Chassis cleaning

[KIM-P]

Got my buggy apart and need some ideas or sugestions on how to clean the chassis. My HOA is very picky so I have to be earth freindlier and they dont like us to work on our stuff out doors.I'm thinking media blasting might be the way to go for me. I do have a pressure washer. I also thought about paint striper and degreaser at a car wash.
How did yall do it?

[ckolek]

sand blasted one of my pans, and used a angle grinder and wire wheel for the other both worked well, although sand blasting was much more easy and faster.

[Bill K]

Easy Off oven cleaner and a strong blast of water is a pretty good cleaner and paint remover. It works best on a warm day, and if combined with a pressure washer it should work great.

[MURZ]

Check the yellow pages for sand blasters. My friend Tom got his chassis blasted for about 75 bucks. Dropped it off around 8am and picked it up after lunch. Best 75 he ever spent!!!! Made a believer out of me. Tom's labor???? putting the chassis on the trailer.

[KIM-P]

I'm warming up to the blasting idea. I'm cheap, but as time goes by I'm geting lazier or smarter, not sure which. And this way I want have clean up the mess afterwards.

[Don]

Call around a lot if you go the sandblasting route. Their price is very dependant on how much work they have at the moment. There was a guy advertising on Craigslist a while back and a friend of mine got some farm equipment blasted for $50. When I was looking around I was getting quotes around $200.

[BrianB]

If you can get me the bare chassis with no beam,trans or anything on it I can get it done cheap. Let me know.

[KIM-P]

OK, so I got my chassis back from the blaster to day and the pan halfes are in need of repair. What gauge sheet metal should I use for the repair? And what size tubing and how do I bend it for the outer rails.

I am seriously thinking of calling this buggy "domino" (as in domino effect) cause everything I do leads to another repair. It all started because the fuel tank was rusted on the inside,and the body had huge holes in the rear for tail lights that didnt work.

[Ken]

Y'all got me all curious now, so what did it cost you for the blasting?

[KIM-P]

Just $75. I had quotes as high as $300. Admittedly sand blasting is harsh, but my pan was showing its age. And the person who welded the chassis originaly did not have a mig welder. Looks more like a combonation of AC cracker box and oxy/acet with a coat hanger. Anyway I found all the thin spots I had suspected would be there and a couple more.

[MURZ]

Kim I used 1x2 box tubing for the outer rails. For the "bend" I did a pie cut and welded it together. For metal thickness 14-16 gauge will do, add straps for seat mounting. Add a 1/8 x1 flat bar to the bottom edge of the outer rail to facilitate a shelf for the floor.

[KIM-P]

Wow, that looks good. How did you attatch the piping / edging to the carpet? The wife likes the carpet so that will be going in too.
Unfortionatly I had already cut the new pan half up to fit when I saw your pan, maybe next time.
Anyway thanks for all the info. My goal is to have it back on the road this summer.