Car Hermes-Belt

Classic car restoration projects – especially Corvette restorations – require the owner and shop to make the critical decision between blasting the car and using a chemical dip service. Comprehensive classic car restoration services will make this determination based on the particular car and the type of body materials it is comprised of. In order to understand which process will work for your restoration project, it’s important to comprehend the basic differences between blasting and a chemical or acid dip.

Classic Car Restoration Services: Blasting
When it comes to classic car restorations, blasting refers to the process of stripping paint, enamel, finish and other coatings from the body, frame and other areas of the vehicle. This is accomplished by literally blasting particulates at the car at high velocity and intensity. These particulates are referred to as the blasting media, and can consist of different grades of sand, glass beads, crush walnut shells and other media. This process strips the paint and other surface materials off the body and leaves a workable surface that is generally ready to prime.

However, there are a number of things to consider when working on your Corvette restoration, antique Chevy pickup or other project. The most significant problem is that despite the best blasting efforts, it’s impossible to get the media into every space on your body and frame. Weld points, joints and inside the rails of the frame are all areas that cannot be reached with sodablasting, sandblasting or other blasting techniques. In some cases this issue can be corrected by filling these spaces with a waxy filler substance, but even this material will not be able to penetrate all areas where rust may be developing.

Working with a professional classic car restoration services firm is critical for a number of other reasons related to blasting. This includes the fact that blasting leaves a significant amount of particulate materials that are difficult to clean and may cause problems during the final paint coat application process as the particles work their way out of the car and onto the surface. Additionally, inexperienced restorers can actually warp the body elements of your classic car if they are not properly trained or provided with adequate equipment.

If done correctly, one of the most significant benefits of blasting your classic car is that the surface will be instantly ready for primer. Additionally, blasting does not strip the vehicle of sealants and primer in areas that you want left un-blasted.

Overall, blasting is cheaper than a chemical dip, and there are more classic car restoration services offering this particular method than there are those offering a full acid bath. Nevertheless, there are distinct benefits to a chemical dip as well.

Classic Car Restoration Services: Chemical Dip

One of the most significant problems reported with chemical dips is that the neutralization process isn’t always completed properly. In many cases the job simply can’t be completed properly (for the long term) because the acid neutralizer – applied to the car after the dip to stop the acid from doing residual damage – isn’t able to get into all of the same areas that the chemical dip reached. This means that over time, some of the acid may leech out and corrode paint or otherwise damage the surface of your classic car.

The trade-off here is that a chemical dip can force its way into every nook and crevice of your car- even attacking the rust on the inside of the frame rails. A chemical dip also means that there is very little preparation work needed – all undercoating, sealers, oil, resin, tar, dirt and anything else will be stripped away without any manual intervention before or during the dipping process.

Some classic car restoration services have reported that after an acid dip, the resulting surface of the car is so smooth that it’s difficult or impossible to get it to take a coat of paint. Couple this with the fact that an acid bath is often more expensive and less easy to obtain than blasting, and it’s easy to see why so many people complete their classic car restoration projects with blasting services.

However, a true professional classic car restorations shop will carefully analyze your vehicle to determine which the right choice is for you. Because there are so many variables involved and because even the slightest mistake can prove disastrous, it’s best to leave your serious, committed project to an expert classic car restoration services firm.

Solid and vented rotors made with gray cast iron are the most common types of rotors. Drilled and slotted rotors are a variation of the same design. A solid brake rotor is just that – solid. There is no space between the two friction surfaces. A vented brake rotor more commonly has a space between the two friction surfaces of the rotor. This helps with cooling and is more common on the front of the vehicle because front brakes do 70-80% of the braking and endure the most heat.

Unlike slotted or drilled faced rotors, general stock replacement rotors are normally solid faced rotors that are either solid or vented. When replacing a rotor, there should be little confusion as to whether you need a vented rotor or not. If your car came with a vented brake rotor, then the replacement part will be a vented brake rotor. If the car came with a solid brake rotor, the replacement part is a solid brake rotor. No solid rotor replacements are available for a vehicle that came originally equipped with a vented rotor.

Slotted and drilled rotors are a performance modification that do not increase braking power, but might aid in the cooling of the rotors in high heat situations. There are both advantages and disadvantages to having slotted or drilled rotors. One rule of thumb is that if you are just daily driving, there is no reason to get slotted or drilled rotors other than to improve the way your rotors and wheels look. (Drilled and slotted rotors can have an aesthetic appeal to them because they may have a rust prevention measure applied to them and can be indicative of a performance braking system.) One disadvantage of drilled rotors is that they will provide more friction against your pads and reduce the life of them. Another disadvantage is the potential for a drilled brake rotor to crack when subjected to thermal stress. A drilled hole can upset the grain structure of the metal; the result is an uneven temper in the metal. As the brake rotor cools, the uneven temper can cause cracks. The most common crack seen is located from the outer most drilled hole to the edge of the brake rotor. Since the edge of the brake rotor is the first to cool, this is where the most uneven area of cooling occurs. For this reason, drilled rotors are not well suited to racing conditions in which high brake component temperatures are always occurring. Cracks cause vibrations and the larger the crack the more dangerous. The advantages are that the scrub friction of the holes and slots, while increasing the wear on your pad, reduce the chance of the pads becoming glazed.

Slotted and drilled rotors have a series of slotted channels, drilled holes, or both. These rotors primary purpose is to reduce the effects of brake fade. When the temperature is too hot for the pad and rotor to work properly together, brake fade occurs, which refers to the reduced feeling of brake power. The high temperature causes the brake pads and rotors to release a gas, thus reducing the friction that they would provide at lower temperatures. The slots and drilled holes are a means to dissipate this gas and reduce brake fade. The drilled rotors may even help cool the braking system; however, the drilled holes may encourage the temperature related fractures previously mentioned. Of course, when you are experiencing brake fade, you are punishing your rotors to the point that you could warp or crack them regardless of whether or not they are slotted or drilled.