PSA It is a smart plan to sand/media blast your car

[glovemeister]

I figured that since my car was a Cali car it avoided a lot of the rust trouble.

From the onset I knew it would have some rusty areas that I would need to fix. Fortunately, they are nothing like what some deal with, lucky for me and my "decent" skill set.

The other day I decided to blast the engine bay and cowl and discovered that the area near the windshield motor has some crusty spots/eaten through spots. I anticipated this area was perfect, and if I didn't go the extra step I would not be a happy camper in a few years.

[rhamson]

I got an Arizona "rust free" car and soon found I had to strip it all back to metal and repair the cancer that was painted over. Don't trust anyone when it comes to these old rust prone cars. There is a reason AMD has delved deep into providing new sheet metal for these cars. So many are hidden cancer survivors.

[glovemeister]

Thats no joke. I know from the get go I would have some of the regular spots. It wasn't until I got it stripped that I even saw the trouble in other areas.

Oh well another day, more time fixing rust haha.

[rhamson]

Amidst the rust problems I constantly find misaligned welds by whoever worked on it before with a heaping amount of body filler to gloss over the details. I am a bit anal when it comes to making stuff fit as I like laser straight body lines to paint. As they say any monkey can paint a car but preparation is where the men are separated from the boys.

[734406pk]

Amidst the rust problems I constantly find misaligned welds by whoever worked on it before with a heaping amount of body filler to gloss over the details. I am a bit anal when it comes to making stuff fit as I like laser straight body lines to paint. As they say any monkey can paint a car but preparation is where the men are separated from the boys.

 

[anlauto]

Oh my Gawd...the stories I could tell...

[Topcat]

If your car had any restoration or repair work done in the 70's thru the 80's, chances are it had hack job work done on it.

Mopars had little respect then and they would just throw mud and crappy repairs to fix them back then.

[DocMel]

Dont sandblast large sheet metal surfaces.  Resulting heat will distort large sheet metal surfaces, and it will be w WHOLE lotta work getting it straight for paint

[lulurocks]

My car had rolled up red shop towels that were basted in filler stuffed in the trunk extensions so they could mudd the rust holes  in the rear lower quarters.. 

I worked in a production body shop in the  mid 90's  ohh the  hack work ive seen ...   

Mopars get " no respect ,no respect at all" rodney r.i.p..

[glovemeister]

My car had rolled up red shop towels that were basted in filler stuffed in the trunk extensions so they could mudd the rust holes  in the rear lower quarters.. 

I worked in a production body shop in the  mid 90's  ohh the  hack work ive seen ...   

Mopars get " no respect ,no respect at all" rodney r.i.p..

Well I guess I consider myself lucky then haha. The quarters were just heavily filled on the lower section. I've found no shop towels, or chicken wire with filler so I'm cool with that haha.

It does amaze me to think about these cars not being valuable and repair work done accordingly.

[rhamson]

Oh my Gawd...the stories I could tell...

I had a Challenger where the former owner had screwed and caulked a road sign under the rusted passenger floor board. It was no big deal as I cut out the area around it and welded a patch in it's place.

[dfrazz]

I had a Challenger where the former owner had screwed and caulked a road sign under the rusted passenger floor board. It was no big deal as I cut out the area around it and welded a patch in it's place.

In my '71 the PO had spliced in roofing material in the trunk floor pan.  Needless to say, I installed a new one.

[Beekeeper]

Dont sandblast large sheet metal surfaces.  Resulting heat will distort large sheet metal surfaces, and it will be w WHOLE lotta work getting it straight for paint

Don't wish to hijack the thread but what do you recommend?

[1 Wild R/T]

Don't wish to hijack the thread but what do you recommend?

Large panels I use chemical stripper, often two applications... Then finish with a DA & 80 grit...