The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Chemical dipping

I have a 37 Chevy pickup that I need to have stripped to remove old paint & surface rust. I was wondering if chemical dipping was a good way to do it. Nor-Cal Metal Stripping is about 3 hours away from my house. They will dip & PPG epoxy prime my cab, doors, hood and grill surround. Is this a good, safe way to do this? Would it be better to get some nylon wheels and sandpaper and get to work myself?

Dip and strip is generally a better approach to starting a restoration project than going on the attack with a sandblaster and sandpaper.

Chemical stripping will remove everything except the metal. Then you can see what you have, and begin to make the needed repairs.

If you don't put a primer back on following a chemical strip, the exposed metal will begin to rust very quickly.

Realize that this process will only bring you to the starting point, and allow you to get a good looksee at what you have to work with. It is not a process that will allow you start sanding and filling and painting immediately.

It will remove paint, bondo, and virtually everything non-metal on the body, and depending upon the process, it can also remove heavy rust.

Good way to get started. Generally speaking, ametuer sand blasting and sanding an old body will do a lot more damage than good.

Professional strip facilities do this for a living so they tend to do it right.

My 59 Apache was chemically dipped during restoration and I offer thes helpful hints it you go this route. First, be sure to reseal panel areas that are welded such as your drip rail etc. Second, chase threads and be ready to helicoil any threaded holes as the chemical will remove badly rusted threads also. Just a heads up learned from experience. I was satisfied overall with my decision to go this route.
Bruce

I had my 1940 GMC dipped and I was very happy with the results. Nothing like working with nice clean metal. If your time is money this is the way to go

Thank you all for your input. After reading your replies, I am going to spend the weekend preparing the cab for dipping next week. Thank you again.

How should I go about finding someone in Southern California that will chemical dip my cab?

What is the chemical and process used for stripping? By the way, I discovered electrolysis last week. Works nice for cleaning small parts. I may borrow the wading pool for larger parts.

My wife had her eyebrows done that way too.

Hi guys. I too am looking for a dip stripper in my area. (And someone who will take the paint and rust off of my cab...........). Does anyone know of a chemical dip place in or around Calgary, AB?

Thanks

I have used L & M Stripping 14232 Aetna in the SF Valley , there's another one down on Alemeda in South Central L.A. , I don't know the name but one of my rich buddies swears by it and they did his '55 SD doors nice and leave a nice red oxide primer behind to boot - they did a good job on my AD sidemount fender - showed all the lace rust in the bottom edges of it

I'm sure there will be more metal strippers in the Long Beach or City Of Industry areas , time to crack a 'phone book .

Metal stripping is very good but can be problematic too : some years ago we did a V.W. typ III body and the chemical residue didn't get washed out of the ' C ' pillar , I have heard of this in the ' A ' pillar of pickup cabs too ~ any
part of the body that is built up will need carefull cleaning and rust proofing ar the rust will come back fast .