I was at a guy`s shop yesterday looking at some cars for sale and he had a 34 Ford Panel that had been completely acid dipped. Never seen this before, I have heard a few things about it; but never seen it firsthand. The panel looked like it just rolled off the line ready for paint. Just curious if anyone has ever had this done? Looks superior to blasting because of the warpage caused by blasting to remove rust, but I`m sure the acid getting into everything if not properly cleaned out could cause some serious problems as well?
The debate will never end. But its a nice way to get all of the rust in places you didn't even know existed. Problem is you need to get the acid out and neutralized then get paint or coating in those same places. If you don't the paint blows off or rust creaps out.
I painted a car that had been acid diped, then Ecoated. 1960 Chrystler 300. Even though the car was supposedly cleaned before ecoat, I found traces of acid that was between stampings, (rear quarters) I dont think you really can get the acid 100% clean and neutralized. I wouldnt use it.
Yes, I had both of my 34's acid dipped and I think it is far superior then blasting. These old body's to me are precious so why take the chance of warping and blasting deterioration. Problem seems to be our environmental gurus in government are trying to rid this practice. It's getting harder to find a dipper especially here on the East Coast!!!
Done properly it is the absolute best way to clean metal. My avatar 1927 Dodge coupe was dipped over 25 years ago and is still in perfect condition
just acid? or like redistrip.. caustic for paint, reverse electrolysis for rust,a rinse then a phosphate dip?
The cost seems to be reasonable as well, espacially if it rids of the rust. Something newer later 50`s I`m sure they have problems with seapage becasue of how the bodys are built, but early 20`s and 30`s are pretty simple bodies and don't have a lot of double seams because they used wood for support. I use a lot of acid for cleaning Stainless Steel, I know as long as the acid is neutralized the problems are gone, but I guess it depends on the person doing it. I have the same problems with my coating guys, anodizing, chroming, black oxide the EPA is killing them. The ones who follow the laws are fine, its the guys who dump it down the local sewer or river who have screwed it up for everyone. Never been there, but I heard northern Mexico just on the other side of the border is a bunch of chroming shops that don't have to follow EPA regs. Supposedly its a ecological disaster area...
Need help from Oklahoma city HAMBers I was told there might be a place in Oak City that dip car bodys. Is that right?
I think most chemical strippers would flinch at being called acid dippers. To me acid dipping was what was done to race cars to thin the metal and lighten car bodies. That's a little different than killing rust and stripping paint.
I am sure that there were other reasons for acid dipping a car body, but back in the Trans-Am days (1960s & early 1970s) a few bodies were dipped to cut down on weight. Without revealing any names, a few manufacturers (of Trans-Am eligible cars) did offer "bodies in white". These were basically bare shells taken off the assembly line just after the installation of a few structural components. They were then dropped into a large vat of acid. Removed shortly after a specified time and the thickness of the metal was "miked". This process was repeated and the measurements were taken again. So. it was into the tank, lifted back out, washed thoroughly and miked.....a few times. One body particular body the appeared on the Trans-Am grid was so thin that when it came out of the tank you could almost see the sun shining through the roof. A few coats of high build primer and paint cured the obvious. All in the name of losing weight and making up for it by placing weight where if didn't hurt the performance. Ah, the good old days of factory involvement in the T-A Series. So many ways to....uh, bend the rules. Maybe get caught, maybe not. But always great stuff.
I'm 99% sure that if you are chemically removing rust that you are using some type of acid to do it. Leave it long enough and it takes good metal too. Light weight race bodies have a longer soak than your regular rust removal.
Lye doesn't remove rust, it does takes the finish off and every other thing, undercoat, vibration dampener, seam sealer, and the like. Lye seems to work well as an electrolyte if added to the water when using electrolysis but electrolysis is not chemically removing rust and only works by line of site rust to electrode. Maybe talk to the guys that do this- there's more but here's one. http://www.metaldipping.com/our-process.php
Went to see a car buddy on Sunday, 55 ford pickup. Just got back from being dipped. It looks amazing. But the 2700$ price tag and 2 month wait I think is a little much.
I see they use a multi step, caustic/acid dipping process. Many of the commercial strippers use an alkaline electrolytic immersion process, instead, that strips paint and removes the rust in a single dip. I'm sure each could tell you why theirs is better
I hate sandblasting. I sandblasted the Scout chassis in 1972 and it was a big PITA. But pro dipping is way too much $$ for my blood. I'm just going to sand everything down, then acid etch what I can get to. When getting anything inside seams, it seems pretty tough to positively get it all back out. That being said, I did consider making a shallow tank from lumber and plastic and just dipping the shell slightly above the top of the rockers/pan. Then I can re-fill with water and soda and dip again, finally dipping with clear water about 4 times. (I've done this before, but not with a car body. Big metal doors.) Then blow it out & let it bake out in the dry Fresno summer heat about a week. Then just rotate the shell & pour the seam areas full of primer as well as possible and let it run out as you go along.
I think 2700 is too much http://www.metaldipping.com/pdf/20 ...and bed Acid Dipping Price Sheet May 2013.pdf
Look into Citric Acid rust removal , some posts on site here, and good articles on the Net. From what I have read , I am going this method. Choff
Well it appears that Metal Rehab in Fort Worth has closed its doors as of this past December. Anyone know of another dipping option in TEXAS? Thanks!
There is a place in Milstadt Illinois. ACP metal cleaners. 618-476-3500. He qouted me $500 for a model A size body and $40 for ea panel after that. I haven't seen any of his work yet but I plan to take my Dodge coupe to him one day soon. He said he has about a 2-3 month wait and it takes 3 weeks to finish a car.
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