Auto body painters are at risk of inhaling isocyanates, which include two-part coatings, paints and paint pigments that use a hardener in combination with a catalyst. Sprayed airborne paint chemicals include chromium, cadmium and lead. Primer and sealer paints contain aliphatic isocyanates and ethyl acetate. Clear coat paints contain toluene, petroleum naphtha and mixed dibasic esters. Metal cleaning and body trim work contains epoxy resins, methylene chloride, styrene and adhesive fumes. All of these airborne chemicals can cause respiratory inflammation or disease, as well as skin rashes and inflammations, allergic reactions, nerve and brain damage, nausea, organ failure, headache and vomiting.

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The solvents are explosive so be careful with fans, water heaters and other flame sources. The bigger risk in my opinion are the carcinogens and toxic chemicals. I have done a good bit of body work over the years and I have made my self sick more than once. Respirators help, but a fresh air system is better. Also remember many of the chemicals are absorbed through the skin. Wear gloves and a tyveck suit. That will also help with dust in your paint. I went epoxy instead of self etching. I believe the epoxy is tougher and more rust resistant. Most of the auto restorers I have researched use epoxy on their bare metal. Then buildable primer from there. I am older and my kids are getting grown. You appear to be a young man so you should be even more cautious. You need to stay healthy longer than me.

Also if it's in the floors, I would be surprised if you don't find some elsewhere. Doglegs, under the battery, wheel arches, inside the rear wheel archs on the front side behind the doglegs, behind the gusset plates on the front frame rails. Look for paint bubbles. If there is a paint bubble, then there is a hole from the back side of the panel.

Yeah, I'm not mixing paint and spraying. Rattle can only in my garage. So the plan is sand the surface rust areas and spay self etching primer as I distmantle and hunt for cancer. Then get it media blasted, epoxy primed, and painted.

Just remember media blasting works best with the car totally stripped, and the media gets in every little nook and cranny. If you strip the car down and do your work and the car is staying inside you don't need to rattle can. I use Eastwood after blast and the car doesn't rust if it stays dry. If you are gonna drive it you will need to keep the metal coated. Also remember a bad media blasting job will ruin a Z, the metal is very thin!

Yeah, I've been looking into soda blasting because of that.

Soda normally costs more and it doesn't touch rusty metal. Also it needs to be neutralized before painting. Be prepared for the paint estimates. When I was looking to get a price for doing a Z they were all over the place. Some as high as $8-9k. The guy I wanted to do it was gonna charge $6k, it just seemed to never get to the front of the line. I don't think he wanted to do it. He mainly does older American iron. I ended up just doing it all myself. Still in progress...

I ended up just doing it all myself. Still in progress...

Did you ever finish?

2 hours ago, Matthew Abate said:

Did you ever finish?

I think I am 7 years in right now. the car is jambed out and ready to start putting some suspension back in and lines and such. If I got really serious I could be done in a year and a half but I have a large family and am self employed so these projects take a long time. If I live long enough that's good. If I don't then it's "all gain"...