Okay it's been damn near a week prepping the firewall for paint and the more I do the more needs to come off the car. i have everything out of the engine bay save the motor itself.

Question. 1 In tight spots say the firewall where it meets the blower motor I have to use a dremel w/ a circular sanding disc as a sanding block won't work. When I use the dremel the disc sometimes cuts deeper than I wanted requiring me to stop and remix the resin and reaplly more fiberglass to build up the "gouge" I created. Isthere a sanding tool for tight spots?

Question 2. I have been sanding and there is white dust in every nook and cranny everywhere. i don't own a compressor but even if I did it would blow the dust from one spot to another. I only have one idea which is to spray the entire engine bay with water. I can protect the carb opening and altenator from water but how the hell am I to get all the water droplets that will stick in blind spots around for days and the paint won't stick. plus I don't want to promote rust on the engine which is ready for show. All the parts I removed that were sandblasted and are sitting in parts bins next to the car are now coated in a light white coat of sand.

 

do you have a shop vac? that you can try and vacuum up the water droplets? how about a hair dryer?

 

P.S. Everything else is ready for paint. I have about a mile of bubble wrap sitting in the garage to cover the motor but even that will be difficult when trying to cover the accesories such as the power steering pump etc. becuase I want to spray the frame 2" right below it.

 

you know what would work great is that new clear kitchen plastic wrap that sticks to itself....

 

I have 2 but again some of the water is going to hang up in areas unseen, this damn engine bay has so many surfaces it's really a PITA!! I truely regret starting this project, 6 days so far and i feel like I'm 10% there.

How about a high speed fan? I can rent one of the Navy's mini blowers which shoots a **** load of hot air, it's about the size of a microwave
and I could set it on the nose pointing into the engine bay and leave it on overnight.

I need a damn compressor!! that would definetly work if I could blow the water out.

 

Bob I'm unfamiliar??? Pics?

 

that sounds like over kill........ but it would certainly work.

 

Take it outside and use a leaf blower on it. I also bought attachments for my portable vac that allow me to get into every nook and cranny. I would not use water as it will turn the dust into a paste.

When painting Bob's suggestion of using plastic wrap is a good one (Saran Wrap). I've used painters blue masking tape and it worked very well. It comes off very easily and doesn't pull off any finish it was taped to.

 

Excellent idea. BTW I got all new hoses yesterday as you had pointed out.

David

 

Use a leaf blower it works great. That is how I dry my cars after washing them. It is one less time the bodies get rubbed with a rag or cloth of any kind.

 

I would try to avoid the washing it off approach. If you do, use isopropyl alcohol instead of water. It will dry faster and rust less, but watch out for ignition sources.

 

I primarily used the blue masking type tape--specifically designed for painting--it pulls off very easy without leaving any adhesive residue. Availabe at Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot or any painting store.

I used a combination of items to cover/mask off areas. I used towels, brown heavy duty construction type paper, clear plastic, blue tape,etc.

I did not use, but have seen aluminum foil used very effectively to mask off and wrap some areas. It is easy to remove and conforms in shape to the surface applied to (hoses, metal fuel/brake lines,etc).

Prior to painting, I cleaned, washed, sanded, wire brushed, etc, the entire engine compartment and parts (SOS pads work great on metal parts!); then washed off with water hose; left car in the sun with hood up (in summer time). Engine bay was completely dry in one hour. Then the masking started. I spent a total of 40 hours from start to finish detailing the engine compartment.

 

the stuff i had in mind was "glad press'n seal" very similar to "saran" wrap but this stuff sticks to itself.

 

How about using brake cleaner? I use cans of this stuff every weekend to remove oil and grime, but have also used it as spot prep for painting. Removes everything nicely and leaves no residue of its own. I haven't melted anything under the hood with it yet, though you might want to try a spot before hosing it all around. Cheep as well (look for Kragen specials).

 

Ya gotta watch it with the dremel tool.Very high speed and can get you in trouble real quick.I don't know what model you have but some of them have a variable speed.Mine don't.

 

Leaf blower sounds like a good idea.

Reynolds Wrap (foil) works well for masking. Easy to shape, place and remove.

Good Luck.

 

Ditto here!

 

It should great once your done.

 

I borrowed a friend's compressor and blew it down.

 

1. I've found that the Black and Decker Mouse is a fantastic tool for sanding in tight spots. The nose of the tool gets into tight corners and sands like you can't believe. My dad who is a wood worker bought one for me. I'm not a wood worker so I wondered what the heck I'd do with one of these. Then I looked at some of the tight corners I needed to work on my Vette. Bing! The light went off! Fabulous tool!

2. Use some canned air from a camera shop. Sewing shops also use this stuff to clean sewing machine mechanisms. My wife uses it. That's how I got the idea.

A small compressor can be an indespensible tool. Air tools beat the crap out of electric tools with regards to power, size and weight.