Cleaning the body and frame

[dvu101]

I hope to get my AH 3000 back from the welder this winter or spring. I need to clean the frame and welded on parts. What is the best way?

Thanks Scott

 

[tony barnhill]

I sand blast mine...you can strip everything off the frame beforehand or do like I do - sandblast everything attached & then rebuild everything....makes it easier to rebuild the suspension:

 

[dvu101]

Does anyone know where I could get this done in the Northern Virginia area?

 

[startech47]

There used to be a place in Yorkshire on the east side of 28. I do not know if they are still there. I had a riding mower blasted there years ago.

 

[Britishautobody]

On a unibody I prefer having it dipped,comes back perfectly clean, back down to zero anything ,just bare metal. If you need to do a small areas or have a full frame car I agree with Tony sandblasting will work. If you have a pic or two of your project I might be able to give better advice as to how I might approach it etc.

 

[JPSmit]

On a unibody I prefer having it dipped,comes back perfectly clean, back down to zero anything ,just bare metal.

do you have a problem with dip remaining in inaccessible areas like inside the rockers? I remain anxious that there will be bare metal in places I can't reach

 

[Britishautobody]

I personally have not had issues later from dipping. I don't know for sure if it is a urban legend of a car being eaten from the inside out from dipping?. The people that dip need to spray neutralize the dip with I believe water and coat with a zinc phosphate. You can always blow air into the rockers to dry out any possible remaining anything inside. No car is so water tight that water won't flow out of some crack or seam since all of the the seam sealer will be removed after dipping. You can have it sand blasted and have sand in areas that you will never completely remove that can collect moisture or hold moisture and rust that way too so it is a personal choice what way to go.
You can always drill a few small access holes in the interior behind the carpet and spray into the rocker panels rust proofing with a wand or aerosol like wax oil etc They also have small plastic plugs that will cover the holes you drill for a clean, sealed job .

 

[jsfbond]

Hey; has anyone here heard of a product from yesteryear called zinc tabs? (and not the suppliments to take as we get older). These can be screwed onto the backside of body panels etc, to act as a sacrificial agent to prevent rust.

 

[tony barnhill]

When I have something large sand blasted, I put it on my trailer & run down the highway at the speed limit....never had any sand problems....even with unibodies.

When I have something large blasted while assembled, I have a couple of small sand blasters that I can use as I disassemble each piece....those I blow of with my air compressor.