Tried the wire brush and the chemical stuff from eastwood on seperate body parts to strip 2 layers of paint off my '53 f-100(used a small test area).The chemical advantage was that it covered larger areas(staying away from seams),but the wire brush(4" on a drill)got to the metal quicker but in a smaller area.The chemical stripper required several applications, a paint scraper and a bit of elbow. the wire brush (on drill) required TIME!!Any recommendations on grinders with a sanding pad????Many on the market. prices vary!

 

If you can swing it, I recommend sandblasting for total body stripping. If you don't already have a compressor, buying your own blaster is expensive. In that case I would rent one. You have to be careful if you rent a big unit. Sandblasting is not gentle but I think it is a lot easier on the body than a grinder. The metal on these trucks is heavy enough to take judicious sandblasting. You will spend countless hours blocking out the sand scratches if you strip with a grinder. It is just too aggressive. I would blast or use chemical instead.

'fenders

 

i chemically stripped my F-1 panel, to da metal, took about 4 evenings to do the Interior and the exterior ( plus a couple 12packs), and I had 7 coats of paint. YES 7 coats or distinct layers of paint, the top 2, looked like latex house paint. The stripper lifted all the paint and bondo off. I then did some sand blasting, but not much.

Robert

PS... I am looking for some flat black primer, but all i can locate is black epoxy primer.... any ideas?

 

thanks guys,I started yesterday by chemically stripping the large areas. I did purchase a grinder and sanding pad but your right it is too aggressive. I etched the metal on a 7" area of the hood on just a test swipe!maybe if I tone down the grit(I tested with 50 grit)I can use it to chew body filler(which I have a few areas of).The best item yet I've used is the cup wire brush attached to the grinder/sander.Did the lower apron or splash panel with it and got through 2 coats of paint and bondo did the whole thing in 1/2 hour.The only primer I have is what I purchased at the time I bought the stripper. It's a self etching primer(grey) from eastwood. I have'nt used it yet.Say, How long or should I say soon should you spray prime the metal after exposing it to the world(I keep the car under a car port with 2 open sides.

 

This will sound radical but here is a tip for removing large areas of bondo fast. Warm it up with a propane torch and it will come off with a putty knife in large chunks. It is fast and you barely get the metal warm. Certainly not warm enough to hurt these trucks.

'fenders

 

The sooner you can get your sheet metal primed the better off you will be. The metal on these old Fords is much better than the newer metals, but rust will begin to form as soon as you quit sanding. I am priming mine one panel at a time as I finish sandblasting. Good luck.

 

Did you know rust will form under automotive type primer if it's not topcoated with paint?

 

Man you are terrific!!!!!!No way you stumbled across that by reason! I'm going to try it and get back with you. Thanks!!


Hey,do you happen to know how long bear metal can be exposed prior to priming before it rust or requires another chemical treatment?

 

Depends entirely on the environment. If in doubt you can use an acid etch treatment which will clean minor oxidation. I agree with Franklin as far as lacquer based primer surfacers go. They do not seal well at all. Modern true 2 part epoxy primers rival paint for sealing protection. Incredible advances have been made in the past 20 years. Use proper protection if you use any two stage though.

'fenders

 

You want the epoxy primer, otherwise moisture will get under it and it will rust

 

Hey 'fenders,ever use eastwoods self etching primer?Oh yea, tried the propane torch on some of the bondo. Didn't know the area I picked was a 1/2 inch thick(front of hood under the emblem)so it was still slow work.I guess it would work better on lighter(thinner) areas.It's dark now and the primmers in the shed out back so I'll read the can tommorrow to see if it's an epoxy.May have to use that 50 grit disk on it after all.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 31-Oct-02 AT 08:44 PM (EST)]Dash

I generally use products from an automotive paint store. I have a compressor, sprayguns etc. Eastwood products are good but you really need to store inside all the time with aerosol type one part products. I am not implying you should store outside with any product, you can just get away with it if you spray on a professional grade two stage epoxy after you strip. Regarding the bondo removal, turn up the heat on the thick areas. When it just starts getting bubbly on the outside, it will peel off easily. Don't heat up non-bondo areas unnecessarily of course but you won't hurt anything unless you get crazy. Burning the paint off is not an acceptable stripping method Just use this method for the heavy bondo areas and I promise you'll save hours of grinding and the dusty mess it makes.

'fenders

 

Dash,

Haven't done any body panels yet but can testify to what fenders, franklin, and others said about rust starting the second you get to bare metal. I never let anything sit longer than a couple hours max after blasting before I paint it.

As far as paint goes, I couldn't afford some well-known brands but I did find a reasonable price from Matrix Systems (www.matrixsystem.com). They have a two-part catalytic epoxy (MP-900 series paint and MAV-420 activator) that you mix up, let sit for 20 to 30 minutes, and spray on. It doesn't have any cyanides in it (BIG plus) but you do, of course, need to use the proper respirator since it does have the usual nasty organic solvents. If you put a complete coat on the bare metal, the stuff is just about indestructible. It won't allow water vapor to penetrate to the metal so you don't have to worry about rust while you're waiting to put the finish over it.

I really recommend you consider grit blasting if you can. I wouldn't do without my blaster - it's really fast and very little elbow grease. It won't handle the Bondo very well but the paint and rust will just melt away. I have some plans for a 4'x4'x4' home built blasting cabinet that you can put together for less than $500. Parts list, drawings, the whole deal. You still need the compressor, though, so you're probably talking at least $1000 for a ready-to-go setup. Let me know if you're interested.

George

 

George

Know how much a quart of their epoxy primer and activator sells for? The stuff I use is just nasty. No Isocyanates is good news. I also agree with your assessment of blasters. Nothing gives better primer adhesion or total rust removal. Problem is you really need some good equipment for total body stripping. I really put the hurt on my 80 gallon single stage when I try to blast for over 30 minutes. If Dash's budget won't allow, he may be able to chemical strip and buy a small (cheap) pressure blaster to get the rust spots cleaned up and the nooks and crannies cleaned. Gravity feed blasters are worthless in my opinion.

'fenders

 

Thanks guys I'll find out how much it'll cost me to rent a blaster. then how much to plastic in the car port around it.This sounds like big christmas present for the little lady if she totals this up But to be fair to my self I'll price it! If all else fails I'll be a chemical stripping fool for a while.thanks all. Hey caddydaddy,you say you went through 7 layers huh:+