Media Blasting a Classic Car: Why Only Specialist Automotive Blasting
To build a restoration properly you first have to get down to bare metal. The first method most people think of is blasting. This is where you need to be careful, because the market is full of very different services under the same name.
Not all blasting is the same
When we say blasting for a car, we mean strictly specialist automotive media blasting. Never take a classic body or chassis to a yard that blasts with coarse industrial grit meant for ships and steel structures.
What industrial blasting does to body panels
Industrial blasting at high pressure with coarse media puts so much heat and kinetic energy into the metal that it stretches it, makes it wavy and can ruin thin panels. A step that should save you time becomes weeks of extra panel work, or new panels.
What to look for
A blaster who works on cars and knows thin sheet metal.
Media and pressure chosen for automotive panels, not structural steel.
Primer applied soon after, so the bare metal does not start to rust.
Preparation is the foundation of every restoration. Start wrong and everything after it is built on damaged metal.
Frequently asked questions
Can sandblasting warp car panels?
Yes. Coarse media at high pressure heats and stretches thin sheet metal. Classic car panels need specialist automotive blasting.
What is the first step in a full restoration?
Getting the body down to clean bare metal, without damaging it, so you can see and repair every defect.
Caropsis handles classic car restoration and coachbuilding from bare metal to finished car. Book a consultation.
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