My name is Dan and I am in Troy, Alabama. My brother and I are attempting a complete restoration on a 1965 hardtop. I have researched the serial number and while the original color was Wimbledon White, there is also evidence of Red, Blue and Green paint jobs including other layers of primer and who knows what.
We are wanting to do a full restoration and have begun taking absolutely everything off the body, although we do not have an unlimited checking account much like the wonderful show Overhaulin'.

This is my question and I would appreciate any and all advice.

I wish we could afford to media blast, but if it is $1,000 or more, we can not.
I spoke with a gentleman with a company today near Troy that said he does sandblast cars for restoration, and he has done many in 15 years, and he said he uses 2/3 recycled sand and 1/3 virgin sand and because of his experience he has no problems with metal warping or metal pitting. I asked him about those two concerns because I have read warping and pitting are downsides of sandblasting.
His price was $800, which we are still hoping to get it done much cheaper, as in us doing the labor, even if it is sandblasting, which we have no experience in.

I have also seen and read about soda blasting and sand blasting kits you can purchase from Eastwood and other companies.

What are our options? I know what we want, and that is bare metal from top to bottom, front to back.
Then we will have the rust damage repaired and the body primed.

Am I close as to the order of progress?

Please give me any and all advice as we are going through with this but we would like to be as resourceful as possible yet still have a beautiful car when it is through.

Thanks,

Dan of Troy
(No relation to Helen)

 

I would not sandblast the body. I have seen too much damage, even from professionals, to risk it. I have seen cars destroyed beyond salvage by sand. Even if perfectly done, it will leave a rough abraded finish, which you will have to sand for hours to smooth out. Use plastic media blast, if you can afford it, or just sand the car with a DA.

This car was done with plastic. Both new and original parts have the sheen of new stamped steel.

 

Yep, sand blasting can be done with no damage, but it takes someone willing and caring enough to do so. Should this guy start to feel he bid too cheap, he'll rush it and you'll get a bunch of warped metal out of the deal. Mustangs use thin sheet metal to start with and the peening of sand can trash it. No soda blasting, either. Pop over to hotrodders.com or southernpolyurethanes.com for tons of info on why to not do either method and read up on epoxy primers while there as it can't be beat. Sand is doable in small areas - did it myself. But larger flat panels is a big no-no. Plus, you'll find sand WELL after you thought it was all gone. Mine showed up in paint, after paint, during interior, after hitting the road... it never stops and that's after MANY washings. As much as I hate the stuff, mine was similar to yours and I tried it all with a slight better/less work using paint remover. A truckload of the stuff followed by a wire wheel on a 4.5 inch grinder and 80 grit DA.