Sandblasting - Yes or No

I had always intended to take my 77 back to metal then from that known base, start the re-spray. A couple of months into the proiject, I am not so sure… is sandblasting the best way or should i just sand back to a flat base and go from there???
Help!

Charles.

It depends on the current condition of your paint. If you have some panels with original paint and no lifting/rust then it is best just to flat it as a key for a top coat. Otherwise go back to bare metal.

On my current project, many panels are still in excellent condition so I will not risk disturbing good paint.

Cheers
Rajan

Trouble is, this will be respray 3 or 4 so there is not much original paint left. The most recent - in a rather odd gold/bronze is chipping off in places, other spots (not sure what you call the seam where the rear panel hits the roof gutter) there is minor rust showing through.
The front guards had some little dints that pushed out easily enough but the multiple layers of paint have "shattered" requiring bare metal anyway.

Still undecided….

C

Bare metal respray sounds like a good idea, but if it's had that many resprays were they just to get it back to a nice finish or was it due to some repairs?

I've taken my passenger door back to bare metal only to find out it's been reskinned, badly, and it nowhere near straight… so the filler's got to come out!! should have just taken it back to the primer!

I've heard that if sand blasting isn't done properly with the correct media (sand, beads etc) can distort the panels, plus this can also happen if the blaster is held on one area for too long due to heat build up.

The college I work at have an a decent car body workshop with low bake oven etc. They dont have sand blasting facilities to take panels back to bare metal. They use paint stripper like Crazyquiff used on his project car. The panel is then sanded smooth afterwards. Aparrently a panel can be taken back to bare metal about 4 times using the stripper/sander method before a panel gets a bit too thin to use.

If you want to do the restoration properly then there is no option but to have the shell sandblasted - just be prepared for what will come back!!  You will almost certainly find loads of holes and need to spark up the welding gear.

We stuck a genuine Nova Sport shell in for blasting and what came back looked like a wireframe sculpture of a Nova…

I too have heard horror stories about Sand blasting….

The word is use bead not sand - its a little more expensive but it is gentler on the metal, and leaves a dull smooth surface - not the pitted rough surface you get with sand.

I got advised by one guy that he couldnt do the centres of the roof, or any large surfaces due to heat build up and possible distortion.

just be sure before you get it done!

I would not get the top of the car blasted - use pain stripper and a wire brush on a drill.  Much less risk of damage.

Use blasting on sills, arches, door frames, underside etc where it is difficult to get to.

Also remember to get paint on ASAP as soon as it is blasted it will start to rust  8O

When i used to work on beetles we would always used nitromors and wire wool a horrible job but far more gentle on the shell . That said my mate had his bead blasted and it came out well but the beads end up stuck in every nook cranny available , as far as i know he's still finding them

do not sandblast outer panels  or you will spend more time  shrinking the panels, filling and sanding. even the most experienced shot blaster will distort panels. do it the tried and tested way paint stripper and sanding

I know cars arnt relevent but I used to work in a bodyshop restoring triumph sports cars. Never shot blasted always used paint striper and wire wool. Really is a nasty job but very happy to stand back and admire when finished. Ended up scrapping gloves. You get used to the burning after a while and much easier to feel what you are doing. Rinse with plenty of water allow to dry then sand with a nylon wheel in hard to get at places and/or use a orbital sander. Check for dents by hand and run a profiler over any suspect parts.

OK chaps - brace yourselves for this one - its expensive but by god is it good!

I saw an advert in Practical classics for a company called Surface Processing.

They dip shell for the likes of Prodrive subaru….

I took my Mk1 bare, including all closures for dipping and Phosphoretic primer…

WOW!

at ?650 for dipping and ?750 for the primer it wasnt cheap - but it was like a brand new shell - but with a few holes!

They even take befoe, during and after photos for you and give you a printed copy!!!

Proper service!!!!

I now have it on a rotisserie jig wher i have almost finished the welding, seam sealing etc.

Its the way to go chaps!!

Email Matt on: matt@surfaceprocessing.co.uk

mention Jon -

We need those pics