Ken,

That is a great idea but where would I do the blasting? My drive is way to steep to be pushing the car in and out of the garage.

When I originally had the car blasted I thought I had the lower half of the engine sealed well but you know with blasting it still finds it way in. So I sent the lower half out to Harts for cleaning and to have the crank cleaned up. It is now reinstalled so blasting it again scares me.

What I am going to do from here on out is just strip it in smaller section clean it well do filler work if needed and then recoat with epoxy.

Very, very good advice, this. Pick one brand and family of product in that brand and use that only.

When I was involved in my auto-body class, we did a show truck for a magazine. We took all the old paint off with a D/A, and then scuffed the entire truck with 100 grit on a D/A. Pulled out all the dents. Degreased, then Evercoat Rage filler directly on the bare metal. Once all the panels were flat and level, we then wipe the truck down again with degreaser, and the sprayed Valspar DTM primer. Blocked it, used light weight filler where required, primer again, and and round of blocking. Repeat, spot priming where needed. Once everything was prefectly blocked, then you can over-reduce the Valspar, and it makes it's own sealer. The it was ready for base coat.

Our teacher was Jerry Seivers, who runs a pretty well know shop in So Calif called "Paint 'n Place". We has been featured on a couple episodes of Overhauling (He did the bodywork and paint on John Force's School Bus project), and he also does many of the NHRA cars here in So Calif. He was also one of the early adopters of Water Based/Water Bourne painting. Which is now required in So Cal start Jan 1, 2009 for Base/Clear painting.

He swears by the Valspar DTM as he has never had any issues with it in all the years he has used it. Also because it doesnt require an "Etch" and makes it's own sealer, it ends up being less expensive then some of the other brands.

Now we sprayed the entire truck using SATAs, so not sure if that helped also!

Kev,
DTM is an Epoxy primer, correct?
I think I remember someone mentioning DTM-2000 epoxy?

DTM stands for "Direct to Metal". It other words it does not require an etching agent like PCL primer does.

From the Valspar website:

DTM 2000 Series
DTM 2000 Series-Direct To Metal 2K Primers were formulated with a hybrid of epoxy and acrylic polymers, which provide excellent adhesion, good corrosion resistance, productive dry times, and ease of sanding. These primers emit very low amounts of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Hazardous Air Polluting Solvents (HAPS), and contain no isocyanates.
DTM 2001 White
DTM 2004 Medium Gray
DTM 2008 Black
DTM A Activator
171174 Urethane Reducers
X01 Fast Exempt Reducer
Mix four (4) parts DTM 2000 Series Primer to one (1) part DTM A Activator and reduce with one (1) part reducer for sealing. (4:1:1) For 2.1 VOC Compliance: Use X01 Reducer for 2.1 VOC compliance or Urethane Reducers. When used as a filler, lower amounts of reducer are required.

Okay, So it's a mix of epoxy and acrylic, which is a different animal than the 1 to 1 mix of regular epoxy. Which sounds like a good idea, but I'm wondering if it can be better than regular epoxy, which is Great? (and direct to metal also)
I do like the availability of white color, which Kirker brand epoxy, that I use, doesn't have. (only gray and black)

I can tell your one thing, that primer lays down nice, and is a joy to sand, and I HATE sanding.

I have found that the straight epoxy primers can be a PITA to sand, or they clog the paper quickly.

Transtar makes a DTM one also that is about $50 cheaper, and works just about the same.

Yes, it is more difficult to sand since it sets up so hard, but being so durable is one of the things that makes epoxy so good. I have not noticed it cloging paper more than others, as long you wait several days to completely cure. In fact, having to wait for it to harden completely is probably it's only negative factor, that I've seen. If you're in a hurry that is.

O.K...I am not a Packard guy, but ran across this lamp using Packard radiator caps.

Several years ago there were some of those lamps being sold on eBay. Evidently Many of them were made. Some had 3 orniments arranged vertically (4 total) instead of 3 total, like that one. Sure were a lot of good orniments distroyed that way. LOL
They were a Great Art-deco design, and using them is a comliment to the design, to be recycled that way.

They may have been factory-rejects or something. (Hopefully)

Been Busy sane Blasting a frame for my brother's 72 CMC truck , now comes the fun , putting it back together, but what a mess, life is a beach when you blow 1200lbs of sand... but that was every thing from the frame, axle, springs , trailing arms and the upper, and lower control arms, and stearing box...

LOL Wow, you should have a Beach, after spreading that much sand around.

'Who is that Masked Man'?
Is he the Lone-Ranger or Zorro ?
Whoever he is, he needs a Dip in the ol' Water-hole!

Sandblasting bare armed, must be a tough guy. I'm impressed!

That was me blasting in short sleave there, you have to watch how you blast or it stings like a swarm of bees...LOL And no it was not foggy that day, the fall out from the sand traveled close to 100 feet from where i was blasting, had to wash all the cars in the drive way afterwards...

Big Kev - Please relieve my ignorance. You mentioned cleaning metal with a "D/A". What is that?

And then wash myself, the clean out the bathtub for some reason it had black stuff in the bottom... LOL And no i'am not two toned, (white head, black arms normally) But the blasting does a nice job, I had all the frame & parts blasted and painted in a day and a half, not sure if the wife will beleave me again though when i say it not a messy job... And the yellow thing i'am beside is the air compressor 210cfm and running it around 120psi, more than enought air, and it burns about quarts an hour of diesel fuel...

A DA is a dual-Action sander , they are 5" circular pads, that have a motion like a palm sander, but can be switch to that of a grinder..

I used to wear one of those Tyvek Zoot-suits when sandblasting like that.