media blaster in NC/VA/SC needed

70SWT · 03-13-2005, 04:19 AM

Can anyone recommend a company able to handle media blasting or dipping an entire car, ideally in the central/eastern NC area (VA or SC may have to do.) Thanks

wilke3169 · 03-13-2005, 06:28 AM

Not in NC but SC

http://www.autometricsmotorsports.com/products/911/index.htm#8-Body%20&%20Interior:

asphaltgambler · 03-13-2005, 07:18 AM

American Stripping; Manassas, Va. (about 35 mins west of DC)

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

Talk to dtw, He's in raleigh and had his 72 dipped, There is also ellis media blasting here in greensboro, that will media blast a whole car for you. (I'm planning on having mine blasting in a couple of months)

edit:According to his website he used carolina chem-strip, don't know any more than that.

70SWT · 03-13-2005, 12:32 PM

I'm debating whether to go with a chemical strip process vs. blasting...Dipping sounds better in terms of (hopefully) not damaging the galvanized protective layer. But I imagine the price will be higher and I have heard of problems with paint adhesion with certain chemical processes.

dtw · 03-13-2005, 02:47 PM

Please do a search on dipping - unless you've got a car that's just lousy with rust and corrosion, media blasting is for you.

Ellis, mentioned by Tim above, uses a plastic blasting method that can preserve galvanized steel. Dipping will absolutely strip the galvanized layer - nothing survives the process but steel.

Ellis has done many 911s and knows what he's doing.

70SWT · 03-15-2005, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtw
Dipping will absolutely strip the galvanized layer - nothing survives the process but steel.

Too bad. I had considered the dipping route because I was skeptical of whether a blasting method gentle enough to not remove the zinc will be strong enough to take off the undercoating and such. Will check out Ellis - thanks for the info...

dtw · 03-16-2005, 08:30 AM

Ahh! I know of no blasting methods that will take off undercoating reliably. You may have to do that manually. Plenty of info in the archives on that too, but no "good news"; stripping undercoat is just downright unpleasant.

Tim K · 03-16-2005, 09:06 AM

With regard to the undercoating; someone mentioned a little while ago that dry ice blasting might me an option. I'd be interested to know how that works on this stuff. Anyone?

Tim K

70SWT · 03-16-2005, 09:29 AM

As always, my worst fears are confirmed...looks like chemical dipping it may be then... No time to spend hours scraping all this stuff off.

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

be aware, when you dip, you much remove EVERYTHING. all bits of trim, the WHOLE wiring harness, instruments, dash, you name it, if it can be removed it probably needs to come off. It may or may not be worth dipping, if you consiter the time it takes to remove and reinstall everything When I get my car blasted I won't have to remove much more than everything in the engine bay, and the trim. All the glass stays in, interior, wiring harness etc. It will also cost half as much.

dtw · 03-16-2005, 10:07 AM

Dipping will not save time versus a weekend or two stripping undercoating. It will add significant amounts of work, from the complete disassembly of your car, to opening and cleaning out the longitudinals after dipping, and attending to each section of the body that needs prep and cleaning after dipping. It will add months, not save time. Do a search on dipping - it is only recommended for cars in really bad shape that are going to undergo extensive metalwork after dipping.

70SWT · 03-16-2005, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtw
Dipping will not save time versus a weekend or two stripping undercoating.

OK, got a weekend or two to spare?

Unfortunately, I don't these days.

Otherwise, indeed, the reason I am considering these measures is the current state of the project...the car is stripped to the bare shell and will be undergoing siginificant rust repair and the addition of widebody rear flares. Everything that can then be reincarnated in Lexan, fiberglass or CF will be, currently accumulating those panels/parts.

The objective is to create a featherweight, so all the undercoating, sound deadening and other gunk has to come off; unfortunately, I am time-limited these days thanks to work obligations. A trip or two to drop off and pick up the car at a dipper will be a better choice in my situation - unless one of you good folks have cheap time to spare in the Raleigh area, and love chipping off undercoating....

dtw · 03-16-2005, 01:47 PM

Nah, what I'm saying is that you'll spend more time prepping before and after dipping, than if you had just taken the undercoat off manually.

Where are you man? I'm in Wake County, one up to the north from you, I'm curious to see your car and I might be able to lend some advice if I saw it, having been through it with two cars already. Shoot me a message if you want to meet up sometime, I'd be happy to help.

brittbolen · 03-16-2005, 02:04 PM

Can I come? I'll need to do something like this eventually to my E and I'm in durham...

Britt

70SWT · 03-16-2005, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtw
Nah, what I'm saying is that you'll spend more time prepping before and after dipping, than if you had just taken the undercoat off manually.

Where are you man? I'm in Wake County, one up to the north from you, I'm curious to see your car and I might be able to lend some advice if I saw it, having been through it with two cars already. Shoot me a message if you want to meet up sometime, I'd be happy to help.

I'm between Angier and Fuquay-Varina. You're welcome to come by anytime to lend advice, scoff, or simply laugh at loud - hard to predict the reaction when you see the disassembled SC...will send a PM.

70SWT · 03-16-2005, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brittbolen
Can I come? I'll need to do something like this eventually to my E and I'm in durham...

Britt

Absolutely. Send me a PM with your contact info.

Paul Thomas · 03-16-2005, 04:50 PM

I can highly recomend Ellis Media Blasting in Greensboro. Don is a top notch, he did my car about 3 years ago. He will tape off anything that you dont want stripped. Here are a few pics op my car naked.

Paul Thomas · 03-16-2005, 04:54 PM

See that bondo spot on the hood? Some numbnuts had used that to level a big chip in one of the layers of crappy red.

NicolasW · 03-28-2005, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by asphaltgambler
American Stripping; Manassas, Va. (about 35 mins west of DC)

I second American Stripping (ASCo). They are at http://www.ascoweb.com/

They did my car and did a fantastic job....here are some before and after shots....