Body stripping: To blast or not to blast...

The subject is a 37 Zephyr coupe and I am nearing the stage in which it is nearly time to send the body shell and frame together out for stripping. I have a number of alternatives that have both Pros and Cons and jsut wanted some input on how other Zephyr restorers have fared in the past.

The body in general remains solid with rust through only on the floor pans and tip of the tail. rest of body appears solid.

The alternatives are:

1) Entire body/frame chemical dip and e-coat

2) Traditional sand-blasting

3) Media blasting (plastic media, walnut, shells, etc.)

What are everyone's thoughts on these processes?

Thanks!

Jim Napiorkowski

Dipping will remove paint and primer from places you won't be able to get paint or primer back into and there always is a danger of the caustic chemicals used for stripping finding their way out of a hidden pocket in the future and causing you grief. Media blasting does a very poor job of removing rust. All things considered sand blasting is, in my opinion, the best way to go as long as the blaster operator is experienced in blasting sheetmetal. Probably also the most economical.

I had my Mustang blasted with a black sand-like substance, and I was very pleased, but my rust problems weren't that severe. The blasting did not remove all the body filler however. But, hey, if it survives sandblasting?...

I'll add one more thing to Restorer32's comments: If you do go with sand, make sure the person doing the blasting has experience doing *autombiles*, and not just industrial equipment. I've seen panels that were hopelessly warped because the pressure was too high / gun was held in the same place too long. Of course, in the hands of an experienced person, this shouldn't be a problem.