Sandblasting C3 Frame
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Morgantown WV
Sandblasting C3 Frame
I have recently disassembed my '70 coupe down to the bare frame. I am considering sandblasting the frame myself but need to know how big of a job this entails. Approximately how many pounds of abrasive material will be needed (aluminum oxide)? The frame is mostly covered with surface rust and some scale. Also, what is the appropriate grit abrasive to use for effective rust removal without excessively roughening the frame surface? Thanks.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: KC Kansas
I tried both alum oxide and glass bead. I didnt like the alum oxide too much. I used glass bead to blast the frame and all of the suspension. I dont remember what grit the alum oxide was but when I got the glass bead there was not different grit choices. I did the job in my garage on a clean floor so I could sweep up the media and reuse it. It worked great. Good luck with yours.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,560
Likes: 5
From: the land of a never ending frame-off resto-mod. May Visa have mercy on my soul.
For the amount in time and materials that you invest to do it yourself, it would be cheaper to send it out and have a shop do it for you.
I considered the same thing as you and for 300.00 The shop blasted and then blew off the frame completely. If you think about all the mess and there will be a lot of it and the expense of materials and the time involved be smart and have a shop do it for you.
When it came back I POR-15 the frame(use a brush) and it looks like brand new. If you spray the fumes will kill you. It is a self leveling paint so it will smooth out.
I like to do a lot of things by my self but sometimes you need to farm it out.
I considered the same thing as you and for 300.00 The shop blasted and then blew off the frame completely. If you think about all the mess and there will be a lot of it and the expense of materials and the time involved be smart and have a shop do it for you.
When it came back I POR-15 the frame(use a brush) and it looks like brand new. If you spray the fumes will kill you. It is a self leveling paint so it will smooth out.
I like to do a lot of things by my self but sometimes you need to farm it out.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
For the amount in time and materials that you invest to do it yourself, it would be cheaper to send it out and have a shop do it for you.
I considered the same thing as you and for 300.00 The shop blasted and then blew off the frame completely. If you think about all the mess and there will be a lot of it and the expense of materials and the time involved be smart and have a shop do it for you.
When it came back I POR-15 the frame(use a brush) and it looks like brand new. If you spray the fumes will kill you. It is a self leveling paint so it will smooth out.
I like to do a lot of things by my self but sometimes you need to farm it out.
I considered the same thing as you and for 300.00 The shop blasted and then blew off the frame completely. If you think about all the mess and there will be a lot of it and the expense of materials and the time involved be smart and have a shop do it for you.
When it came back I POR-15 the frame(use a brush) and it looks like brand new. If you spray the fumes will kill you. It is a self leveling paint so it will smooth out.
I like to do a lot of things by my self but sometimes you need to farm it out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
I have recently disassembed my '70 coupe down to the bare frame. I am considering sandblasting the frame myself but need to know how big of a job this entails. Approximately how many pounds of abrasive material will be needed (aluminum oxide)? The frame is mostly covered with surface rust and some scale. Also, what is the appropriate grit abrasive to use for effective rust removal without excessively roughening the frame surface? Thanks.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 453
Likes: 1
From: Austin TX
I second having someone else do it. I did alot of small parts here at home myself. I already had a large ingersol-rand air compressor so I bought the 40lb blaster from harbor freight on sale. I can honestly say doing the small pieces myself turned out to be a huge pita. I'd probably kill myself if I had to do the whole frame with that blaster. It did nothing but clog up all the time. Nozzles, valves, even one valve exploded on me from turning it off and on so much to unclog it. I have a water trap system on my compressor, so I'm not sure why I had so much trouble. It looks like you already made up your mine. GL.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 14
From: Vacaville, CA
Have a professional blast then paint (2) coats of PPG DP-90 primer. The DP-90 is very tough and adheres like no other primer. Most professionals feel that it is better than POR-15.You want to paint ASAP after getting it blasted since oxidation will start minutes after the freshly exposed metal meets the air.
Plan on spending up to $1,000 for everything, but it will be done right!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
What's the best way to protect the INSIDE of the frame after blasting and painting? I'm planning on having my new frame blasted and then will be painting with etching primer while I work on welding, etc. and then will prime with PPG DPLF epoxy primer and a yet-to-be-determined topcoat.
