frame rust--how to fix?

I know absolutely nothing about body work, though I've used a sanding
disc and wire brushes before. I have rotary brushes for my drill, too.
I've got a bit of rust on the frame column between the front and rear
doors on the driver's side, around where the passenger door hinges
attach to the frame. Since this is practically the only rust on a '94
Civic I'd like to stop it before it gets any worse and before winter
gets cold here.

Once I take the door off I assume I just sand the rust down, hoping it
isn't so serious that I weaken the frame in doing so, but what should I
put on it to stop the rust I can't get out? I don't care about matching
the body color afterwards, as this area is visible only when the doors
are open. Is there an anti-rust primer, then I'd cover that with spray
paint?

I may also run down to the local body shop to see what they'd charge me
to do it, since I don't have a lot of time to deal with this before it
gets too cold.

Last car I had was a rusted hulk, so I kinda want to prevent the same
from happening here. It's a novel thing for me to be driving an unrusted
vehicle... <g>

Abe

 

It's too late. IT's the rust that you don't see that will do you, er,
the car in. Hondas rust and I know of no way to prevent it other than
living in a dry warm climate.

If I were you, I would cosmetically fix the problem if appearance is an
issue and start saving for another car. If you're buying used,
sometimes it is worth buying the same model for a rust free area such as
the SW US and saving your running gear as spare parts...

 

Do A Google Search "auto rust prevention"

Grumble

 

If it is just surface rust on the door pillar, then just sand it down
and paint it with Rustoleum, or something called Zinc It, made by
Rustoleum, which provides a zinc-rich coating that will give rust
something to chew on other than the structural steel in your car.

What will really kill your car though is rust through on the gusseting
on the underbody. I brought an '87 Prelude a while back with the
intention of fixing it up, and driving it as a beater. I only discovered
how bad it was after buying several hundred dollars worth of parts, and
really getting underneath to work on the brakes and front end. I ended
up having it hauled away, along with all of its expensive new parts. I
learned a hard lesson about inspecting a car thoroughly before writing
the check!

This type of rust usually starts on the inside, and by the time it
breaks through to the outside, it's too late. The only way you may be
able to buy some time is to weld or braze new metal in, but often the
worst areas are inaccessable, or will require the interior to be gutted
for the operation. This was the case with the Prelude.

 

Another thing you can do to delay the day of reckoning if you suspect
rust within is to spray a penetrating type oil, such as WD-40,
Zepreserve, or the like into the cavities such as door pillars, door and
fender bottoms, tailgates, the inside of the wheel arches, etc, where
rust can get a foothold. You may have to drill an access hole or remove
some interior panels to get to some spots, however. Repeat this every
year or so, and see how long you can make it last.

 

Thanks, guys, for all the suggestions. Truth is that all cars rust, not
just Hondas--you shoulda seen my old Pontiac rustbuket of a wagon. Thing
there was that themetal was so damn thick and well-layered that pounds
of metal could fall out and the thing still held together. My new Honda
is a heck of lot lighter, though, so what I'm really trying to do is
delay the inevitable. I actually can't believe the thing is as rust free
as it is, after its former life in Buffalo, NY.