Skip to content
Aussieveedubbers

Undercoat/primer... necessary?

0 likes
Share Share on Facebook Share on X Share on Reddit

HendrikO Casual Dubber

23 posts · joined Jul 2013 ·

#989269
So my Kombi recently came out of the body shop getting major rust taken out.

Now for paint. Im running a tad tight for money, and since the coming paint job will definitely not be final i was wondering... is primer/undercoat/highfill utterly necessary?

At this point im not extremely worried about having a flat/perfect body as i plan on painting it with fun design/s and just sealing over it. The kombi is painted, and the spots where work was done has been covered with primer so there is no bare metal.

So the plan is... art -> seal. Do i need Highfill -> primer -> art -> seal?

will rust come in if i DONT highfill/primer?

any help is VERY appreciated.

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#989277
Yes you need to coat the metal.
Primer coats the metal temporarily so topcoat will stick, not to cover imperfections
Hi Fill is a primer and is designed to fill imperfections and be rubbed ready for topcoat

No Primer will not last in the open air, it is porous

Yes rust will come, all steel will rust

The best soloution is to epoxy coat the entire bare metal or porous surfaces. Epotec Barrier 408 is not expensive and has proven itself well. It is carcinogenic, two part epoxy primer that sticks to EVERYTHING.
EJ22 into Bay Microbus - Finished project build thread- click on this spot here for info

HendrikO Casual Dubber

23 posts · joined Jul 2013 ·

#989278
All bare metal is already covered with either top coat from the car pre-body shop or primer from post-body shop. Do I need to highfill it ontop of that? I asked a panel beater and he said that I would need to use the highfill to stop "pinholed areas" from getting rust; thats true or not quite?

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#989282
Nothing stops rust ever on steel, apart from Epoxy primer or Top coat done days after primer. If non epoxy primer is left for more than 3 days, it is not technically rust proof.

There are hundreds of ways to do things and most will last for a short amount of time. Quality and time costs money.
EJ22 into Bay Microbus - Finished project build thread- click on this spot here for info

Governor Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2008 ·

#989283
As above I have used Epotec epoxy its the only thing to use if your not topcoating within a couple of days

HendrikO Casual Dubber

23 posts · joined Jul 2013 ·

#989319
Awesome, thats exactly what i needed 😀 Just some more reliable advice/information. Cant hurt to get a second opinion.

Thank you so much for helping me with this, i know its simple but yeah, im new to this whole thing.