. Good luck can't wait to see the finished product!

[Shelby]

Can't wait see it either! lol Just mixed paint so I can start spraying tomorrow. It turned out a little darker than I intended. Does anyone know if it will lighten as it dries? If not I can still live with it the way it is.

[Shelby]

040.jpg Finished product. At least for the moment.

[Shelby]

FML! My hubby stores lumber in the rafters of the carport. This time he shoved 4 or 5 short pieces 2 ft long or less up there on top of everything else. There was a nice sized storm last night. I now have several dime size chips in the new paint and a cracked windshield. GRrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!