how to treat a paint crack?

[runninonpizza]

Not really sure whats happening here, but looks like paint has cracked? It's not quite bubbling but there's a line that has cracked in the paint.

I recently purchased this vanagon and the PO didn't seem to want to do any basic waxing / polishing (but the mechanics are quite good).

My plan is to wait about 6 months or so ($$ recoup) and get it professionally repainted / bodywork and give it the refresh it deserves.

Until then, how should I treat this area? I plan on doing a big clean / compound / polish / wax and see what buffs out, but I doubt this is something that will buff out...

[DuncanS]

Hard to tell what part of the car it is. Appears to be a Flash Silver with the failure just under the sliding window. If this is the case, the rubber has lost its seal and water has been trapped underneath and is causing rust with it bubbling off the paint. Note the rust just under the rubber.

Pull the window, clean off all the rust to bare metal. Prime and repaint with a rattle can masking off so there isn't too much over spray. Then spray some paint on a brush and "dry brush" the area where the tape line is to feather it out and appear less conspicuous. This will look fine from 3' away.

The main thing is to do it now before the rust progresses to the point of needing welding. If and when you get the car painted the body shop will be able to deal with your temporary paint job, but you will have saved a ton of money if they don't have to rebuild the metal in the area.

[Alaskaberrys]

Welcome to the Samba!

Lotsa info to be found on this site. 8 pages of dealing with rust, temporarily and permanently here - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/search.php?searc...=titleonly

I would get a dental pick/screwdriver and peel off the paint that’s lifting to get some Ospho or similar rust treatment on the metal underneath. Then rattle can paint it to seal it up till your in restoration mode. Not pretty, but stops the rust till you afford the time/money for the bodywork. And as DuncanS mentioned - make less work/$$ a year or two from now.

Enjoy your van!
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[djkeev]

Yeah...... that area right at the window seal and a bit below the windows is an area that frequently rusts.

Is there evidence of repairs and a repaint on your Van?

Sometimes owners will make rust repairs with fiberglass and bondo instead of cutting out the rust and welding in new metal.

Good attitude, touch it up, live with it for now.

Keep in mind as you do embark upon a proper repaint, you may find more of this hidden rust.
Budget accordingly.

Welcome to the site!
Any more photos of your new Van that you care to share?
It looks like a Savannah Beige Metallic?

Dave
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[danfromsyr]

I may wager a guess that this van has already been repainted once (at least in this area).
perhaps a prior rust abatement that is losing it's grip. and the respray has shrunk and cracked.
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[4Gears4Tires]

[DuncanS]

Do you acid dip with the engine and tranny still in?

[Crankey]

I think Dan is right, if it's not going to be driven regularly I guess I'd park it in a garage and start exploring for rust with a sharp metal object and some sandpaper folded over a door shim right into these cracks.
This dosn't look like a big problem here, but I'd get a jack out and pull the wheels and explore the wheel wells at the suspension mount areas. I'd want to see all the difficult to rebuild areas critical to the van first. Pull the water drain plugs along the bottom of the rocker skins. Scrub off the dry mud in those wheel wells.
Hopefully you get away with some rusting panel seams in easy to clean out areas and find no holes.
Holes and deep rust pitting will need cut and weld repair, small rust in panel seams can be flooded with a rust converter like Rust Mort by SEM and then seam sealed again.
It seems more daunting untill you dig into it and once you see what your dealing with it's just metal carpentry to fix it. It's down time and not why you bought it but it's part of owning a 30+ year old vehicle.

[runninonpizza]

[runninonpizza]

[Crankey]

You can get the rust mort to wick down into cracks. It's thin as water.
So you might do that and hit these spots with primer for the time being...
Yep I'm in Seattle-ish too.

[danfromsyr]

any oil product will seal the surface from water and air that promotes the oxidation. and will slow the process, possibly quite some long time depending on product, reapplication and environmental exposure.

even a paste wax would go a long way to sealing it and slowing it down.. for yearrrs

though those products (oils & waxes) need to be noted and addressed and that point in time you go to deal with it. else paint performance will be poor.


in essence in the north east this is a non-issue item and we wouldn't have given it any or much thought.

me, I'd put a spritz of Fluid Film (C) on a paper towel and give it a light rub.
touch up as weather and time requires.
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