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MG MGA - Por-15 use in rust

I am in the beginning stages of restoring a '59 1600 and both the body and frame have very heavy surface rust. Por-15 is a product which is supposed to be applied without any surface prep and fills in the rust pits suitable for finish coats. Has anyone here used this product and with what kind of results? It's not cheap but it would save a lot of sweat equity if it really works.


R Phillips

I have used Por-15 on both the frame and engine of both my TF and MGA. I've had very good luck with it. Don't think I'd use it on body panels, as you would then need to use a barrier coat before any body color coat.
David Werblow

I used Por-15 on the frame of another car. It appears to be holding up, but the car is rarely out in the weather. I wouldn't agree that Por-15 takes no preparation; I used a wire brush on my grinder to clean off all loose rust before applying it. I have also used a somewhat similar product from NAPA called Extend, I believe, with satisfactory results, again on a car that rarely sees wet weather.

Ken
k v morton

I'd recommend buying a 40lb sand blaster from Harbor Freight and sand blasting the whole frame with 30 mesh sand. You can do the whole frame within 6 hours with about 300 lbs of sand. You don't have to get it all down to white metal but get all the rust off. Either use POR 15 or Endrust from Eastwood. I've used both and prefer Endrust and then paint the whole frame with Eastwood chasis black. You can paint both caots in one day and it comes out like a factory finish. Not expensive and worth the time. Painting over rust will come through sometime.

Andy
Andy Preston

I've used a lot of POR-15 over the years, and the only way I've had any luck with it at all, is over a freshly sandblasted surface. And definitely top coat it with something, because UV light will cause it to deteriorate.
Del Rawlins

POR15 is designed to be applied to a VERY clean surface with minimal SURFACE rust only. Heavy rust will need to be removed and all traces of oil or grease must be completely cleaned. If it were me, I would sand blast the frame to at least get the heavy stuff off.

POR sells a product called "Metal Ready" which preps the surface and causes a light surface rust behind to help with adhesion. Use this after sand blasting and rinse well. Within minutes (on a warm, dry day) you will see surface rust and you can then apply the POR.

They also sell a UV top coat to protect the paint from fading. I haven't used it yet but I've heard it works well.
Steve Simmons

Best of all is epoxy primer over fresh sandblast. I used PPG Omni-Au, quite reasonable, and brushable. Then go with your topcoat.
Art Pearse

Thanks to all for your suggestions and for confirming my belief that the frame should have the rust removed before applying anything on it.
R Phillips

I need to correct something in my previous response. Where I said Endrust I should have said Eastwood Rust Encapsulator. BTW if you use this product and top coat it with Eastwood Chassis Black, you have to spray the Chassis Black within 15 minutes to 36 hours otherwise you have to scuff the Rust Encapsulator would would be a real hassle. It also took about 7 days before the paint smell went away.

Andy
Andy Preston

I agree, the surface needs to be clean for good adhesion.

Personally, I would not use it on anything that can be done correctly when doing a full restoration. A couple of examples of where I would use it:

Door edges if your not planning on pealing the surfaces apart.

Floors of your pickup (my '82 S10 has POR15 on it. Worked pretty well and does not wear off even w/o a matt)

Industrial equipment/ implements.

Whereever you cannot reach OR a trailer frame or other items that you just want to last longer, not something like a full restoration.

I used it on a battery tray over blasted metal (to be painted over), my '82 S10 floorboards, a Spridget floorboard where blasted and plan to use it on the belly blade of my John Deere 140 H3.

To do an MGA frame? Can be done, but thats the cheap way out. IF you plan to sell the car to someone, be honest and let them know that it was not a restoration.

As far as blasting a frame, you could strip it down and have it completely blasted for around $300 then not if, but when you find cracks, deep rust through or anything else, repair will be quick and easy.

-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

I have used a local headstone maker (Alpine Monument) to sandblast 3 different frames. Reasonable cost. Would NOT use him for body panels though. The man I use for body panels uses glass beads, is very carefull and costs a lot more. Once sandblasted repair rust as neccsary and prime with epoxy primer.
R J Brown

This thread was discussed between 09/10/2007 and 12/10/2007

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