not sure to acid dip or media blast car.............

[Brandan]

Was thinking of restoring a 67 convert.  I would like to take the car down to bare metal.  Any preference to either choices.  Any ideas on which people prefer? Pros and Cons.

Thanks
brandan-

[mrdetails]

Brandan: I had my 1969 coupe stripped by a chemical stripping place. It isn't really acid dip(thats done to race cars to lighten them) Chemical stripping anymore (EPA) is more likr the way an engine shop cleans a block. They have a large oven and heat the body to 700 degrees. This powders all paint, fiberglass, undercoat and grease on the body. Then they pressure wash it to clean the crap off. Then the bogy is soaked in a vatt of caustic soda (cold) to remove any remaining junk. Then a mild phosporic acid bath to remove the rust (not metal). Phosporic acid is used in naval jelly and other rust removers.The body will be perfectly clean like new sheet metal. Even inside the quaters and doors.
The problem with this process is you have to get primer on the body right away, it will rust on the way home. Also all seam's are cleaned out and require a penetrating type sealer like Eastwood sells.
Media blasting will not clean inside tight areas but will do a nice job on pannels and such.
If I was going to do it again I think I would hire some kid's to strip it with aircraft stripper top and bottom and wash it with thinner. I seen some nice jobs done this way if you take care and do a good job.
Just my opinion, good luck:
Sam

[Brandan]

Sam


thanks for the info.....I am still looking into my options to treat the metal.  It would be nice to take it all the way down and start over.  I plan on keeping the car for many years and pass it on to my children.  So with that in mind I would like to do it once.  If it costs a little more that is ok.  I am willing to spend a little more for a better process that is long lasting.  I will have to find some shops around my area that do media blasting and/or chemical stripping. 


 

[CNorton]

About eight years ago I had my '68 Camaro media blasted with walnut shells.  It did a great job of getting the paint off.  Be prepared to spend some time getting all the dust out of the cracks and corners.  I had left the headliner in place and it had a continual dusting of powder on the package tray for several years.  I don't know how it got up in there but it was a problem as long as I had the car. 

[Brandan]

About eight years ago I had my '68 Camaro media blasted with walnut shells.  It did a great job of getting the paint off.  Be prepared to spend some time getting all the dust out of the cracks and corners.  I had left the headliner in place and it had a continual dusting of powder on the package tray for several years.  I don't know how it got up in there but it was a problem as long as I had the car. 

Interesting.  The car is pretty open (everything is in pieces) and is a convert.  I was thinking of the potential problems with the cracks and crannies not getting proper rust protection if it is "dipped".  It may do more harm than good.  Perhaps a chemical strip is the way to go.  The sheet metal is mostly new on the car but there are some areas that will need some attention to the metal. 

thanks for the replies

[Brandan]

I have decided that I will go with the media blast.  There is a place within 10 miles from my house that does it. just FYI

 

[grandseahawk]

I used soda blasting. Sand blasting would have removed too much and I would never know this was a real Z28/RS. Acid dipping did not remove enough on my previous car. I think soda or even wallnut shell blasting removed just the right amount.

[mrdetails]

Soda, media(plastic chips) or walnut shell blasting won't remove rust though. Eastwood Co. has a chart in their catalog  that lists all the choices and the results to expect.

[Brandan]

Well I am planning on keeping the car for years to come (pass it onto my children) and would only like to do this once.  I think it is absolutely necessary to treat the metal somehow.  The greatest fear is missing some of the metal during treatment and then after a few years the unseen rust all of a sudden becomes seen (bubbles).  Maybe media blast and then spray a rust inhibitor throughout the entire car? 

Thanks for the replies..... 

[tom]

You could soda blast first, then sand blast just the rust. I talked to a soda blaster recently, he claims no hurry to prime after soda - says the soda will leave the metal protected for weeks or more.

Tom

[RamAirDave]

Ive had one car soda blasted.  Won't have another one done.

They will tell you that you wont need to treat the metal for weeks, but not necessarily true.  Surface rusted without ever leaving the garage.  Plus, its a bigger mess IMO than other medias.  It has more tendency to stick to the surface, and also takes a considerable amount of prep of the metal to get anything to stick to it.

Ive heard some paint reps discuss adhesion issues down the road of soda blasted cars now that its become popular the last few years, but I haven't seen/experienced that myself.

[sd1968z28]

well now i will chime in, first of all ppg does not recomend soda blasting, will not warranty paint if this has been done.
good for me since i own media blasting equipment.  no plastic media will not remove rust, i apon customer request roll the car out side and sand blast around window and other surface rust areas.  metal that has been media blasted will not flash rust i have parts in my shop that have beeen blasted for years no rust.  media will expose the areas that you need to replace, giving you time to do that before shooting you epoxy primer.  but before you prime you must scuff the metal surfaces, i use a da with 180 real quick job just to give primer something to stick to.  as far as cemical dip how in the world do you get primer in all the nooks and crannys unless they can did the whole car in primer?

[tom]

Thanks for the feedback on soda. I am no longer considering soda blasting.

Tom