Winston and Steve roll the stripped car outside to begin the paint stripping/

Since the car has been repainted, the stripping went along at a good pace.  Winston's 325 CFM compressor is in the foreground.

Things were in a real fog with the baking soda flying everywhere. The soda does not even touch the original e-coat on the steel leaving the surface identical to the way Ford would have started after assembling the body panels.

Body filler and Fiberglas body work (except for original lead filler from factory) is cut through with the soda.  The bottom rear quarters were both loaded with repairs from 25 years ago.  Some evidence of other bangs and dents were also evident.   

Rear quarter on the drivers side was solid fibreglass and body filler from about 1980 when the car was repainted and body work carried out.

The exterior of the car is now stripped to bare metal.  Steve will now use his standard sandblasting equipment to strip the interior and bottom of the car.

The engine bay looks just like new except for areas where the rust cancer attacked the steel

To show the before and after of the engine compartment, here's a before photo

The evidence of poor drainage at base of shock towers is evident with the rusted through holes.  With no after market shock towers for 71-73 models, Steve will repair these damaged areas

Floor pans, while not perforated through are badly rusted in several areas and will be replaced. After market floor pans are readily available

Over the next few days the interior and bottom side of the car will be stripped using conventional sandblasting then Steve will paint the complete shell inside and out with etching epoxy primer that will etch into the bare steel to keep from rusting and allow for the application of body filler in areas requiring same.

January 1, 2007

On January 7, Steve got the car mounted on the rotisserie and proceeded to sand blast the areas of the car not sensitive to warping from the heat of sand blasting.

The inside area has been blasted which beside allowing for a good bonding of the epoxy primer it also gives us a good idea of areas where steel will need to be repaired or replaced.

And speaking of rust - the passenger cowl area is in extremely rough condition.  We will need to find a donor car for this area as well as the drivers door which despite of previously being re-skinned, had severe non-repairable damage on the door shell.

Here Steve is stripping the bottom of the floor which is in remarkable condition.  To maintain as much originality as possible, Steve will only replace actual perforated and corroded areas rather than replace full floor pan

We will now start looking for parts from a wrecking yard survivor or acquire a complete shell to use for steel sections that are not yet in after market production.  On a side note it was nice to find the original differential tag confirming the original 3.91 Traction Lock.

January 7, 2007

Found a 72 Grande at the right price as a donor car. On the surface it appears to have solid steel in areas that we require.  Active Franks dropped in off at the shop. 

The 71 project car is now primered to prevent any surface rust from getting a start before the body work starts.  Steve will now rob needed parts off the Grande for the project car.

January 13, 2007