Sandblasting Prep

hemi_fan

Active Member
Apr 8, 2004
279
3
28
Ontario, Canada
My car is gunna be sand blasted before I get it painted... do I need to take off the mirrors so it can be sand blasted? What else will I need to remove? I have pretty much all the trim/bodykit off except for the mirrors/quarter windows/door handles, do I need to take the mirrors off? If I need to remove any of this stuff please give me a quik play-by-play on how to do it! thx
 
First of all, never use sand to "sand blast" a car. Use a plastic media. Sand hits the metal with such force that it can actually stretch/deform the metal panels. Plastic cleans it up every bit as well without damaging the panels. Ask any reputable vehicle restorer.

As far as the glass/mirrors go, talk to your bodyshop that you'll be dealing with. Most bodyshop personell would probably prefer to have a stripped shell to work with as often times rust will hide near window seals and such, and not to mention that clean-up and taping time is reduced. They will probably tell you that it isn't necessary, that they can work around it, but they would prefer to have those things removed before work commences.
 
Your bumpers, side molding, ground effects molding and mirrors will be removed... anything plastic. Is there any particular reason why you are going to blast it? Even though using stripper is messy, it is much safer than blasting. Sand blasting is ussually used to find rust because it blast all of the bondo and stuff away from the metal.

Tim
 
the rust and old paint is all gunna be blasted off before prepping for paint. I think thats what the guy who's painting the car is gunna do anyway... Ive seen some of his stuff... I trust him. Just wondered if the mirrors should stay on or come off, but it looks like they should come off.