Acid Dipping/e-coat Locations on the West Coast

[pilot21]

Any one know of a reputable acid dip and e-coat shop around the bay area or on the west coast?

 

[Rustytruck]

Nor Cal Stripping 707-838-9470
This I found on the net. I dont know anything about them.
I dont recomend dipping the Bronco tub due to the welded lap seams. Acid gets in there from the dipping but how does it come out? It doesn't it just dries up in there and re-activates everytime moisture shows up.

 

[Mtbrjon]

I was considering a dip and coat. Didn't think about residual acid. How about soda blast?

 

[HGM]

Nor Cal Stripping 707-838-9470
This I found on the net. I dont know anything about them.
I dont recomend dipping the Bronco tub due to the welded lap seams. Acid gets in there from the dipping but how does it come out? It doesn't it just dries up in there and re-activates everytime moisture shows up.

I keep hearing this. But... From the research I've done on it, this would be false if you were to do the full package dip, rinse, e-coat process.. I'd recomend doing some research on it. I'm pretty well sold on it. If there's rust in a seam and you sandblast and paint around it, you can guarantee it will rust and buble the paint.. Will a dipped, e-coated seam??? Dunno, sure sounds like a more complete repair.. Preferences, I suppose..

 

[pilot21]

I've read some horror stories about NORCAL but maybe they have improved on their process. I know there is a shop in Eugene, OR that acid dips but they don't e-coat. I would think there would be a place in SOCAL that does both. Anyone know?

 

[Rustytruck]

The acid dip works well but unless you go through the dip and soaking neutrilization steps and then on to E-coat all in the same process you will end up with issues in the seams. The standard method of dip, high pressure rinse and heated dry leaves you vunerable in the seams should they see moisture again. Out here in California the dip tanks create a huge amount of Hazardious waste but nothing like the neutralization and rinsing tanks would. Then there is the water issues and aditional permits for painting and hazard diaposal. For a full process you may have to look to Arizona.

In my personal prep work In the seams after sand blasting them I mask off around the seam and take por and thin it way down and blow it in with an air brush fludding the seam and forcing it in as best as I can. On replacement pannels I epoxy prime them first and fit to the install then remove the pannel and put in my weld holes Then I put the pannel back in place and just before welding an spot sand blast each weld location.

As for soda blasting I dont think it will remove rust or former repair material.
If I had to pay for stripping I would sandblast with someone who knows what they are doing. I would sand blast everything except the outside door skins, the hood, and the top skin of the hard top. Those parts are most vulnerable to warpage. Then can be easily handled buy properly masked off aircraft stripper.

 

[HGM]

The acid dip works well but unless you go through the dip and soaking neutrilization steps and then on to E-coat all in the same process you will end up with issues in the seams. The standard method of dip, high pressure rinse and heated dry leaves you vunerable in the seams should they see moisture again.

That sounds like what I've learned in my shopping for options.. Like you detailed, it sounds like acid can be bad if its not a completed job with neutralization and e-coat.. Great info, helps to confirm what I've heard elsewhere..

 

[Archbronco]

Personally, I would do the chemical dip get the body/frame back do you welding and panel replacement and than your e-coat. They will re-rinse your body/frame before the e-coat anyway. It's nice to know where ALL the rust is. I just had mine dipped an can not believe the area that have cancer that I would have never seen.

 

[Hozr]

Good luck finding a shop in CALI, the epA makes it next to impossible to run plating/stripping businesse here. There is a place in So. Washington Ive Heard good things about as well.

I sand blasted mine in my yard. Yeah, it makes a hell of a mess but when the cheapest quote I could get for a bare tub on a stand was $1400 it made the decision for me. I borrowed a tank blaster and away we went. The paint stripping wheels work well on the delicate spots as well.

 

[fordguy]

i am on the other coast, but here are some facts on dipping. the company i use dips twice, nuetralizes, rinses, and at the end de-rust the vehicle using electricity with some process i have not discussed with them, but he told me that was the last thing they do. i have had mine dipped once and it is home getting metal replaced ( see this thread http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188757&highlight=it's+official+build+thread ). Once I am through it will go back for re-dip and other processes. it will then go to a automotive contractor who does ecoat for a large auto manufacturer. ecoat is epoxy primer that the body will basically be vatted in. i am not worried about rust coming back in my lifetime. look at my frame it was dipped and ecoated, all in all with paint, the frame cost me about 700.00 for everything done to it.

 

['69 Bronco]

There is a place in So. Ca. that does the dip and coat. I contacted them about a year ago. I think they might be in Simi Valley.

I didn't end up using them but wanted to weigh all my options. I decided to keep it old school and use a blasting place in El Monte that's been doing my stuff since I was a kid.