Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

Corrosion takes time to be seen.

A. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but yes, the steel could rust that fast. Steel can start to corrode (microscopically) immediately upon exposure to the elements.There are several mitigating factors that you mention. Moisture will accelerate corrosion. Salt will accelerate corrosion. Another factor is how deep the scratch went into the body panel. Automobiles have a protective coating applied to the steel before painting that helps inhibit corrosion - if you scratched all the way through this, and exposed bare metal, that will allow faster corrosion. On a repair note, the repair process would be the same if the scratch had corroded or not -- i.e.: sanding, priming, and painting. In this "not my fault" era, it's nice to see someone taking responsibility for their actions - even if it was an accident.
Dan Brewer
chemical process supplier - Gurnee, Illinois
http://www.finishing.com/203/57.shtml

LOL .. 'pre trouble' is a good way to put it ..