Sandblasting Body Panels -- Advice/Opinions

[bwc302]

OK guys, I am about to start tearing this beast apart and am looking for some advice/opinions/experience on sandblasting.

I have found a local place that will sandblast my frame and if so desired the body panels as well. In talking with another shop that strongly suggest against sandblasting of body panels with an commercial sandblasting set up stating the heat generated will require a lot of work to get the panels back in useable shape.

What is your experience with this? (suggestions/advice/opinions)

Thanks,

Bobby

[fordman]

i would use paint stripper. i haven't heard of sandblasting body parts. or even sanding them down would be just as good. all a person has to do is make sure the primer has a ruff enough surface to stick to. when i say ruff i mean not slick.

[bluef250]

Agreed, do not sand blast body panels. I have heard and seen horror stories. Decide what finish you want. Then try to use the same brand name product for that surface - stripers, primer, cleaners, etcher, fillers, paint, etc. Try not to switch brands.

[FORDification]

With a smaller portable sandblaster like the Harbor Freight units that us backyard tinkerers would use with a 120 PSI air compressor, you don't have to worry about warping any sheetmetal. There's not enough pressure to do that. It's when you start using the larger 175 PSI dual-stage compressors that you'll run into problems with warped sheetmetal. I've been sandblasting my body panels and haven't had any problems at all. I wanted to get all my panels down to bare metal to see what kind of backyard repairs a previous owner might have done so it can be un-done....plus the blasted metal has just the right texture for optimum adhesion.

I've found that it really helps to pre-strip the pieces with a 3M composite stripper wheel first, that way the actual blasting time is cut in half (if not more).

[hardtailjohn]

It can be done...but usually winds up being a big disaster!!! I'd recommend you look into getting the body parts soda blasted... it works awesome!!!!! I've used it on a couple different rigs and it's great!! No warped panels, and a fantastic finish that the primer will stick to!
John H.

[FoMoCo]

Get somthing in writing garunteeing not to destroy your panels. I had a mint hood that was ruined by a blaster heating it up. You can see a ouline of the inner skin on the top of the hood. Check around for a shop that blast cars, not stones.

Nick