dangerZone
Forum User
As in the title, what's the best option for a 240z please? And what sort of cost should I expect? Thanks!
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Media blasting or acid dipping?
- Thread starter dangerZone
- Start date
richiep
Club Member
Pros and cons with both. I had my project baked and dipped by Enviro-Strip. Their process doesn’t rely on acid to strip, but pyrolysis to slow bake the coatings off, and dipping to wash and coat with rust preventative. They then painted it all with Novol weld-through bodywork primer to protect. Generally, I’m happy - but with caveats:
1) chemicals will find gaps in the shell where they will not completely escape, leading to seaping and localised rust later. Thus, IMO, it would be a bad idea to have such a process done and then the car painted with a few months, as you risk trapping residue that will cause problems with your expensive new paint job. My car still hasn’t had its final paint years later, so I’ve had plenty of time to let any remaining chemicals escape, or treat suspect seams with rust converter.
2) As a monoque shell, there are locations - inside rear arches/rear quarters, doglegs/sills, etc., where pyrolyized and treated “mush” will get caught, creating a future rust risk. On my car, I cut the rear arches for ZG overfenders, and opening up the inner and outer arches revealed the detritus stuck in there. Same with the sill doglegs that needed replacing. Stuff that doesn’t get opened up could contain melted junk basically.
Cost was 1800 quid cash including collect and deliver back in 2019. So expect a bunch more now.
Next project - I’d do soda blasting of warp-sensitive body panels, with harsher media for tougher areas. Downside is media is line of sight and messy, and can’t get the innards.
1) chemicals will find gaps in the shell where they will not completely escape, leading to seaping and localised rust later. Thus, IMO, it would be a bad idea to have such a process done and then the car painted with a few months, as you risk trapping residue that will cause problems with your expensive new paint job. My car still hasn’t had its final paint years later, so I’ve had plenty of time to let any remaining chemicals escape, or treat suspect seams with rust converter.
2) As a monoque shell, there are locations - inside rear arches/rear quarters, doglegs/sills, etc., where pyrolyized and treated “mush” will get caught, creating a future rust risk. On my car, I cut the rear arches for ZG overfenders, and opening up the inner and outer arches revealed the detritus stuck in there. Same with the sill doglegs that needed replacing. Stuff that doesn’t get opened up could contain melted junk basically.
Cost was 1800 quid cash including collect and deliver back in 2019. So expect a bunch more now.
Next project - I’d do soda blasting of warp-sensitive body panels, with harsher media for tougher areas. Downside is media is line of sight and messy, and can’t get the innards.
dangerZone
Forum User
Thanks for the reply Richie. I think media blasting is the best option - at least as far as I've researched. Does it matter not getting the innards?
Fairlineguy
Club Member
My personal preference is media blasting (circ £4-500)
dangerZone
Forum User
Thank you all. £4/500 seems cheap. I had a quote for the whole body & all panels etch primed £2500
richiep
Club Member
Depends on if you have areas the need opening up for repair. That would allow you access in the process. And, whatever you do, all cavities should be coated post-paint job with a suitable cavity wax like Dinitrol, Bilt-Hamber, etc. That will prevent anything nasty happening later on if done well.
dangerZone
Forum User
Thank you very much Richie - you sound like you know your stuff