Thread: Finishing Aluminum Body Panels

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I have been working on some of the aluminum body panels on my MGA (hood, trunk and both doors are skinned in aluminum.)
What is the best way to ready them for priming? I know that aluminum oxidizes very quickly after sanding so is there anything special I should do before priming and what suggestions do you have for primers?

There is a special primer for aluminum, and if I didn't have such a severe case of CRS I'd tell you what it is.......so hopefully someone with a still functional memory will jump in here.... If not, your paint materials supplier will know what it is...... Sorry....

Im no painter or body man but i think its aluminum oxide primer we used on planes

Originally Posted by marco

Im no painter or body man but i think its aluminum oxide primer we used on planes

yeah, but it's got another name that the paint guys go by.....dang, which my memory worked!!!!!!

zinc chromate, maybe?????

Thanks Dave & Marco. I thought there might be something special for aluminum and zinc chromate does ring a bell. Does anyone know if regular "bondo" works on aluminum or is there also a special compound necessary?

regular bondo should be left for the amateurs.

There are many superior products available.

Originally Posted by RestoRod

Thanks Dave & Marco. I thought there might be something special for aluminum and zinc chromate does ring a bell. Does anyone know if regular "bondo" works on aluminum or is there also a special compound necessary?

Used to be a product called AlumaLead....but because of the lead it was dicontiued.... I'd give Evercoat a call and see what they recomend...Used to get the dingin' and pingin' done, a light coat of zinc chromate (or whatever it was called) then the alumalead..... I haven't worked any aluminum for a long time, hate to take a guess on what is used now...

Thanks everyone. I have been doing some research on my own and have found that marine applications recommend a ZINC Phosphate based primer that is apparently available through marine suppliers. I had hoped that some of the "paint gurus" would have added their expertise to this thread but I will continue to research.
Incidentally, firebird, when I mentioned "regular" bondo I was referring to the type normally used on steel, not to the commercial brand name. I wondered if there was a specific formula for aluminum.
I have discovered that Evercoat recommends their product to be used directly on bare aluminum although it can also be used over a primer. Does anyone have any experience with this?

i was going to chime in on this not the best at spelling but we used dupont vairprime and etch lock made by martin senior they sell it under the select paint line we did test on this stuff at the time they were the two of the best

i used many fillers over alum like gold and z grip should do ok as well as platinum and duraglass the alum lead was made by ppg over 28 years ago i do not think they make it any more? it was a can of alum dust and some grape in color goow that you mix up .it at the time lead was cheaper so i used lead i was more for guys that could not lead but duraglass was better i used many fillers that had alum in it or steel in it good old duraglass works is good all have the same resin just your filler makeup like ground glass. talc.ground steel or alum or styrene or saran

Thanks Pat. I'll look into those.. and don't worry about the spelling....your message always gets through.

Yup, Duraglass will work, or the old standard MarsGlass, made by Marson, been around for years!!!!! Great adhesion on a properly scuffed surface, takes a jackhammer to get it off once it sets up!!!


Good thing Pat has a functional memory, huh?????

wish i had a dollar for every gallon of marglass kitty hair tiger hair and duraglass i used over the years i used some suff that had steel in it called blue moon it was blue . some of that stuff is still stuck to my mother s drive 28 years still there. alum a lead all metal and about 12+ other s i used when did this stuff for a livening i miss it at times just not the dust