Body work and a dip

[Tropicalcats]

After many years of sitting on this project it is finally going to body work next wk and an alkaline dip followed by an e coating after that. Not sure how long the body work will take but this is the first major push on this car since 2 years ago when it was stripped to the shell.
I know that has to be a member who has had a shell dipped and e coated and I would like to hear from them as to the good the bad and the ugly going this route. It's not going to change my mind just want to know what others have found in dipping and e coating. It's a costly process but something I feel I want to do.

[72cudamaan]

Seems that you would want to do the body work after the chemical dip and e-coat. Any -filler work will be destroyed otherwise.

[Cuda Cody]

For the first time I had a large part dipped this summer.  I used the dipper that Mark from Graveyards cars was using in Portland (I think they are the only place in Portland area that can dip cars).  The part I dipped was the side steps on my 2008 MXT truck as they were so long I could not fit them in my blast cabinet.  This was a good test to see how dipping would compare to blasting.  Knowing the part was only a few years old I didn't worry to much about ruining it as it was a solid tube of steel.  I've heard stories about people dipping good metal and getting back swiss cheese. 

They had the part for about a week and when I picked them up they were noticeably lighter.  I paid them what I thought was a LOT of money for 2 side steps and based on that price I would guess a car to be about twice as much to dip as compared to blasting.

When I got home and unloaded the side steps in to my booth I went to hang them up and I could feel a soft spot.  I put a little pressure on the metal and MY THUMB WENT THROUGH THE METAL!  Upon further inspection all the metal was so thin it was not usable.  These were a fairly new part (2008) that I wanted to repaint due to some road rash.  They were NOT RUSTED OUT.  I would tell you this.... I WILL NEVER GET A CAR PART DIPPED AGAIN. 

[Tropicalcats]

Cody
Sorry to hear about your steps
Was this an alkaline dip or acid? I am going with the alkaline dip. Much safer and no metal loss.
http://www.americanmetalcleaninginc.com/services/automotiveservices.html

[Cuda Cody]

From their website "Our multi-step alkaline electrolytic immersion", so the answer is yes it was Alkaline.

http://www.americanmetalcleaning.com/

But there is NO way I would EVER let them dip one of my cars even if it was free.

[johns cuda shop]

  Yup   ,  How would you get the acid out from the pinch welds.?? I know they dip it into a neutralizing solution ,but you know thats not going to get it all out of the pinch weld areas. I would hate to see what would happen in a few years after the paint starts to pop.. As long as you have qualified people to media blast, it seems like the only viable option.   

[Fastd]

I had my car dipped Earlier this year and could not be happier with the results. The final stages of metal is being done now. Having to lower the floor board 1.5" to accommodate the 2010 Challenger seats and my height. When completed it will go to E-coat.

Here is a link to pics after it was dipped

http://s1075.photobucket.com/user/CthFastd/slideshow/70%20Challenger%20Stripped

[Tropicalcats]

Again sorry about your steps and I have heard all the negatives about dipping and get all the chemical out but I have also heard great positives for starting with fresh clean metal and e coating. I like the idea of getting in places I cannot see and than covering with e coat.

FastD
Who did your dip and who will do the e coating?I have found a couple places but would like to hear who you used.
Do you have any pictures?

[ragtopdodge]

My Chally was dipped up in Canada at Redi-strip and along w/ a hood and trunk lid.  Came out just fine.

Old metal is a lot thicker than new metal these days.  I wouldn't dip new metal or Chinese AMD/Goodmark metal, but OEM, should be fine.

[Tropicalcats]

My Chally was dipped up in Canada at Redi-strip and along w/ a hood and trunk lid.  Came out just fine.

Old metal is a lot thicker than new metal these days.  I wouldn't dip new metal or Chinese AMD/Goodmark metal, but OEM, should be fine.
[/quote

Did you have it e coated?

[Fastd]

Checkk the link in my earlier post for pics of my car. I used Metal Finishings services out of Jackson MS. here is a link

http://www.metalfinishings.com/

[71gogreen]

Checkk the link in my earlier post for pics of my car. I used Metal Finishings services out of Jackson MS. here is a link

http://www.metalfinishings.com/

HI ,so what is the approximate cost to dip a car and e-coat?thank you,frank

[Tropicalcats]

To dip the shell only will run about $2400.00 and close to the same or a little less for e coating.

Fastd

I looked at Metal Finishing in MS. What was the turn around time or your car? Why didn't you have it stripped there?

[Fastd]

HI ,so what is the approximate cost to dip a car and e-coat?thank you,frank

about $3600.00

To dip the shell only will run about $2400.00 and close to the same or a little less for e coating.

Fastd

I looked at Metal Finishing in MS. What was the turn around time or your car? Why didn't you have it stripped there?

When you refer to stripped I take you mean the dipping process? They did that (put the shell in a big vat). Removed all the paint and bondo and what ever else was on the body. Now the metal work is being done by Tim Ross of Ross Restorations in Crystal Springs Ms. When he is done with the metal repair he will take the car back to Metal Finishing to be e-coated. As I was  in no hurry to get the car back. The time frame was about 2 1/2 months. 

[jimynick]

$5000 to dip and coat a shell??!! How do the ba$tards sleep at night? I paid $1200 to get my shell, doors, diff, frt suspension, hood and valances media blasted and epoxy coated here in Oakville; and thought I'd gotten hosed! I also figure to get the car Krown rustproofed when it's done, since it's to drive, not just shine. I agree about the lurking product in the nooks and crannies. Just my