Possibly the first 58 Impala body & panels to be fully striped to bare metal & Ecoated

[ragtp66]

Progress has been slow coming but moving along. The 58 went back to be re-dipped to bare metal and then sent out for E-coating. I don't know of anybody else that has gone this route but I will say it is pretty cool seeing what is now essential a brand new 58 Body. The body itself, both doors, deck lid, hood, fenders both inner and outer, core support, fan shroud, heater box. I will get some more pictures of the underside when its back on the rotisserie.

 

[tripower]

Looks fantastic...

 

[Jim Sullivan]

That looks great!

 

[IMBVSUR?]

First and foremost, FANSTANTIC! Love everything about what you are doing with your ride. I do have a question though? I was going to dip one of my cars. The thing I wasn't sure of, or did not get enough information was, what are you, or they using to neutralize the acid dip?

 

[Dicey58]

Looks fantastic! Gets me even more motivated with my project!

 

[ragtp66]

First and foremost, FANSTANTIC! Love everything about what you are doing with your ride. I do have a question though? I was going to dip one of my cars. The thing I wasn't sure of, or did not get enough information was, what are you, or they using to neutralize the acid dip?

The first tank it goes into for cleaning is a caustic (the opposite of being acidic) thats what removes all the old primer, seam sealer, paint etc. Step 2 it gets removed and power washed with plain old water first then Step 3 it goes into the next tank which is an acid not sure of the exact TYPE of acid but that is where any remaining caustic left from step one becomes neutralized as well as this is where the rust removal takes place. Contrary to popular mis-information the acid does not "eat" good metal it simply removes the rust ---ALL of it any scale,surface rust, deep rust whatever is rust will be gone whatever metal is left intact. Next step comes out and again gets power washed with water and a LOT of time is spent rinsing typically he said 90 minutes to two hours depending on the body. Last step goes for another bath in a water soluble phosphate bath to protect from flash rusting. Then it gets mounted in a jig sideways and the EDP process goes through 13 more steps. Today I tried to wire wheel the edp coating off of the trunk latch that we used for mock up, I forgot to take it off before it went. I will tell you that EDP coating is TOUGH I had to really work those pieces on the wire wheel on a bench grinder to get it off. The hard part is finding a place with tanks big enough to get the whole body in. I had contacted a few places and most the tank was only 10ft long and 4 feet deep and 3 foot wide and If I remember right the Impala was 13ft from front body mount to edge of tailpan.

 

[ragtp66]

Looks fantastic! Gets me even more motivated with my project!

Dicey I ran across this ad from craigslist the other day he has several 58's he is parting out if you need anything.
http://appleton.craigslist.org/cto/5072487951.html

 

[IMBVSUR?]

Thanks for the info ragtp66. I too ran into finding a place with a large enough tank. I did find one within a hundred or so miles from me, however between misinformation, and eventually me getting rid of the project I never did it. The information is still great and so is your project. Thanks for keeping us up to date on your progress. Just speaking for myself, I am kinda living through other peoples projects because, although I want to begin another one, I really haven't even finished mine, nor do I think I have the time, room, or money to begin something else. However most of that except maybe that money would be spent better elsewhere is just an excuse for becoming lazier as I am getting older. And of course the big one. Ever since I got this 409, seems that anything else just wont do.

 

[nomad59NZ]

Very cool, great topic and interesting.

Gav