I am going to have my 914 soda blasted. It will be as rust free as I can get it. I'd like to keep it that way. It seems to me that the most important step would be the first coat on the metal. Obviously galvanizing would be ideal, but I can't afford that.

Here are the options I can think of:

Por 15 (supposedly the clear is the best for painting on, but I hear adhesion can still be a problem)

epoxy primer

zinc rich primer

All would be sprayed directly onto bare steel, on the entire car. What's best? Anyone done any of these and had rust re-appear? Are there any other options?

Thats all well and good, but if you look at where and why 914s rust its not that some random body panel just starts to rust, its where water collects, is held in by foam, where dirt and leaves collect, etc. No matter what you use, you will have to take good care of the car and eliminate these sources of rust. Microscopic cracks will form in any coating after time and rust is just the next thing that happens. So keep the car covered and well cared for. Besides that, there's probably nothing special that you should do.

If you want your 914 to be as worry free as a modern car with respect to rust, good luck. I don't think any coating will help.

-Tony

figure out how to powdercoat the whole damn thing!!

QUOTE (tat2dphreak @ May 25 2005, 10:57 AM)

figure out how to powdercoat the whole damn thing!!

I wish!!!

I will be making mods to prevent water collecting, but I want to stop the rust on all fronts.

I think that por-15ing the usual problem areas will greatly increase the longevity of the car. On top of that, keeping the car garaged when not in use and not driving it in the rain or when their is salt on the road should keep it mostly rust free.

really, por-15 in places you don't need the best finish coat on(not seen by everyone) because it can be hard to paint over... I have heard that rust encapsulator is better for top-coating... and even the cheap route of ospho and rustoleum is pretty damn good... for places that don't have to be perfect, like floor pans, etc...

and on the other places, good paint and primer, and keep it clean in places that trap dirt and water is about as good as you can do... keep it in a garage when you aren't driving it, if you store it for the winter, put a cover on and silica in there too....

Move to Mars.....

My personal experience with POR-15 has been good......as long as the metal is prepped properly. Very durable, flows on nicely when brushed, and a little goes a looooong way.

My recommendation is to use Spies Heckers complete line from start to finish. Begin with the Priomat red-brown primer, followed by Vario surfacer then do your bondo werk. I have done resto werk for 11 years and this has been the best system I have used, and when done correctly by a shop, Spies will warranty the paint. After that put the car in a nice dry storage building and NEVER drive it to keep rust from forming After all it is still German metal, and they build the rust right in!

Build a transparent aluminum enclosure......draw 28" of vacuum on it.....then just sit in your easy chair and look at it.

When you get it back try sanding it prgressivly starting with 150 and ending with a REALLY fine metal polishing compound, then have the whole thing clear powdercoated You'd have a Delorean-14 That would actually be a cool look?? Polished metal body with black sail trim and reverse Porsche script in black..........blacked out trim...........

QUOTE (TonyAKAVW @ May 25 2005, 09:52 AM)

Thats all well and good, but if you look at where and why 914s rust its not that some random body panel just starts to rust, its where water collects, is held in by foam, where dirt and leaves collect, etc. No matter what you use, you will have to take good care of the car and eliminate these sources of rust. Microscopic cracks will form in any coating after time and rust is just the next thing that happens. So keep the car covered and well cared for. Besides that, there's probably nothing special that you should do. If you want your 914 to be as worry free as a modern car with respect to rust, good luck. I don't think any coating will help. -Tony

Right on 100%. Get a good quality paint job with a SEALER layer and take care of it.