I'm taking apart the white car and plan to soda blast the paint inside and out. The underside of the car looks like the undercoating was applied with a fire hose - everything is covered and there's lots of it. Will soda blasting remove it or do I need something stronger? I'm not going to use solvent or a wire wheel - too much work. Thanks, Mark

If you're stripping the car, consider dry ice. Dump it in the passenger compartment, and watch the tar come off of both sides of the metal. It won't work for the whole car, but will get much of the undercoating without a lot of hard labor.

I need to do everything. Wheel wells , engine compartment, longs, everything. If I'm going to rent the soda blast equipment, I might as well be prepared.

I used a harbor frieght soda blaster and it took the undercoating off of a rear trailing arm with no problem. It really suprized me at how easy it was. I don't think it would do much for the tar in the floor.

Bob

Kerosene via a spray bottle, or paint it on.
Once its soft, use a putty knife to scrape it off.

OR
A wire wheel on a die grinder...that works fast but you could wreck the paint.
One the floor, I use a air chisel and it is really fast.

RIch

I use a heat gun and putty knife to take off undercoating, tar, etc. Then follow up with a rag soaked with Naphtha to get 100% of it off.

Mine all came off dry with a putty knife. Not in big sheets, but little pieces. Fairly quick too.

HF multi tool removed the floorboard tar in half hour. You might try one.

Floorboard tar removes pretty easy on this car. I'm asking about the thick black undercoating on the underside of the car.

The cars didn't come with "thick black" undercoating, and the method used for one brand might well be different from that used for another. It looks slopped on because it probably was.

The Cap'n

Under the (aftermarket) black stuff, you'll find the factory undercoating which is a light grayish PVC coating ...

The car was Ziebarted and looks like the undercoating was charged by the pound. They hit everything below, not just sheetmetal. Just want to know if soda blasting will take care of it or should I use something more agressive.

bring the stripped tub to a blasting company...call for pricing, they need work nowadays.
I got a price of 500 if the tub was bare, they did not need to avoid anything..glass interior etc....

Rich

Problem with ruberized under coating is that the media blaster material tends to just bounce off of it making it difficult to remove. Chemicals seem to work better. Good Luck and wear gloves !

The guys we use up here will use a mix of different media.
Paint gets removed mostly with soda or walnust shells.
Rust and undercoating are removed with coal shale or what is called black beauty.

You can buy media at gravestone shops, they have a ton...tractor supply also has it in stock.

Sode blasting at home, outside, is really simple to clean up...just get a hose and wash it away...it dissolves.

The media blasting shops use a firehose to blast your car...the equipment they use will remove anything.
The hardest part is getting the tub to them...they have forklifts, lots of guys, and rolling tables to put it on once you get there.

Rich

There is a such thing as dry ice blasting if your goal was to keep the paint intact and only remove the tar. One would think that the operator could control the removal a bit easier. That and freezing being the quick method it may be the fastest. Not sure of the cost though.

Double post

Everything is going to bare metal.

are you trying to do this yourself, at home?
Renting the larger equipment is the way to go...the compressor is a trailer and the gun is 3/4 inch nozzle...
That works fast.

I would still suggest you shop around to see if you can subcontract this piece of work...its fast and typically one day turn around.
I do this process in stages.

Fix all the major metal work you need to do in small stages so you just expose and fix specific little areas.
Paint each of those patches with simple rattle can primer.
Then, when you think you are all done, get the car blasted.
It will show you all the little bits you missed.

I dont like having a bare metal car sitting around to long, it starts to get flash rusted and your prep time for paint now includes a complete sanding to get rid of that fine layer of rust.
Once blasted, get it primed (our blasting shop will prime it with whatever you choose)
Stick with the same brand from primer through clear coat...
I provide the primer to the blasting shop.

Then, when it comes back, I can still see the new areas that blasting uncovered and I can fix those, but I have the time and I am not racing to protect it from rusting to much.


Rich

I keep having to work....geez
One more thing I learned.
I love epoxy primer. Its as hard as a rock and does not allow water through, unlike conventional primers.
It has a short window that you can apply a new layer of paint, but I learned how from another shop when I explained how long it would take to go from primer to finish..for me 6 months.

He told me that they will then spray a very thinned out layer of epoxy primer over the initial layer (same brand) and this reactivates the initial layer, it gives you a new layer to start the finish spray on top of, and it gives you time to do all the body work.

For me, my personal choice.
Major metal work, piecemeal.
Blast (outsourced)
Epoxy primer (outsourced, same place)
Metal work to fix all new problems.
Back to shop for a new coat of epoxy primer, then high build primer eurathane primer.
Back to me for bodywork, sanding and prepping for paint.
Back to shop for final spray (Or I do it depending upon the weather and temps)

Rich

For me, my personal choice.
Major metal work, piecemeal.
Blast (outsourced)
Epoxy primer (outsourced, same place)
Metal work to fix all new problems.
Back to shop for a new coat of epoxy primer, then high build primer eurathane primer.
Back to me for bodywork, sanding and prepping for paint.
Back to shop for final spray (Or I do it depending upon the weather and temps)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I appreciate your detailed ideas.
Trying to get my head around all the back and forth. Once it becomes a shell, it won't be easy for me to move around. I also live on a steep hill.
I'd like to blast 1st to uncover possible rust repairs hiding under the undercoat - the stuff is on so heavy, I'm sure it's hiding something.
Might be worth dealing with the flash rust to be able to see whole car bare. Maybe the dry winter air will slow it down.

Mabe I can use the bumper mounts to attach some wheels to roll around shell?

Keep it simple.
Car weighs between 250-450 lbs with no glass, suspension, or anything else...just the tub.
Build a table from 4*4's, brackets at Homedepot and 8 inch rubber wheels from tractor supply.
The brackets are for 4*4 posts on a deck, so look in that area...nice simple steel unit.

The large wheels do dirt roads fine.
Flatbed it back and forth...or a trailer.

Rich

Sounds like I'm headed to HD tomorrow. Thanks, Mark

Hello, First post in 914 World. I put together this simple rack that allows me to move my project around as well as lay it on it's side to access the bottom. I used wheels that I bought at Harbor Freight and purchased the steel from a local supplier. The steel is 1 1/4" box steel in 14G. The whole thing was less than $175.00 in materials. Took me a couple of days to finish, but I'm kinda pokey in the garage. I'd be happy to take some measurements for you if needed.

Good luck with your project!

Nice! I need to learn to weld.

Maybe this is a project for the meet n greet.

Thanks for the welcome. This would be a good project to learn how to weld with. I use a 220V Lincoln 175 which I bought at the Depot and a cheap chop saw from HF. Once you learn to weld, you'll wonder how you got by without for so long! Vital tool.