Cleaning a Body

Dwight Southerland · 08-10-2008, 05:50 PM

And I don't mean taking a shower.

Where can you get a car body chemically stripped? I am really not talking about chemical milling, just cleaning the old sound deadener, paint, body filler, rust, etc, so I can work on clean sheet metal. All the places I knew that did that are no longer in business. I understand about the EPA and all that, but I don't want to do this by hand. Preferably in the South.

Thanks!

Dwight Southerland

Woodro Josey · 08-10-2008, 06:41 PM

Dwight i know there is a place in Atlanta but then thats a way's off for you!

Jack Matyas · 08-10-2008, 06:56 PM

They are still around but you have to search 'em out -- we have one in nearby Allentown , PA.....

John Leichtamer Jr · 08-10-2008, 07:24 PM

Dwight

Try high pressure waterblasting. Saw a few cars done that way and looked like brand new stamping.

Hammer

FED 387 · 08-10-2008, 07:59 PM

See if you can find a place that does SODA blasting/washing--Saw a old Corvette that a guy did did not hurt the weatherstripping or other soft parts-- Took it right down to raw fiberglass no pits or gouging like you get from sand blasting--Comp 387

Ronnie Hamlin · 08-10-2008, 11:04 PM

Carolina Chem-Strip
333 MacArthur Lane
Burlington, N.C.
336-584-5613
www.chem-strip.com

Dusty Lowell · 08-11-2008, 01:12 PM

I think that Mark Dickerson does the soda blasting. He is located in Maryland.

njk53 · 08-11-2008, 01:58 PM

Be careful with chemically stripping doors, hoods, deck lids, or any parts thet are joined together. A friend of mine had his doors chemically stripped and once he got them home he rinsed them again with water. The acid neutralizing dip process (and neither did the water rinse) did not get into the seam between the door skin and the inner door very well. When the doors were painted they continued to leech the acid they used to strip the metal. The doors over time turned out to be a rusty mess because the leeching continued to strip his fresh paint down to the bare metal and rusted. I prefer the plasic bead process. The only drawback is the hood and deck lid will continue to shed trapped beads for a while but, at least they won't mess up your paint job.

Ed Fernandez · 08-11-2008, 06:14 PM

I PM'ed Dwight and he said the body is OK.He needs the underside of the car cleaned,undercoat and such.

Ed F.

John Duzac · 08-14-2008, 11:09 PM

Dwight:

As I understand it, you want to remove the undercoat from under the floors, is that correct? If that is the case, over the last 30 years or so, I had the occasion to remove undercoating many times. The method I used was to heat the undercoating with a heat gun and use a scraper/Putty knife etc. It is a slow process, but it always works. If you are ever have the chance to see my car, I invite you to inspect the underside of my car. All you will see is a clean underside and a lot of red paint. If your car is completely apart, turn the body on the side. I rolled my car over and rested the roof line gutter on an old tire for support. This did not harm any part of the car and it makes it alot easier to do the job. I was too cheap to buy a rotessery. Good luck on your project. Remember, no one plans to fail, they just fail to plan! A little planning goes a long way!

08-10-2008, 05:50 PM	#1
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 1,999 Likes: 63 Liked 772 Times in 192 Posts	Cleaning a Body And I don't mean taking a shower. Where can you get a car body chemically stripped? I am really not talking about chemical milling, just cleaning the old sound deadener, paint, body filler, rust, etc, so I can work on clean sheet metal. All the places I knew that did that are no longer in business. I understand about the EPA and all that, but I don't want to do this by hand. Preferably in the South. Thanks! Dwight Southerland

08-10-2008, 06:41 PM	#2
Woodro Josey Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 805 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 1 Post	Re: Cleaning a Body Dwight i know there is a place in Atlanta but then thats a way's off for you! __________________ Woodro Josey 2002 STK

08-10-2008, 06:56 PM	#3
Jack Matyas Live Reporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Bethlehem , PA -Christmas City , USA Posts: 4,913 Likes: 404 Liked 1,945 Times in 388 Posts	Re: Cleaning a Body They are still around but you have to search 'em out -- we have one in nearby Allentown , PA..... __________________ Jack Matyas 1547 FS/C 2015 Camaro COPO # 62- 2012 Camaro Convertible COPO

08-10-2008, 07:24 PM	#4
John Leichtamer Jr Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Orange City Fl Posts: 764 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Cleaning a Body Dwight Try high pressure waterblasting. Saw a few cars done that way and looked like brand new stamping. Hammer

08-10-2008, 07:59 PM	#5
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,410 Likes: 507 Liked 329 Times in 177 Posts	Re: Cleaning a Body See if you can find a place that does SODA blasting/washing--Saw a old Corvette that a guy did did not hurt the weatherstripping or other soft parts-- Took it right down to raw fiberglass no pits or gouging like you get from sand blasting--Comp 387

08-10-2008, 11:04 PM	#6
Ronnie Hamlin Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Chalybeate Springs, N.C. Posts: 131 Likes: 18 Liked 29 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Cleaning a Body Carolina Chem-Strip 333 MacArthur Lane Burlington, N.C. 336-584-5613 www.chem-strip.com

08-11-2008, 01:12 PM	#7
Dusty Lowell Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Kensington, NH Posts: 103 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Cleaning a Body I think that Mark Dickerson does the soda blasting. He is located in Maryland. __________________ Dusty Lowell #1773 STK F/SA

08-11-2008, 01:58 PM	#8
njk53 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: East China, MI Posts: 504 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Cleaning a Body Be careful with chemically stripping doors, hoods, deck lids, or any parts thet are joined together. A friend of mine had his doors chemically stripped and once he got them home he rinsed them again with water. The acid neutralizing dip process (and neither did the water rinse) did not get into the seam between the door skin and the inner door very well. When the doors were painted they continued to leech the acid they used to strip the metal. The doors over time turned out to be a rusty mess because the leeching continued to strip his fresh paint down to the bare metal and rusted. I prefer the plasic bead process. The only drawback is the hood and deck lid will continue to shed trapped beads for a while but, at least they won't mess up your paint job. __________________ Nelson Kowal Stock 345

08-11-2008, 06:14 PM	#9
Ed Fernandez Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NOO JOISEY nexta NOO YAWK Posts: 5,879 Likes: 38 Liked 100 Times in 45 Posts	Re: Cleaning a Body I PM'ed Dwight and he said the body is OK.He needs the underside of the car cleaned,undercoat and such. Ed F. __________________ Former NHRA #1945 Former IHRA #1945 T/SA

08-14-2008, 11:09 PM	#10
John Duzac Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Covington, La Posts: 311 Likes: 63 Liked 83 Times in 20 Posts	Re: Cleaning a Body Dwight: As I understand it, you want to remove the undercoat from under the floors, is that correct? If that is the case, over the last 30 years or so, I had the occasion to remove undercoating many times. The method I used was to heat the undercoating with a heat gun and use a scraper/Putty knife etc. It is a slow process, but it always works. If you are ever have the chance to see my car, I invite you to inspect the underside of my car. All you will see is a clean underside and a lot of red paint. If your car is completely apart, turn the body on the side. I rolled my car over and rested the roof line gutter on an old tire for support. This did not harm any part of the car and it makes it alot easier to do the job. I was too cheap to buy a rotessery. Good luck on your project. Remember, no one plans to fail, they just fail to plan! A little planning goes a long way! __________________ John Duzac D/S 4448 STK