FramesFull frame and suspension

1980s Chevy Caprice: the frame back to bare steel

Body off, frame up. Rust and old undercoat blasted off the rails and the suspension, then sealed in gloss black.

1980s Chevy Caprice frame: Before and after — Before and after

1980s Chevy Caprice frame: Before — Before and after

Time: ~1 day
Media: ~8 bags
Media cost: ~$190

Estimates for a job this size.

The problem

A frame is all corners: boxed rails, brackets, spring perches. A wire wheel can’t reach most of it, and rust left in a seam keeps spreading under new paint.

The setup

Body off, the frame up on stands or hung from a hoist. A pressure washer from 1,800 PSI up, the Bag Rig with the gravity bag hung from a beam.

How it ran

Body off, frame up where you can reach underneath
Rails first, one side at a time
Crossmembers, brackets and spring perches
Inside the channels with the ceramic nozzle
Flush the sand out of every rail

The finish

Flushed, inhibitor then AP1, dried inside the channels, then chassis black the same day.

Used on this job Carbide 600 Pro — Gravity-Fed Bag System $652.00

What you need

Frame on stands or hung from a hoist
A pressure washer from 1,800 PSI up
A tarp under the work
Eyes, face and hands covered

Finish, in order

FlushSand out of the rails
TreatInhibitor, then AP1
DryInside the channels too
PaintChassis black, same day

Gear for a job like this

The media and finish products for this kind of job.

Sand Black Diamonds 40 LBS

$130.00
SandblastkitPro™ Chassis Cleaner Flusher Kit

$51.00
Rust Inhibitor – 1 Gallon

$102.00

Questions

Do I need the body off?

No, but it’s faster. With the body on, blast from underneath and flush the sand out of the floor seams after.

Will it get inside boxed rails?

The ceramic nozzle reaches into openings and holes. Flush the inside afterwards so no sand stays in.

Wet media in a frame: won’t it rust?

Inhibitor in the last rinse, dry it, then AP1. It stays clean long enough to paint.

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