Well looks like my next project will be doing body work which I have not done since the 80's on my 67 stang I had. Getting up supplies now and be buying the gravity feed spot blaster gun from HF to help in those hard to get area. The rocker on passenger side that I know someone has patched with bondo don't know if that was due to rust or a dent but I figure rust no pic of it as all you see is a spot of bondo cracked. Roof has a couple spot of paint bubbling due to rust not big maybe dime size. Lower quarters both sides rusted believe drivers will be worse as can see it bubbling past the fender flare well just going to cut and weld and will be the last thing I fix. Only one that really concerns me ..well guess actually two... is the rust in the gutters and the rust on back rocker on divers side along the seam. Small rust spot on top of hood and one spot of rust on edge of drivers fender right where the A piller comes down next to the windshield. Oh did not take a pic of the gutter on passenger side but pretty much surface rust all the way down it, I poked it with a scribe and found now rust thru's.

lower quarter panel rusted see it bubbling thru paint also see the rust I know its rust thru same way on other side also.

rust along bottom of door

rust along seam of drivers rear rocker panel

Another pic of rust along the bottom of door

Gutter rust divers side looks like a hole but its not

small spot on hood

rust spot on roof

rust spot on drivers fender


Question on the gutter rust, is the gutter welded in place then sealed over? Would a small gravity feed spot sand blaster be better to use in that area? If going to coat the surface with a rust converter is there a real difference between a converter or a etching primer since they both "convert" rust.

 

That is all extremely light rust. I wouldn’t worry about using rust converter. Just blast all the rust off that you can find, clean with acetone or alcohol, prime, paint.

 

Frame looks fine, but what is that cheese in the 3rd picture? Rockers?

 

Hard to find an XJ that does not have rust. The question is how much time and money do you want to spend trying to get rid of it?

 

this guy is a bit weird, but he does repair rusted metal in a way that can be well understood..he has many Youtubes

I am utterly unbelieving that he Mig welds without a mask, but you will learn things

 

Your real rust is inside of things.
Woolwax and Fluid Film sell kits that you can drill holes in hidden areas and pump a rust preventative into the inside of rocker panels and doors.

Frame rails are a good candidate too.