Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
Thread Starter
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 62
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From: Greenville, Michigan
Car: 1985 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 2.8 v-6
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
So I'm looking into having my car blasted to bare metal and I'm looking into either getting the car sandblasted or soda blasted. Opinions on which one would be better to do. Will the sandblasting warp the panels? Thanks!
Paul
Paul
Senior Member

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 726
Likes: 1
From: League City, TX
Car: 90 Formula -- tot resto in progress
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700R4 w/ 2500 stall, by Owen @ ARD
Axle/Gears: 3.23 posi disc
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
Is this going to be DIY, or contracted out.
If DIY, I assume you'll have a serious compressor...
Based on my somewhat limited knowledge, here's my
Soda is not as abrasive as sand, which makes it more desirable for refinishing
smaller parts like, grilles and other trim pieces.
For a whole car total resto, sand may be acceptable, or even desirable for
the surface texture to start applying primer.
(Word of caution. Virgin metal will begin to re-rust immediately, especially
in humid climates. So be prepared to apply some primer immediately after
the blasting.)
DustlessBlasting is a new process, that is water based.
(Can be seen on "My Classic Car" w/ Dennis Gage)
http://dustlessblasting.com/
I must plead ignorance about the cost of each, but I'm pretty sure sand
is the cheapest medium available.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
If DIY, I assume you'll have a serious compressor...
Based on my somewhat limited knowledge, here's my

Soda is not as abrasive as sand, which makes it more desirable for refinishing
smaller parts like, grilles and other trim pieces.
For a whole car total resto, sand may be acceptable, or even desirable for
the surface texture to start applying primer.
(Word of caution. Virgin metal will begin to re-rust immediately, especially
in humid climates. So be prepared to apply some primer immediately after
the blasting.)
DustlessBlasting is a new process, that is water based.
(Can be seen on "My Classic Car" w/ Dennis Gage)
http://dustlessblasting.com/
I must plead ignorance about the cost of each, but I'm pretty sure sand
is the cheapest medium available.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 773
Likes: 0
From: Clovis NM
Car: 2012 F350 lariot/1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Powerstroke/6.0
Transmission: 6R100/4L80e
Axle/Gears: 3.73/3.42
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
dry ice blast
if they know what they are doing sand blast because soda blasting is great but the car must be wiped down immediatly after becuase the soda leaves a residue that you do not want to paint on and will make it rust faster
you can always da the whole car yourself too thirdgens dont have that much metal
if they know what they are doing sand blast because soda blasting is great but the car must be wiped down immediatly after becuase the soda leaves a residue that you do not want to paint on and will make it rust faster
you can always da the whole car yourself too thirdgens dont have that much metal
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 773
Likes: 0
From: Clovis NM
Car: 2012 F350 lariot/1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Powerstroke/6.0
Transmission: 6R100/4L80e
Axle/Gears: 3.73/3.42
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
Dry ice blasting can be done with NO taping of the car it wont hurt rubber or glass or warp panels. Its the best type of blasting out there but good luck finding a company that does it they are few and far apart.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, Michigan
Car: 1985 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 2.8 v-6
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
Is this going to be DIY, or contracted out.
If DIY, I assume you'll have a serious compressor...
Based on my somewhat limited knowledge, here's my
Soda is not as abrasive as sand, which makes it more desirable for refinishing
smaller parts like, grilles and other trim pieces.
For a whole car total resto, sand may be acceptable, or even desirable for
the surface texture to start applying primer.
(Word of caution. Virgin metal will begin to re-rust immediately, especially
in humid climates. So be prepared to apply some primer immediately after
the blasting.)
DustlessBlasting is a new process, that is water based.
(Can be seen on "My Classic Car" w/ Dennis Gage)
http://dustlessblasting.com/
I must plead ignorance about the cost of each, but I'm pretty sure sand
is the cheapest medium available.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
If DIY, I assume you'll have a serious compressor...
Based on my somewhat limited knowledge, here's my

Soda is not as abrasive as sand, which makes it more desirable for refinishing
smaller parts like, grilles and other trim pieces.
For a whole car total resto, sand may be acceptable, or even desirable for
the surface texture to start applying primer.
(Word of caution. Virgin metal will begin to re-rust immediately, especially
in humid climates. So be prepared to apply some primer immediately after
the blasting.)
DustlessBlasting is a new process, that is water based.
(Can be seen on "My Classic Car" w/ Dennis Gage)
http://dustlessblasting.com/
I must plead ignorance about the cost of each, but I'm pretty sure sand
is the cheapest medium available.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
Last edited by Michael Knight; Mar 13, 2013 at 05:16 PM. Reason: Forgot to explain more
Thread Starter
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, Michigan
Car: 1985 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 2.8 v-6
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 773
Likes: 0
From: Clovis NM
Car: 2012 F350 lariot/1991 Camaro RS
Engine: Powerstroke/6.0
Transmission: 6R100/4L80e
Axle/Gears: 3.73/3.42
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
look it up it will blow your mind (no pun intended)
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Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 859
Likes: 5
From: Birmingham Alabama
Car: 1991 Firebird convertible
Engine: LQ4 ls 6.0
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 342 Limited slip
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
there are all kinks of ways to strip a car and it all depends on your car do you have rust are you going to take the car apart we strip cars all the way down to nothing so we use Dupont starblast because most of the cars we do have rust sada blasting will not take out the rust so that is way we use star blast and it only has like .3 percent silca so all we do is blast it and epoxy prime it black beauty is also good so with that said if you go with soda blasting make sure you use a good cleaner to clean the car before you apply epoxy primer or you will have problems with adhesion
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 547
Likes: 27
From: Germany
Car: 1990 Trans Am
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
I recommend dry ice blasting. The working principle is quite easy to understand.
Basically it just "explodes" whatever you want to remove and there is no residue, except for what you take off.
No sand dunes, no puddles, no extra rust. The ice just evaporates immediately after removing the paint.
Basically it just "explodes" whatever you want to remove and there is no residue, except for what you take off.
No sand dunes, no puddles, no extra rust. The ice just evaporates immediately after removing the paint.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 793
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Richmond 3.73
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
why not just sand it by hand? The factory paint makes for a good base to start off with.
Get yourself a board sander and go at it getting it as straight as possible. Then paint with a sandable primer, block and keep going till its straight.
I changed the color on my car and didn't take things down to bare metal where I didn't have to.
Get yourself a board sander and go at it getting it as straight as possible. Then paint with a sandable primer, block and keep going till its straight.
I changed the color on my car and didn't take things down to bare metal where I didn't have to.
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
From: long island ny
Car: 1987 camaro sc
Engine: lg4 305
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: Looking for advise... Sandblast or soda blast
sandblasting will warp the panels simple as that thats why soda blasting is used cars it doesnt warp the sheet metal
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