Soda Blasting a body and Chassis

[Bill Stoneberg]

It has been recommended to me that I soda blast my car using Baking Soda. The person claims it is not as bad on the metal as sandblasting and not as messy as media blasting.<BR>Has anyone tried this or do you have na opinion ?<BR>Thanks<BR>Bill

[Guest]

DON"T DO IT!!!!! The soda gets impregnated in the steel and you will have adhesion problems with the primer. I have seen this done where the problem was NEVER corrected, even after striping the car to bare metal! First of all, do you really need to strip? If the car doesn't have many paint jobs or a lot of peeling, I'd say you should rethink. If you do strip, plastic media works great. It leaves the metal looking new, not sand blasted but like a new untouched metal, it's really neat. You do know that it won't even touch rust, nothing, I mean NOTHING. You will have to spot sand blast or use other means to remove any rust. <P>------------------<BR>buickfam@aol.com<BR>Life long Buick Fan.<BR>1965 Skylark H/T<BR>1965 Gran Sport Convertible<BR>1948 Chevy Pickup with 401 Buick.

[Rick Hoover]

Bill, I will second everything that MARTINSR has said here. Now, if this is the Buick Woodie you just bought and want to blast, then refrain from ANY type of blasting around that main body, like the roof panel. Everything else un-bolts from that car. Then plastic media blast those panels.<BR>Rick

[Bill Stoneberg]

Yes Rick,<BR>It is the Buick I am talking about. My plans were to remove the front clip and then take the body off to blast the chassis and Body.<BR>I was going to media blast but someone suggested Soda blasting. I think I will stick with my original idea.<BR>But now I have new questions.....<BR>Are you saying dont take the body off just unbolt the parts from it and DONT blast the main body ? <BR>Why not ? I want to do the job correctly but dont want to screw it up either. <BR>As an aside I was told by a member of our Buick club that I shouldn't take that body off because if I do It wont be square or fit right again. <BR>Bill<P>PS I wish I could spell early in the morning<P>[This message has been edited by Bill Stoneberg (edited 07-16-2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by Bill Stoneberg (edited 07-16-2000).]

[Guest]

Who ever told you that removing the body and reinstalling it will make it "not be square and never fit right again" just has no skill to do it. Which is not a put down, we all have our expertise. Though I have never restored a woodie and I suppose they post a whole bunch of unique problems. I would think it is no different from any other vintage "open" car in the fact that they do move around a bit and it should be done with a lot of support and to not move it too much. And when it is reinstalled you will have to shim the body bolts to align the body and doors. This is not a big problem, just time. Again I pose the question, does it need to be blasted? What part of the "main" body are you refering to? <P>------------------<BR>buickfam@aol.com<BR>Life long Buick Fan.<BR>1965 Skylark H/T<BR>1965 Gran Sport Convertible<BR>1948 Chevy Pickup with 401 Buick.

[Guest]

If the part comes off relitively easy, then media blast it. The other parts can just be sanded.<P>------------------<BR>buickfam@aol.com<BR>Life long Buick Fan.<BR>1965 Skylark H/T<BR>1965 Gran Sport Convertible<BR>1948 Chevy Pickup with 401 Buick.

[Rick Hoover]

Bill,<BR>No, I didn't mean, not to remove the body. I was more concerned as with any type of blasting around the wood in the rear section of that body. I am never comfortable blasting that close to wood. Is that rear section of wood in good shape? Are you looking to have the wood replaced anywhere? As you know all the door wood is removable from the doors frames and you can of couse remove the tailgate and upper lid. All you need to concern yourself with are those rear wooden quarters. I also, don't see the major concern in lifting that body, it is no different then lifting and setting a sedan body. How is the floor and body stucture? There is again, only that rear, short wooden section to worry about. Only blast if you have to.<BR>Rick

[Bill Stoneberg]

The wood is trash, it all needs to be replaced so blasting around it wont be a problems. I was planning to take all the wood off before starting to blast, if I blast.<BR>My concerns are that the gentleman who told me not to take the body off has done 3 of these cars. He commented that it is very hard to get the reveals and the doors to line up correctly when you remove it.<BR>He also commented the getting new wood to fit once the body has been removed is next to impossible. He made these comments after looking at the amount and quality of the wood I have.<BR>So I am at a quandry, I wanted to do a frame off restoration and put everything back to as good as new condition, but I also dont want to do more damage then I need to.<BR>The car is straight now, the reveals line up and the doors fit. The floor is rusted and will need to have some patching done. The rest of the body is still strong.<BR>The paint is old and faded but its original. So my question to me is do I just do as much as I can do without removing the body or do I take the chance ?<BR>If you want to see the car it is at <A HREF="http://users.ev1.net/~bstoneberg" TARGET=_blank>http://users.ev1.net/~bstoneberg</A> <BR>Bill<P><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Bill Stoneberg (edited 07-16-2000).]

[Rick Hoover]

Bill,<BR>Now that's a different story! I agree not to remove the body until that rear wood is replaced and the floor is redone. Listen to your friend there. If he has gone though three of these and has seen yours up front, then I can assume he's on track.<BR>From your pictures, I feel you will do well<BR>in this project. Seen much worst to start out with.<BR>I've worked on a few woodies, but I am not a expert on them. Be glad to help you with what I can.<P>Rick<BR>

[Guest]

Well, I take back what I said earlier. Listen to the guy who has done them! <P>------------------<BR>buickfam@aol.com<BR>Life long Buick Fan.<BR>1965 Skylark H/T<BR>1965 Gran Sport Convertible<BR>1948 Chevy Pickup with 401 Buick.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Thanks for the replies Rick and Martinsr. When I started this thread I just wanted to know about Soda Blasting, which I am not going to do. I kinda threw the question in about the body as an afterthought. I had talked to the other guy just briefly at a club function.<BR>After talking to him in much more detail today I learned all the other information about what he had done and got him to look at my car in 102 degree heat.<BR>Again thanks for the replies, it nice to know I have help when needed.<BR>Bill<BR>

[Bill Stoneberg]

You have raised good questions on whether it does need to be blasted or not.<BR>I am seriously thinking about it.<BR>It still has original paint with minor rust and no filler on it.<BR>I am beginning to think that just prepping the surface may do it.<BR>Bill

[Jan Arnett]

If it is not to late to get in on this let me offer some lessons learned from several open car restorations. Roadsters, touring and woodys have special alignment problems due their wood frame construction. ALL structral problems should be fixed before body work or removal is comtemplated. If the body is to be removed then metal shims should be forced into any space between the doors and the jambs. If the interior is removed, plywood triangles should be installed at the joints and screwed into the framing wood. Long stringers should be screwed into the wood running from the front to back and across the doors. If it is an open car the strings should be across the top of the inside of the door. When removed make sure that any body shims are noted and put back in the same place. Slide two 4x4 under each side of the body to replace the frame and lift the 4x4 not the body. Go to church and pray.