Hey guys,
I'm getting ready to restore my HK Holden ute. This is gonna be a full resto, i'm taking it back to bare metal, it's still in it's factory paint.
I've done alot of research into soda blasting but i heard that it makes adhesion of paint difficult. I'm gonna talk to a local guy here who does auto bodies, but anyone here had any experience with soda?
The bolt off panels should not be a problem as i will likely hit them with my Rupes sander after doing my panel work, but the shell and firewall and Yframes are a little more intricate.
Also what would you recommend for the metal primer? Epoxy? Spies hecker red brown ok? I will likely paint this in acrylic. Probably PPG, but if you have any other ideas please don't hesitate to give me your input.

Thanks.

Ange.

Hi m8 soda is the go, After you have it blasted run over it with 40grit on a 6 inch sander then u will be right then to hit it up with an ech primer of your choice. This will fix the problem of the primer/ highbuild/ paint not sticking to the job ....At our work we use an all in 1 ech-high build primer made by valspar works awsome one less step gives u something to start with in regarts to blocking the car back.....cheers brett

Thanks Brett. I gotta put an etch on it first while i'm doing the panel work, then i'll buzz it off and try an etch/high build. Thanks for the info.

Good blasting shops will offer an anti corrosive coating to teh metal after blasting, usually a good chromate primer.
Ask if they can do it, it's usually very cheap and saves you the immediate hassle of spraying everything as soon as you get home.

Regards, Andrew.

Yeah, well that's what i was thinkin' typhoon. One joint i spoke to is very experienced in car bodies but does not offer the option of a coating. If i can find a suitable coating i'll do it myself when i get the car home.
I'm in the process of making a rottiserie at work so i can work on the underneath without issue.
All the bolt on panels should be ok also. I'll deoxidine it all.

Thanks Brett. I gotta put an etch on it first while i'm doing the panel work, then i'll buzz it off and try an etch/high build. Thanks for the info. Np prob m8 anytime:facejump::facejump:

If you have the coin,you could acid dip the car and have it put in a jet coat to stop any corrosion whilst the car is being worked on so theres no bare metal.
Big advantage with acid dip is that it will remove everything off the body including all the junk built up between all the gaps over the years so massive advantage to a top restoration.
2 pak is the best way to go mate, acrylic is old school! Fair point to making a car original but if your gonna go to all the effort,might aswell get quality paint.
Soda blasting is good and a pro will remove it all before giving it back so no worries if theres a little bit left.

You're right Jesse, i'm gonna go 2k, the paint nowadayas is brilliant. I was gonna spray it myself but i'll get a mate to lay the paint on.
As for acid dipping, i'm dead against it. There is no way you can get into any box sections like the sill panels for eg to paint, it will always have bare metal in there unless you Galv dipped the body, no matter how much fish oil you pumped in there.

If you have the coin,you could acid dip the car and have it put in a jet coat to stop any corrosion whilst the car is being worked on so theres no bare metal.
Big advantage with acid dip is that it will remove everything off the body including all the junk built up between all the gaps over the years so massive advantage to a top restoration.
2 pak is the best way to go mate, acrylic is old school! Fair point to making a car original but if your gonna go to all the effort,might aswell get quality paint.
Soda blasting is good and a pro will remove it all before giving it back so no worries if theres a little bit left.

Jesse would you happen to know approx costs of an acid dip for a 1970 VW Bug Chassis only (required for kit car)? This is a friends project and he is just trying to work out the best options for everything.

Bug chassis are well known for rust so to try and protect it he is thinking the best course of action would be to strip the chassis back to bare metal, repair any damage, sand it back to a smooth finish, then paint it with a strong paint to attempt to protect it from rust in further years.

Jesse would you happen to know approx costs of an acid dip for a 1970 VW Bug Chassis only (required for kit car)? This is a friends project and he is just trying to work out the best options for everything.

Bug chassis are well known for rust so to try and protect it he is thinking the best course of action would be to strip the chassis back to bare metal, repair any damage, sand it back to a smooth finish, then paint it with a strong paint to attempt to protect it from rust in further years.

Just call a place who does it

You're right Jesse, i'm gonna go 2k, the paint nowadayas is brilliant. I was gonna spray it myself but i'll get a mate to lay the paint on.
As for acid dipping, i'm dead against it. There is no way you can get into any box sections like the sill panels for eg to paint, it will always have bare metal in there unless you Galv dipped the body, no matter how much fish oil you pumped in there.

True that Ange71! Totally forgot about that unless if it was dipped in the electrocoat.
Massive process to do so,the acid baths are huge especially for cars,i seen my dad's mate 57 chev get done and i was amazed that it could fit in it :)

After it has been blasted and you have sanded it with something rough, i recommend putting a coat of 2 pack epoxy primer down. This will seal the metal for a period of time plus it has the added bonus of being able to bog straight over it. Usually bog attaches to metal with a mechanical process ie, it just sticks to the scratched up metal. But if you put epoxy primer down the bog will also chemically attach to the panel. This is what i put down on cars.

I also recommend POR 15 for the underside of the body, inner guards, inner wheel arches and anywhere else that cops a flogging. This stuff is amazing, it stops rust, sticks straight to sand blasted metal (there is a little more prep involved for sanded metal) and doesn't chip. I put some on a test panel before doing my friends Mirris Minor and after it dried we smashed the panel with a hammer and bent it in half, the POR15 didn't crack.
It can also be put on with a brush and flows out to (nearly) as good as sprayed on, certainly good enough for the underside of a car. Stoneguard/sound deadener can then be applied over the top if you wish.

Once the car has been blasted wash it down with warm soapy water, this neutralises the soda. Let the body dry out in the sun then apply your protective coatings. The reason that paint and the like don't adhere is because of the soda still being attached to the metal thus wash it down will solve that problem. It won't rust if you do the washing and spraying within a few hours of each other.

Cool. The blaster was tellin' me about a vinegar and water solution to wash it down with.