Stripping, part deux

I am almost inclined to put up a picture of some temptress on brass pole for one of these posts on stripping.

Day two - and I will state now that I will only do a few hours a day of this.  My son deserves my time, and I try to give it freely.  This morning I met with my friend the MB mechanic to do some maintenance on the S420.  Transmission flush, filter and gasket, a couple transmission shift linkage bushings, new belt, and figured out that my vibration at speeds above 70 are due to flat (dead) motor mounts.  They are hydraulic and no longer performing as needed.

So there went a couple hours.  Couple hours to play with the boy and I was given the ok to tinker in the garage.

Started working on the van about 2.

Took apart the removable pieces - the grilles, directionals, wipers, headlights, bumper ends, etc.  Did not bother (yet) with the bumper itself as it gave me something to tuck the tarp into and catch the debris from the stripping process.

I stuck bags on the air intakes to keep crap and debris out.

All the parts in one place, labelled and appropriately packaged.  I had a bunch of small (2in x 3in) ziploc bags that were perfect for holding screws.  This will make it easy to go shopping for replacement stainless hardware.

This crate is the takeoffs from the front end.  I have others with parts all over the garage. 

Well labelled parts make for a happy Chef, and an organized and easier re-assembly.  Its a sickness.

Lay the tarp, tape off what I do not want endangered and get going.

First coat of the chemical stripper was applied.  Looks as if the front end was stripped before.  From what I removed, I could only see one coat of primer and paint, not two like on the rest of the van.  Got my curiosity going.

With two coats of stripper, the picture on the right shows what I am left with.  Its completely by chemicals, no mechanical apparatus as of yet.

I am doing sections so as to not overwhelm the garage with fumes, especially since I also have a propane burner providing heat.  I could work in the colder air, but the chemical stripper needs warmth to work.

You can see the VW applied base coat, and where the base coat was removed during the prior work.  From what I am seeing doing the right front, I was guessing that the front was chipped from normal road activities.  They simply sanded it down to make it smooth for the new paint coat.  Makes sense.

So while the chemical was doing its thing, and I am standing there looking at it, I don't know why I would not add to the fumes and light up a cigar.  Today's flavor was a La Gloria Cubana Serie R.  Good smoke, full flavor and one of my go to smokes in the humidor.

OK, now the cigar plug is over, back to work.

After the second application of stripper, I allow to dry.  Wipe down with paper towels and a generic version of prep sol.

Once clean and dried, I took a scuff pad to clean anything else up on the surfaces. I did need to take my cordless drill and a rol loc disk to clean out the crevices near the directional mounting space.

Now that I have the passenger side done, I moved to the drivers side.  After two coats, I find out the true reason the front end was stripped in prior paint job.

Yep, there is putty under that primer.  Not much, but it will have to be removed and redone.  Not that the job was not done correctly before, but now that I have had chemical stripper near the putty, it will all have to come out.

Good thing is that form looking at that corner from inside the grille opening, it does not appear to have been a major accident.  More like a deer strike, or branch impact.

There is also a couple odd dings equally spaced, and centered on the upper part of the front end.  Maybe from a bike rack, or something strapped to the front.  Minor stuff.

Overall - nothing that I did not expect, and actually less than expected thus far.

I finished the smoke and went to play with my son in the snow.

Will have some sand blasting to do, spot blasting and attending to hidden areas with rust.

 



Still need to touch up around wiper shafts, and as soon as I can figure out how to remove the windshield washer
fluid squirters without breaking them.

 Have always thought the vanagon should have an automatic antenna.  May have to figure this one out.

Strippers, stripping and voyeurs

Much more dramatic title than the content.

Started the long awaited process of stripping the paint off the Thingamajigger today.  First, I dropped off the front doors and the rear hatch for some stripping love.

Then I got to work on the rest of the van.

I started in the front passenger corner because (currently) that is the most accessible.  Once the 2 door refrigeration unit is gone, then I can have better access.

After removing the gas surround (three screws and a counterclockwise rotation) and the aluminum support bracket for the Trans Awn 2000, I was ready to prep the work area.

I use cheap plastic tarps that I cut up to cover the wheel and the wheel house.  I also covered the gas cap in case goo got between the open hole.

I am using a high strength gel stripper agent.  Applying with cheap 2 inch brushes from Lowes.  I also am using duct tape and roll paper to keep any drippings away from areas I do not want goop upon.  Inexpensive plastic putty knives assist in 'scraping' although there is not much left after the stripper does its thing.

One note:  the VW factory put a base coat of something (probably epoxy like) as a protective layer under the paint.  It is important, if we are going this far, to remove that layer as well.  This proves to be the hardest thing to remove.  From the picture below, we can see why removal of this is important.



This little oxidation was found under the factory basecoat, and its not the only one.  Stripping to metal will ensure my paint
job will last another 15 plus years.

 After stripping the various layers off, I will media blast the oxidation spots, repair any dents and then immediately spray on an industrial epoxy primer that is high build in nature.  I wish I could tell you the name right now, but I was given a quart of the stuff for this weekends work from the auto body without a name attached.

More stripping tomorrow, then I can get into the panel replacements and alot more sandblasting.

The primer will sit until the remainder of the van has been done, then the finish work