u/HashSlinger2001

Hi all, I am doing some light rust repair in my new-to-me Miata in the trunk area. Last night I wire wheeled the trunk and applied Ospho. I came back 24hrs later to find it splotchy and uneven in coat. Is this okay to neutralize and paint, or should I fluid film it temporarily and retry next weekend?

My initial plan was Ospho>Mineral Spirit Wipe>Selt Etching Primer>Enamel Paint.

I would appreciate any and all advice on this. Thanks!

First: I bought one! A 2009 NC Sport soft top with 74k miles. God, I love these cars. The owner claimed to have cleaned rain drains — not true, as I just pulled them out (as seen in photos), but I don’t think he was lying, just a bit ill informed. I got a pre purchase inspection and the techs at the performance shop said she was well maintained and mint for the year… that being said, I found some rust in the trunk. I decided to wire wheel, Ospho, and reprime/paint. Currently waiting for the Ospho to cure. So the first question is, am I preparing the trunk rust correctly?

Second: while pulling interior, I noticed some rust on bolt on-factory parts, all of them unpainted. Mainly the seat pans, roll hoops, and E-brake mechanisms. Also underneath the driver’s side floor boards when pulling carpet was damp. I recently resealed the common grommet issue, so maybe that was a leftover dampness? My only concern there is the rust line seeping through the hard sound deadening in the driver’s floorboard.

I guess the question is 1) am I repairing the obvious rust correctly and 2) Which of the second issues are imperative? There is little to no rust on the undercarriage, although there were traces. I want to treat this car as well as I can, and I am starting by fixing up the previous owners’ shortcomings. Any and all advice is appreciated!

TLDR: I’m fixing what I saw on the surface, what of this is imperative?