L8 APEKS

Hey guys!

Ok, well, since Athena II doesn't run (needs a few parts and fluids before starting her up)...I decided to start on the stuff that doesn't cost any money.

She will be a weekend/track car, and so I will be gutting her to within about 80% of a full race car. I am toying with the notion of keeping the dash and heater assembly intact, in case I want to drive it on the street and need a defroster in the colder months for safety's sake. I am also thinking about making a quick-release bracket for a head unit, and use a pair of 6x9's in boxes that I can "clip" in and out of the car (probably in the rear seat locations).

Other than that...bare metal and a nice black finish (as for weight dist - removing the A/C and fan assy off the front end should just about cancel out the items removed from the "rear" of the car, but said items are still mostly in front of the rear axle).

So...my REAL reason for posting is THIS...





At this stage in the game, what is the easiest or most efficient way (staep by step list, if you could!) to get me down to the bare metal and ready to spray it with paint?

I've thought about Clean and Strip discs on an air grinder, or maybe 3" 36 grit Roloc abrasives. Not sure what the best/fastest way to get ALL of the crap off is.

Any ideas are appreciated! Thanks!

bernard farquart

Wire wheel on a drill?

Plus a MASK!

Followed by shop vac?


That would be my approach.

L8 APEKS

Good call with the wire wheel. I think a trip to Harbor Freight is in my near future!

Benton

I wouldn't recommend a wire wheel unless it is last resort on something nasty. Do a search on this; several folks have stripped this junk out of the interior, and there is no easy way. I used a heat gun and scraper, a lot of acetone, and a knot wheel on some of the glue on the doors and such.

hagen454

I did the same to my car when I got it. The best thing that I have found short of using paint stripper is a product call Goo Gone. It will make short work of most adhesives grease and goo. It can be found at Wal Mart from Gallon to 4 oz. size (recomend the gallon). Just brush it on (it may eat some brushes) and scrape it off, then use it on a rag for clean up.
Matt

Rob Roy

For the tar mats - heat gun and scraper.

I used acetone for the gooey stuff

Jim bailey - 928 International

Wear eye protection the wire bristles tend to fly off with a big buffer like I use !!

dr bob

A local with a "dual purpose" car saved a ton of effort by just gluing cheap black car carpet (think 'Pep Boys') over the now-exposed metal panels. Appearance is fine, unless you really like the prestige look of race-car bare painted metal interior. Plus the noise level is so much better when you drive it without helmet and earplugs. Your helmet and gear bag won't slide around, and you'll never have to do any touch-up after you drop a toll. You can glue the cheap carpet directly over the old glue.

auzivision

When I did this, I first tried acetone, but then found out that Goo Gone worked much better.

That stuff is amazing.