# Body is off the car. My next plan



## [email protected] (Apr 13, 2009)

I want to run by some plans for my car to the experts and let you guys weigh in on what you think. First of all it's a 66 lemans, convertible 4 speed. Body is now completely stripped and I'm sending it off the sandblaster, they also happen to be the powder coat place. I was thinking about having the bottom of the car powder coated, interior, and the frame. I can't decide between that and POR15. The POR15 vs powder seems to be a common discussion but the discussion is usually based on what is more work and since it is already taken apart that isn't really an issue for me. I have almost an obsession for making things "bulletproof." I want to be able to put a salt water sprinkler under the car overnight when it's park and not have to worry about it for 50 years (slight exaggeration but you get the idea). So what is the more durable coating for that stuff? I'm getting the hood and truck acid dipped because the blasting won't get in the inside parts where I hear rust rolling around. But at $2500 I'm going to opt for sandblasting instead of dipping the whole car. I even seriously considered powder coating the whole car, then putting normal paint over that. But enough people talked me out of that idea. Thanks again for all your help on my ongoing restore job.


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## chuckha62 (Apr 5, 2010)

They're going to soda blast, not sand blast, right? I take it that the powder coater knows enough not to sand blast sheet metal!?!? ...and that they have the ability to use a different media (soda)?

I like the idea of powder coating over POR-15. Ive never seen it done to a body, but the underside of the car, firewall and floorboards in powder coat would be really nice, I bet.


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

And even with soda blasting you are at the mercy of the operator. Nothing is fool proof.


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## [email protected] (Apr 13, 2009)

I just called them and they do not in fact do soda blasting. They use sand and said, "sand works great." This doesn't instill much confidence in me. What is the downside of sand? Easier to warp the sheet metal? Will warp the sheet metal? Or other?


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## chuckha62 (Apr 5, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> I just called them and they do not in fact do soda blasting. They use sand and said, "sand works great." This doesn't instill much confidence in me. What is the downside of sand? Easier to warp the sheet metal? Will warp the sheet metal? Or other?



Yes, sand blasting will overheat and warp sheet metal, it's too aggressive. Sand works great on heavier gauge steel. Soda works best on sheet metal.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Sandblasting body panels is a NO -NO. Frame, suspension, etc, fine. Not into POR-15 or powdercoating personally, as I prefer the factory paint methods. My cars are not rusty, though, being in California, so I guess I'm lucky. POR stands for "Paint Over Rust". If you remove the rust, you don't need it.


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## 67 LeMans 4dr Cpe (Apr 30, 2012)

I have a question then for you guys. I have a 67 LeMans and I'm currently rebuilding the rear section of the body and I'm at the stage where I need to remove the poorly applied layers of paint. Currently I've been using a sanding 80 grit wheel with multiple flaps of sand paper to strip it down to the bare metal. Because I'm on a serious budget and time table I havent removed the interior and all. I'm just working from the rear wheel housing to the tail panel. Body is off frame.

My question is how can I quickly remove the paint other than the wheel? As the only other way close to where I live is a shop with a sand blaster.


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## chuckha62 (Apr 5, 2010)

67 LeMans 4dr Cpe said:


> I have a question then for you guys. I have a 67 LeMans and I'm currently rebuilding the rear section of the body and I'm at the stage where I need to remove the poorly applied layers of paint. Currently I've been using a sanding 80 grit wheel with multiple flaps of sand paper to strip it down to the bare metal. Because I'm on a serious budget and time table I havent removed the interior and all. I'm just working from the rear wheel housing to the tail panel. Body is off frame.
> 
> My question is how can I quickly remove the paint other than the wheel? As the only other way close to where I live is a shop with a sand blaster.


You can use a chemical stripper. It's messy and you need to follow it up with sanding, but it's fairly cost effective. I've used several different brands (Jasco, Pentastrip and others) and found a brand called Green's that seems to work the best. It's available at Ace Hardware around here.

Just a thought... Chuck


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## Thor7352 (Oct 11, 2010)

Hey All,

I had the sandblaster blast all of the surfaces of the car that were not external. My experience was massive warpage on the first fender I sent in and decided it was tougher and longer to fix that then strip the paint slowly. My best success for stripping paint was 40 grit DA sander without the dual action. My DA has a lug you can rotate so that the 6" disc just spins and I would tilt the pad to get only partial pad contact and go to town. I had to keep it moving or risk digging into the steel... I stayed away from the acid as removing the rust from inside the panels is nice but you have to neutralize the acid and then figure out how to recoat the inside of the part or risk more rust.

Hope this helps,

-Thor


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Powder coating the underside of the body would also involve heating the entire car to over 400 degrees. I vote soda blast it, spend 4 days blowing the soda out of every nook and cranny then epoxy primer with a topcoat like Eastwood chassis black. Don't forget to spray the bare metal with some diluted ospho or other metal prep.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

I had my fram sand blasted....powdercoated, then had the floor, and wheel wells LINE-X'd (a brand of truck bed liner)....looks amazing. If I do it all again on another car....I would probably paint the chassis, as powder coat is great, but, very difficult to "touch up" if it gets scratched.....To me, the LINE-X was money well spent!!!!! Aproximate cost: $1000 to blast and coat chassis and parts. $1000 to blast and Line-X floor pan, trunk pan, wheel wells......:cheers Eric


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## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

Do NOT let them sand blast your panels- they will destroy them. That body has such large straight lines they will cause sooooo much damage on the big flat sections- find someone who does proper media blasting. As far as por vs powder coat I believe properly done powder coating will be tougher than por-15 BUT much more expensive. That being said I went the por-15 route, doing the frame,rear end,complete under side of the car, wheel wells, fire wall, all bumper brackets,radiator support,roof interior,trunk interior,etc,etc and I am VERY happy with it. I have driven the car from april -nov 2011 and since march of this year with out a chip.I used about 2 gallons total:cheers


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## Josh.AZ.GTO (Jul 11, 2009)

crustysack said:


> Do NOT let them sand blast your panels- they will destroy them. That body has such large straight lines they will cause sooooo much damage on the big flat sections- find someone who does proper media blasting. As far as por vs powder coat I believe properly done powder coating will be tougher than por-15 BUT much more expensive. That being said I went the por-15 route, doing the frame,rear end,complete under side of the car, wheel wells, fire wall, all bumper brackets,radiator support,roof interior,trunk interior,etc,etc and I am VERY happy with it. I have driven the car from april -nov 2011 and since march of this year with out a chip.I used about 2 gallons total:cheers


Crusty was yours brushed on or did you spray the POR15?


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## FlambeauHO (Nov 24, 2011)

Don't spray the por15 without a fresh air supply mask of some kind. That said it sprays and levels very nicely but adhesion was an issue for me because I didn't sandblast to give it some tooth.


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## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

I brushed everything on, the stuff lays out great, do 2 thin coats instead of 1 thick, material will pool and alligator/wrinkle if applied to thick. VERY important- if you get it on you wash it off BEFORE it dries- I walked around with little spots on my face for 2 weeks- it will NOT wash off after drying


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