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Topic: Soda Blasting 68 Convt

in Forum: C3 Body

Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/30/10 4:46pm Message 1 of 20
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Gordonvillle, TX - USA
Joined: 11/28/2003
Posts: 228
Vette(s): 1968 Roadster 427
What a mess that makes. Now my 68 is down to the bare glass and everything is visible. 
Seven Coats of paint taken off the hard top.  This did not come with the car. I bought the hard top at a corvette show. AngryOuchShocked
No Jell Coat originally on the 68.  
Some body work needs to be done to the rear upper deck, front grill area and allign the headlight doors. 
Several coats of an epoxy primer.
Now the painter/body man/Restoation shop  has gone from $8,000 to $10,000.
Not probaby not worth it-- on my 68. --
Not the original engine--that was a 427-435hp with 3 duces. Long gone by the 2nd owner, because of the cost of gas. 
Oh Well, just wanted to vent my frustrations.




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Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/30/10 6:08pm Message 2 of 20
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Holland Patent, NY - USA
Joined: 6/3/2008
Posts: 4421
Vette(s): #1 *1980 White, Red interior 14,000 mile #2 *1980 Red, Oyster interior 93,000 miles Resto project car, rebuilt to 383 stroker
What was the reason for the change in price?
Evil Smileebo




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Evil Smileebo

Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/30/10 6:25pm Message 3 of 20
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Gordonvillle, TX - USA
Joined: 11/28/2003
Posts: 228
Vette(s): 1968 Roadster 427
$8,000 was the starting price which included the soda blast. 50 hrs were a given for the price, plus paint etc.  Seems to think that the 50 hrs will be used up quickly and needs more hrs. 
I don't know but when you have three employees and they are working ever so often on your car who knows.  Does seem very high priced to me.  But that includes putting the new carpet in, all the weatherstrip, ( of course I paid for the weatherstrip and carpet)  Also includes a little mechanical work such as a elect. fuel pump. That is about all. Body work, Epoxy primer, base coat clear, etc.
 I had stress crack around the tail lights and head lights doors, I had to get another door(passenger) at my expense. 
This is not downtown Dallas, but it is in the coutry outside of the Metroplex. So it should be a little cheaper.




Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/30/10 6:39pm Message 4 of 20
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Holland Patent, NY - USA
Joined: 6/3/2008
Posts: 4421
Vette(s): #1 *1980 White, Red interior 14,000 mile #2 *1980 Red, Oyster interior 93,000 miles Resto project car, rebuilt to 383 stroker
Rich I'm making ass'umptions here but since you have done the soda blast yourself you must have a compressor. Why not tackle the paint job yourself? If you do all the primer sanding you will get the feel for the paint technique. Then base coat it and clear it. You can sand any imperfections out yourself and buff. Lots of good articles on many google sites. Do you have any local schools that have night courses where you can sign up for body work and get your car over there? Will they (a school) do it for a project learning price?
Thats a lot of money dude. I mean you could screw it up like four times and still be aheadLOL
Back in the day me and my buddies would shoot cars first thing in the morning on the wet grass in our side yards. Acrylic enamel with hardner, by time the sun came up it would bake it to a patent leather shineLOL
Just thinkin out loud for you...............
Evil Smileebo




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Evil Smileebo

Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/30/10 6:55pm Message 5 of 20
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Red Lion, PA - USA
Joined: 10/27/2006
Posts: 1182
Vette(s): 1974 White 350 Corvette, TH400 Automatic 1972 Tangerine /Go Mango Convertible 383 Stroker, 2004r Automatic
Rich,
How much soda blasting media did you end up using to get your car down to bare glass. Also where did you get it and what kind of costs are you looking at. How do you clean the car once it is blasted so that you have removed any residue left? I am thinking about doing that to my 72.
Thanks Rodney




Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/30/10 7:38pm Message 6 of 20
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Gordonvillle, TX - USA
Joined: 11/28/2003
Posts: 228
Vette(s): 1968 Roadster 427
I had Midlife Classics Restoration in Princeton Tx do the Soda Blasting. They do Media and Sand Blasting too. They are not real familar with the Soda, but I had done a lot of studies and Soda is the best for glass. They have a large machine to do this with.
A normal air compressor would not compete. Go to www.midlifeclassics.com and see it on video. They could have just used the soda, but it was not coming off as fast and they incorporated water with it.  Made it much faster, but the water caused it to set up in areas and it would look like a big crest of salt set up in various recessed areas. 
Most people will tell you to use vinegar to clean it up. but  the company in Houston has the solution which is called Holdtight102. It cost $75.00 a gallon which should be enough for a corvette. Go to www.holdtight.com 
Anyway the Blasting cost $800.00 which they said it should have cost closer to 1,00.00 since it took so much soda.  Anyway they are good people and have a lot of ideas and advise. Just call Bob  at 972-736-3560 and he has a lot of free advise.   



Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/30/10 7:54pm Message 7 of 20
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Gordonvillle, TX - USA
Joined: 11/28/2003
Posts: 228
Vette(s): 1968 Roadster 427
Ebo ---Your so right. I painted this vette 22 years ago myself.  I had experience in paint work from the military. I sanded it myself , primed and sealed it. Then used Glassurt base coat clear coat and it really looked great after all the buffing etc.  But after all those years it had stress cracks etc. plus the touch up from gravel chips etc. 
So now since I am older and can afford more, I decided to let someone else do the work.
I painted it myself when it only cost me $350.00 for materials. I just wanted to get all the paint off it this time and do complete make over.
I guess I am having to pay for it this time!!!!!!!!!!




Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/31/10 7:25am Message 8 of 20
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Holland Patent, NY - USA
Joined: 6/3/2008
Posts: 4421
Vette(s): #1 *1980 White, Red interior 14,000 mile #2 *1980 Red, Oyster interior 93,000 miles Resto project car, rebuilt to 383 stroker
I hear ya Big smile And your right on the bigger compressor, I bought Eastwoods dual blaster, soda and or media....then had to buy a big axed compressorLOL
Thanks for the usefull info on the wash cleaner as I plan to blast my car also. Biggest benefit for me is my company uses soda blast material, they always have to refresh it per govt contract. They have to buy a pallet at a time and always have to throw out unused bags. I just brought home 500 pounds.......for freeClap See every once in a while even that blind squirrel gets a nutLOL Post up some pictures on a link if you can would love to see it.
Glad your not to old to DRIVE that baby!!!!LOL
Evil Smileebo
 




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Evil Smileebo

Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/31/10 8:11am Message 9 of 20
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New Albany, OH - USA
Joined: 8/17/2010
Posts: 173
Vette(s): 1980 Coupe / Snowcrest White / L48, 350 / Comp Cam / Edelbrock Heads / Cyclone Intake / Holley Carb / Holley Fuel Pump / Patriot Headers / Dual Exhaust / Magnaflow Mufflers / 1964 Coupe / Riverside Red / L76, 327, 365hp
I had my '80 completely stripped-down and repainted this year.  It cost me $500 for the soda blast and $5500 for the paint job.  This included new weather stripping and realinging the doors T-tops and hood.  I took it to a guy in my area who has an excellent reputation for quality.  He did a fantastic job on my Vette. 
But here's the bad news.  He had my car until last week and I gave it to him in March.  I would call him on a weekly basis and he would keep telling me that he doesn't put-out junk.  (I know this is true because he has a classic '71 Chevelle that just won the Open Class in an area car show.)
The bottom line is you are going to pay, somehow.
Good luck.
 



Chuck

Soda Blasting 68 Convt

Posted: 8/31/10 7:51pm Message 10 of 20
Former Member
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Gordonvillle, TX - USA
Joined: 11/28/2003
Posts: 228
Vette(s): 1968 Roadster 427
Thanks, and I hope it comes out as I expect it to. 
 Ebo send me your email address, or anyone interested and I will forward you some video on the soda blasting of my 68.
Rich




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