Classic chassis blasting near Spalding?

[Moztune]

Morning all,

I have an old ford Capri chassis that needs all the years of bad paint jobs and filler removing so I can assess the repairs needed.

Does anyone have any recommendations of what I should be looking for / cost and most important: a reputable place that will carry out the work?

Appreciate your time

[Moztune]

I should mention it's a bare chassis: no wings, doors, bonnet, boot, engine, interior, running gear ect all removed.

It's currently on a rotisserie

[aeropilot]

https://www.envirostripgbltd.com/industrial/auto-r...

[Ambleton]

I had the A35 dipped at ProStrip near Nottingham. They offer a collection and delivery service too. Very happy with the service. I wasn't happy with all the corrosion it uncovered but that's kinda the point!

[Moztune]

Thanks for the replies so far, I've dropped them both a message.

I'm more interested in blasting if I'm being honest. You hear so many horror stories about chemical dips, feels like an unnecessary gamble.

Any clues on what I should be budgeting? 1-2k seam right?

Thanks

[Ambleton]

Moztune said:

Thanks for the replies so far, I've dropped them both a message.

I'm more interested in blasting if I'm being honest. You hear so many horror stories about chemical dips, feels like an unnecessary gamble.

Any clues on what I should be budgeting? 1-2k seam right?

Thanks

The horror stories you hear are all from years back when they used pickling acid, which is incredibly aggressive and difficult to neutralise.

The modern chemical strips take a lot longer (multiple hours rather than minutes!) and gentler so it's easier to control and they're immediately put in a second bath to neutralise the process.

Blasting isn't danger free either. If there's lots of filler/paint/underseal then they'll have to use a coarse grit for stripping, this will blast through any thin bits and it can deform panels too.

What I've done on the A35 is:
Had it stripped
Now doing repairs/welding
Then it'll be going back for another strip to remove any paint from repair panels/cuts and welding contamination, then it'll go through an immersion E-Coating process, just like new cars at a factory.

This gets in all the sills, voids etc that have been cleaned in the dip process.

Pricing seems about right but don't forget to budget in either a zinc rich undercoat/primer post blasting or the immersion E-coat if dipped.

Mine needed so many repairs that I opted to do it in multiple stages.



Not long now before all the welding is finished and I can do a dry build for any final bits, then it'll be going back for it's second bath.

[aeropilot]

Moztune said:

Thanks for the replies so far, I've dropped them both a message.

I'm more interested in blasting if I'm being honest. You hear so many horror stories about chemical dips, feels like an unnecessary gamble.

As Ambleton says, blasting isn't without its own problems. A mate seriously regrets having his shell blasted some years back, the damage done to the 'good' bodywork was more than he expected.

Did you not read the blurb on the process on the Enviro Strip website here...?

https://www.envirostripgbltd.com/industrial/auto-r...

[Ambleton]

Yep. The reality is that H&S and common sense has pretty much removed the possibility of having big, open vats of instantly deadly chemicals and nasty acids knocking about. Insurances, substance control and pollutant control also make it almost impossible.

I would be amazed if any of the big players do it differently. (Surface processing, ProStrip, Envirostrip etc al). They do it all the time and have developed the process over many many years.

It's not the same as it was years ago.

[Moztune]

I've had a little look into chemical stripping and I've got to say I'm intrigued now. I'll do some more research into it whilst I sort out the problems in the bodywork I currently know about and readdress where I'm at.

Really appreciate your time guys.

Thanks again

[Ambleton]

There's tonnes of info online but if you want any more pics/details send me an email through my profile.

I also have a thread in the readers cars section which has a lot of gumpf in it and photos. If you Google "A35 family heirloom pistonheads" you'll find it.