I had posted the question, "what is dipping in relation to stripping the
paint and rust from a car's body
and frame; and how does it work." No one replied so I did a little research
and calling around as well
as searching the web.
I found a contact in Lebanon, Ohio who knew. Randy Balogh of "Strictly
British: restoration and service"
put me in touch with a company north of Cincinnati, Ohio which does auto
parts dipping.
The process uses a caustic solution that removes all finishes and rust. You
must have everything removed
that can be. No aluminum commission number plates, no loose bolts, no
rubber. The process for large parts
like a Spit body tub or chassis won't remove plastic fillers like "Bondo".
The process for smaller parts, like doors
trunk lids does remove plastic fillers because it puts them through an oven
too.
After the dipping process, the part is thoroughly rinsed with copious
amounts of water and sprayed with a thin clear
zinc temporary protective coat. This is only meant to keep the shiny bare
steel from developing surface rust before
you can get a coat of primer on it. It is best to paint the bare metal
within a month or two, but if stored in a dry
area it could last much longer.
When done the metal will be as bright and shiny as it was when new, unless
there was rust. The process eats away
all paint and rust. If there was surface rust, the bare metal will be
pitted and need to be filled prior to painting. Before
painting or priming, the protective zinc coating needs to be rinsed off.
Prior to removing the Spitfire body tub, it was recommended to cross brace
the top of the cockpit opening by welding
braces diagonally from the firewall to the top of the rear door arch
bilaterally, and near the rocker panel between the
front and rear door pillars, just in case the rocker panels reveal hidden
rust after the process and cause the body tub to
warp.
Cost? Estimated about $450 for the body and $250 for the chassis. This
was over the phone; it could be less.
The company is called, American Metal Cleaning; phone # 513-825-1171
Hope this will help someone else.
Mike
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