Just bought a new project. Its a little red 92, 2 door tracker. This little thing is from down in Louisiana so there is a little bit of rust/ cancer control to be done. It was really cheap and will probably end up being used pretty hard, so it doesnt have to look all that pretty. However I would like to get the damage under control. Im from AZ, so Im not used to seeing anything more than badly oxidized paint. So what works good to stop rust? And what are some ways to save what ive got.

Having a hard time posting any pics of what Ive got. Some spots its pretty severe.

You can sand off the rust when there isnt to much, but in some cases you will have to grind it off. After that you need to prime it and sand it again. Then add your first coat of paint. Then you might want to put on another coat of paint. If the rust has made holes you may need to cut those pieces out and patch them up with new sheet metal which you want to try and avoid if you can cause it is pretty hard to get right if you arent that good with a welder. You can also look at the back of a haynes manual and look there. It will tell you all about how to patch up rust spots using bondo and stuff.

Rust inhibitor, rust neutralizer ...

I don't know what they call it in your part of the world - but here I can go down to any hardware store and get a rust neutralizer.  It's a clear liquid sold in a plastic gallon bottle, you wire brush the surface rust away and then apply the neutralizer with a paint brush, leave it  for an hour, and then hose the scum away.

Depending on the damage you can now decide if to prime & paint or cut & patch.

Thanks guys.

Has anybody ever used POR15, or know of any product like that? I heard somethin about from a guy I know. Does it convert surface rust into... ah, somethin else...?
 

Thanks guys.

Has anybody ever used POR15, or know of any product like that? I heard somethin about from a guy I know. Does it convert surface rust into... ah, somethin else...?
 

I haven't tried POR15 though I hear it's good. I have used SEM's 'Rust Shield' from a spray can. Three light coats on some pitted chrome rims (after wire brush & light cleanup). No topcoat, no cleaning, lots of road salt, lasted 3 years before it started to come back though... great results given rust belt use & no maintenance. The SEM stuff may be sorta hard to find... prolly car paint supplier only, as it req's respirator to use. (Causes cancer in CA lab rats)
Also, I now have one of these on mine, though you prolly don't need it in AZ.:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2000770/c-10101/Nty-1/p-2000770/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-10101/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=rust+inhibitor

hth
Fuzz

Well just wanted to thank everyone who posted, and viewed my rust topic. The input was great and would have been helpful. But I started work on it today only to find a couple of frame sections that I hadnt seen rusted beyond any kind of reasonable repair, not to mention the body that lets in more air than it keeps out.

So I will be posting in the Garage Sale as a rig for Parting Out. Aside from the rust there are some good parts to be had, a factory hardtop in reasonably good condition, a complete interior with working electronic components, pretty good seats, etc.