I need a definitive answer on my re-occuring question of. Should I bead blast or Akalne dip the shell of my numbers matching 70 Challenger R/T?
Can anybody help me with the pros and cons? I have finally reached the point that I'm ready to strip the shell and just needs to deciede on which route to go. If I bead blast can I still e-coat?

I don't see the point in e-coat if you haven't dipped the car. It's still going to have rust in areas that couldn't be reached. My GTX was dipped and e-coated and, although expensive, I felt it was worth it because there were areas that needed attention that wouldn't have been found with media blast. Also, the e-coat can get in nooks & crannies and give a coating to clean metal once dipped and properly neutralized.

I had two cars alkaline dipped, and I'm very happy with the results. My 70 Challenger RT SE was done 10 years ago, and there are no issues whatsoever. The dipping is very expensive, but well worth it if you plan to keep the car for a long time. After the dipping you should either get it E-coated or zinc phosphated. One of these is a must, I had mine phosphated, as this is what the local Redi-Strip has available. After that expoy primer inside and out, cover every area. Then while still on the rotessire, pour epoxy primer into every seam, frame rail, boxed in section, etc. until it is seeping out on the other side. If you follow this you will have a nice clean body that won't rust for a long long time.

Hey Barnabas,

Where in BC can I drag my old Duster hulk for a dip and a phosphate or E-coat? What's the cost for a unibody?

Scott,
There is only one outfit, Redi-Strip in Delta, BC, near Vancouver. They are expensive, but do a nice job. Cost is about $1800 to dip, and another $1600 or so to zinc phosphate. This is in Canadian dollars. They do get some US customers. Turnaround time is pretty good, usually ~2 weeks or so.

That's really not that bad, it costs 1/3 of that for a good media blast and that doesn't include E-coat. Nothing like starting off a restoration with a CLEAN a rust free shell!

Was that just for the uni-body or did it include doors, fenders, hood, deck lid, etc.

Nothing like starting off a restoration with a CLEAN a rust free shell!

That's for sure.

Had mine stripped by carolina chemstrip about 5 years ago. It absolutely looked like new sheet metal afterwards. Cost $1400 for the shell, $100 each for the doors, fenders, and decklid. I stripped the hood by hand. Even the lead was removed from the roof, and cowl seams. They didn't e coat but they put some kind've rust treatment on the shell. Still in primer but no issues so far. I was worried about the inside of the frame rails, rockers, etc. I loaded up a undercoat gun with epoxy primer and shot the hidden areas with that. An undercoat gun will move a LOT of epoxy primer!

Does any body know of a place that will dip in the Northwest Ohio area? I have one place American Metal Cleaning but the cost to dip is $2400. I would be will to tow the car to Indiana. Southern Ohio or Michigan or any destination in a days drive to save some bucks.Canada is just 60 minutes North. I'm talking the Windsor area I would prefer a place that could dip and e-coat/

Do you e-coat and than do the body work or the other way around?

Redi-Strip in Indianapolis can dip the whole shell if needed. The owner is a Mopar guy too.

My Challenger is at Best of Show Automotive in Painesville Ohio. My car was sand and bead blasted but last I heard, they are in the process of partnering with a company to have their cars dipped and E-coated. Where that company is located I don't know. Painesville is very close to Cleveland.

I was told by the shop manager that a vehicle would be dipped and then returned to their shop for metalwork. Once the panel replacement was done, the car would be dipped once again for a short time to get rid of the flash rust. Finally the car would be E-coated before any bodywork.

I know with our car, after all of the rust was removed from the chem strip, it was dipped in a phosphate solution to inhibit rust. Metal work was performed and then it was e-coated. Most chem strip facilities are not necessarily affiliated with an e-coat facility. I know our car got dipped in the Chicago area and was e-coated in somewhere in Iowa.

My shop has a Strip and Ecoat service available! we are in New Castle, In.
email us here: infoatdornautocraft.com
change at to @
I have to go to funeral home now so I will check back tomorrow! prefer emails.