52b3b Joe Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 Just out of curiosity, I was wondering how those of you that have restored your trucks body did it, what methods did you use. I'm afraid to sandblast the body and warp the metal, I don’t feel like spending the money to have it all acid dipped....I don't know which road to take with it. I almost have everything mechanical done to my truck (rebuilt engine and drive train, steering and suspension, fuel system, brakes, and cooling system) and its time to start into the body soon and I don’t know where to start. It’s all apart right now so I could go any direction .... so what do you think? Quote
DollyDodge Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 I had this question a while back, here is a link to the discussion that followed. http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=19078&highlight=media+blast Quote
Reg Evans Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 The first car I painted was a 33 Plymouth in 1966. It had a great body that only required wet sanding,primer and a repaint. The second vehicle I restored about 32 years ago was a 41 GMC. I rented a big sand blaster and a towable compressor and blasted all the paint off inside and out. It had several layers of paint flaking off. Never warped any of it. The third one I stripped totally with Jasco paint remover and a paint scraper. Here it is. A 37 Plymouth. That was about in 1980. Don't think I'll be doing that again. I sandblasted this truck to bare metal too as it had multiple layers of flaking paint. I used my own smaller blaster on it and had my wife's help. One of the last ones I did was Old Yeller,my 52 1/2 ton. It only had it's original paint on it so I simply pounded out the few dents,applied some thin layers of bondo,primed it and painted it. I guess it depends on how bad your paint and body are. Here's Old Yeller before. And after Quote
52b3b Joe Posted February 1, 2011 Author Report Posted February 1, 2011 Thanks for the info....I think I'll give sandblasting a try, I wasnt sure about it due to warping but the metal is pretty thick on this truck. I've restored two other cars but I've never done a frame off. I've literally had every nut and bolt off this truck and want it to come out perfect...time will tell I guess. Quote
greg g Posted February 1, 2011 Report Posted February 1, 2011 Hey Reg!!! Your gotta fes up with regards to who does the sand blasting at your rancho Mopar, I have photographic evidence that you are but a thristy bystander.......... Quote
Reg Evans Posted February 1, 2011 Report Posted February 1, 2011 Oh gee Greg, I only took a 5 minute break with a tumbler filled with iced tea from Long Island. Quote
Dave72dt Posted February 1, 2011 Report Posted February 1, 2011 Most are using some type of media other than sand these days. Molasses bath, vinegar, will work. I'm using an aggresive fiber stripping wheel, wire brushes, roloc pads, DA's and rust converters on mine followed by epoxy primer which is non breathable so rust doesn't reform. Works for me. I've got more time than money. POR 15 can be used and painted over. What I've heard that works better than that is MasterSeries silver, which is a primer and not a finish. Something need to go over it. Pros and cons to acid dipping. Getting all the acid neutralized in all the corners and crevices is hard but so is getting all the media out of those places. Sand blasting will etch the metal, and will need to be DA with 80 grit before body work. Your choice. For every person restoring, there seems to be a method or a combination of methods that works best for them. Type of stripping available in your area may make a difference Quote
John-T-53 Posted February 1, 2011 Report Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) Soda blasting seems to be the newest rage out there for stripping - it's gentle and doesn't harm the metal underneath, and doesn't require as much protection to adjacent areas as with sand. There will always be a lot of cleanup work with whatever stripping is used. Yes, sand especially. I sandblasted my Chevy 15 years ago in my parents' backyard with a setup like Reg described. I'm still getting some media fallout from body cavities, especially from under the cowl/dash, inside roof, and under the rear package tray. It took forever to clean out the bulk of the sand initially, using shovels, brooms, and eventually an air hose with shop vac combo. The backyard looked like the set of the Ten Commandments. Some lingering sand in the trunk got disturbed while in the paint booth even...made for an anti-slip paint finish! Edited February 1, 2011 by John-T-53 Quote
Desotodav Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 Hi guys. I'm only new to the forum site. I went through the sandblasting and body-off rebuild stage here in Oz recently. I found that the trick was to find a sandblaster that knew what he was doing. I had a few photos of the progress posted on the web to assist other enthusiasts. Check it out at the following link if you're keen. Maybe it may help you in some way, shape or form? http://gallery.oldholden.com/Streetneat/album73/Davins+Desoto/ Quote
52b3b Joe Posted February 9, 2011 Author Report Posted February 9, 2011 I've seen that website before and your truck is awesome! Very nice job and I'm jelouse of it being a DeSoto. I'd like to find one of those to restore but it would be difficult getting one over here. I was raised around DeSotos and theres always been at least one in the garage at all times...wish I could have a truck though! Quote
Desotodav Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 They tell me that you didn't get the Desoto branded truck over there. I don't think that they weren't too common here in Oz either. I have a 54 Desoto truck also which is probably the next in line for a rebuild. The sand blaster that I used for my 50 truck was a panel beater by trade. He used Garnet sand. I have heard of other jobs where panels were rippled by careless sand blasting. I certainly had no problems with mine - but I think that it's all in choosing the right guy to do the job. Good luck with the rebuild! Quote
Tony WestOZ Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 Firstly, I dout anyone could warp Pilothouse sheet metal by sand blasting, its so dame thick. I have never had any problems with what I have done or had done over the years. Secondly, Hi Destodav good to see another Oz truck on the site. I know I am being a nob here but from the look of the grill on yours its a 55 to 57 model truck. They tell me that you didn't get the Desoto branded truck over there. I don't think that they weren't too common here in Oz either. I have a 54 Desoto truck also which is probably the next in line for a rebuild.The sand blaster that I used for my 50 truck was a panel beater by trade. He used Garnet sand. I have heard of other jobs where panels were rippled by careless sand blasting. I certainly had no problems with mine - but I think that it's all in choosing the right guy to do the job. Good luck with the rebuild! Quote
moparmonkey Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 (edited) Firstly, I dout anyone could warp Pilothouse sheet metal by sand blasting, its so dame thick. I have never had any problems with what I have done or had done over the years. While it might be more difficult to warp because of its thickness, it can definitely still be warped by a shoddy sandblasting. Not to say at all that it can't be done and done right, but it is still possible to warp it, and badly, if the blasting is done incorrectly. Hi guys. I'm only new to the forum site. I went through the sandblasting and body-off rebuild stage here in Oz recently. I found that the trick was to find a sandblaster that knew what he was doing. I had a few photos of the progress posted on the web to assist other enthusiasts. Check it out at the following link if you're keen. Maybe it may help you in some way, shape or form?http://gallery.oldholden.com/Streetneat/album73/Davins+Desoto/ Beautiful truck! I didn't know that you go DeSoto's over in Australia, I thought they were pretty much for the South American market. Well done! Edited February 10, 2011 by moparmonkey Quote
Desotodav Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 It's good to hear from a fellow Mopar person in Oz. I'll send you some truck numbers in a PM Tony. I contacted Bruce (a Chrysler Historian in Canada) early in the restoration stage and gave him numbers for the 50 and 54 trucks. He advised me of their approximate age at the time. The blue 50/51 truck is a 108b. The cream 54/55 truck is a 108c. Our trucks seemed to differ a lot from the ones in the States. I suppose this makes sense when you allow for the shipping time, and then the time of assembly in the factory. My Dodge van is a 108e. I would imagine this one to be around the 56 era. From what I've seen, we went to the twin headlight models here around 57/58. The van is a bit far gone for restoration but I can't bring myself to chop it up for now. It's a pity that I didn't get to it about 10 years earlier! Quote
jamesadams Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 Be careful sandblasting! I used to blast/paint on bridges and have blowed holes in good metal and cut large bolts off. Granted this was a large blaster,but if held long enough it will cut like a torch. They can produce a lot of heat. Quote
Reg Evans Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 Yes, never leave the nozzle pointed on one spot. Keep it moving back and forth. You can also mask off areas that you don't want to collect sand in too with visqueen and duct tape. Quote
52b3b Joe Posted February 11, 2011 Author Report Posted February 11, 2011 what kind of sand did you use...i used a silica sand for the frame and other heavy metal items, its was very fine. You would want a fine sand for the body so it doesnt harm the metal right? Quote
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