Best way to paint a slightly rusted bus

[75bus75]

Plan for Plan to Paint Bus.

Background:
* Never painted an Auto before
* Spent a ton of time looking at the Bus paint threads and options are all over the place depending on bus condition and how much you are willing to spend.Many products to choose from etc etc ..
* I am looking to do a single Stage( learnt that ) paint and keep the original white color ( would love to do a 2 color scheme but keep things simple for now)
* The bus( Pic attached ) is in decent condition.
* No through rust
* Rust Streaks and spots of surface rust ( not pitted )
* Seams have rust stains/streaks, Gutter has similar same rust streak
* the white paint rubs off ( had been sitting in the sun too long) - suspect that in spots exposed to sun if I rub it even with a rag I might get to primer / bare metal. Other places the paint is holding on..
* Original factory paint ( has not been repainted - 75 stock bus)
* I plan to get it painted at a local body shop - but do prep work ( what prep work should I plan for based on the above?) - The body shop will mask and shoot paint ( save some $$)

Looking for advice on best and cost-effective way to plan and tackle this project.

Work done to date:
* Started removing windows and have replaced the seals

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1975 VW Westfalia

[lil-jinx]

The BEST way is to take it to the best body shop you can find and have them do all the work.
If you do the prep yourself and have a shop paint it and the paint job turns to crap the shop will say the prep work was at fault,after all 90% of a good paint job is in the prep.
You have replaced the window seals,they should have been removed as part of the prep and installed after the paint.
You are probably better off cleaning it up and give a a good coat of wax now and again
,A rough original paint bus is better the a bus with a poor paint job.
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1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy
1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

[Gonzo1970]

jinx is right... prep is the most important part of a paint job.

I would just run it as-is and save for a body shop to do it for you.

-Gonz
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[vwjetboat]

the Amount of money to buy the proper tools to do right and cost of taking to a body shop is always a huge $ to factor in..
Do you have a nice size air compressor to start with that can run a DA sander and small sand blaster? if yes.. then I would suggest doing most of the work yourself
Getting the rust in the seams is the only real issue I see in the one photo.. 15 dollar sand blaster take care of that..
If you removing the windows.. I would leave off and re install after paint. It makes for a much nicer finish as no tape marks will show up.. and you want to strip off as much as you can instead of taping.. it just makes it so much easier to sand paint and better finish at end..
As far as shooting it.. I have seen some $295 maaco paint jobs you would swear were a few thousand.. its all depends on.. the prep.. and who shoots it..
But prep has to be done and done right.. Why i suggested removed as much as you can including windows.. I have seen so many paint jobs that paint was flaking off because the area was to hard to sand because something was in the way... door hand.. weather stripping.. door molding.. side mirrors.. things like that you have to either sand right up to.. or remove ...
Just my 2 cent

[75bus75]

thanks for the advice
* I have ruled out the body shops - around here they are quoting 12K+ ( minimum) for the pain(t) job. ( Maco in the bay area quotes ~ 800 for painting the bus - single stage paint )


* I am removing the windows leaving them off - Idea is to take it to a shop without windows to get it painted. + all the removable exterior pieces ( slide door cover, Bumpers, Door Handles, lights, antenna etc). As of tonight will have all windows and rear hatch out, except the windshield ( saving that for last )




* I can sand the paint off - down the best I can with an orbital sander, the bus has not bondo/ repairs done to it..

* Seams : I don;t have a sand Blaster or a compressor large enough to do the job. To take care of Seam Streaks - (A) Can I wire wheel it, apply Por-15 Clear rust preventer, then take it to a Maco like place for primer and paint?
Or Can I put a light coat of Por-15 over the seams as they stand and then paint over it? ( Will upload some more close up photos of the seams - worst / best to get an opinion on their condition ) this is one area that I am hesitant and don't want the cure to be worse vs leaving it alone.
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1975 VW Westfalia

[vwjetboat]

I would use a brass wire wheel.. it will do the least damage to metal.. then put the rust preventer stuff on then prime .. nice that you have a bondo free body..

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[busdaddy]

Agreed, they likely see things that you don't, a good paintjob takes skill, time and expensive materials, the Maaco special is for something you want to get shiny and flip and never ever see again.

Start with a CLR wash to remove the rust streaks and spot treat the surface rust with sandpaper, Rustmort and a light colored epoxy sealer/primer, then even if you retouch those areas with a brush it'll look better than any Maaco special and last for years, polish the OG paint and wax it.

Or if you are super lazy and cheap sand the bumpy parts off the rust and use one of those rust killing phosphoric acid infused primers followed by a little tremclad.
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[TomWesty]

[75bus75]

Thanks for all the advice...

When I bought the van the idea was to leave it alone - leave everything as is and make sure it does not get any worse with age - i.e leave OG paint.

If paint then I am in the camp
[email protected] wrote: most VW enthusiasts are stuck in 80's price land.


I will be posting a few close-ups later today to get your opinion on leaving it OG.


If I go down the maco/paint no prep route - I am hoping the 100mph tape job with all the windows and trim pieces removed will eliminate the overspray issues - incorrect assumption?
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1975 VW Westfalia

[Clatter]

Get the window/door seals out and give/get it a cut/buff.
A pro cut/buff..

This can likely cost more than your $800 Maaco shit paintjob.

OG paint is a treasured thing these days.
From the pics you sent, you have OG patina a split bus guy could only dream about.

Ever see that show Antiques Roadshow?
Where the guy comes in and finds out his antique desk was re-finished,
And is now near worthless?

You are about to become "That PO".
The guy who put a shitty paint job on what was a totally save-able OG finish.

Do some homework. Read up.
Go to the barndoor forum.
Look at a few split bus build threads.
That is the future of bays.

Learn. Read. Think.

You are about to embark on what many here now,
And likely most all in the future,
Would consider vandalism.
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[Bulli Klinik]

That Bus looks too nice to paint. Spend a week cutting and buffing that paint with a quality buffing compound. Most all of the surface rust will come off.
Scrub down the top with some Ajax.

After you've spent a couple/few hundred dollars on cleaning/buffing supplies and 40 or more hours scrubbing and rubbing, realize that painting would involve 400 or more hours and at least 2K in materials for a decent result. That's the time you make the decision to paint it or not.
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I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[alaskadan]

Back in my days at the glass shop i would occasionally send one of the fleet trucks to maaco for a squirt. These were install trucks that got abused and most of the body was hidden behind glass racks. Sometimes it would look as if the painter was broadcasting a hand full of sand across a panel while spraying . Up here i pay more like 3000 for materials. Thats for single stage. Probably 4000 for two stage with a a little extra clear coat. Does the pic of your van show rust coming from under window seals? That would be a concern, often by the time you see rust coming out it may be a hole.

[hazetguy]

why complicate matters? get a roller, a couple gallons of exterior paint from home despot, and you're good to go.
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[wcfvw69]

I was quoted $7 grand to paint my 67 bug about 8 years ago by a very talented VW body shop that's always in Hot VW's. This was with me bringing the bug down stripped and them only doing the minor body work and painting it inside and out.

After spending several hundred hours of my labor to do it myself and spending $2k on paint and materials (PPG's top of the line paint), I came to the conclusion that I should of cut the $7k check!
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[75bus75]

I am glad I asked the question before moving forward.
Body panels / large areas are relatively clean ,
the rear hatch had the most rust ( missing seal for 5 inch) - on removing it surface rust , no through holes etc.

Closeup shots as promised -

Plan on skipping painting based on all the feedback -consensus feedback has been on leaving it as is.. After looking at these close-up shots is it still the right decision?

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1975 VW Westfalia

[Bulli Klinik]

I'd pull the front glass to see what's under there. Scrub it down with an Ospho type of acid until it's clean metal, if there are no holes, and brush some epoxy primer on. Then just buff the rest.
_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[richparker]

If you're not gonna paint it, but rather cut and buff it. You need this thread.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=641262&highlight=paint
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[HelmutofBuffalo]

[75bus75]