Quote:

I'd like to get my engine bay down to bare metal while things are apart and am trying to find the most effective way, on a budget, to do it. Sending the car out for work isn't a viable option right now.


Options I see are:

Chemical Stripping - Seems like a mess!!!
Angle grinder with a cup brush - It'll work, but slow process
Portable/Small Media blaster - I have a 60gal compressor, seems like an option?


Which have you done and what would you recommend?


Thanks-



I would never recommend any kind of abrasive media unless the car was a absolute bare shell. Because the media get's everywhere and nothing can be exposed to it while blasting. Plastic and tape is not enough.

Car inside or out?

Gasoline is cheap and cuts grease and grime fast and well.

Put it in a pump up garden sprayer and a parts cleaning brush from the auto parts store works really well and won't damage the metal. Gets in all the nooks and crannys better than any thing else by hand.
Then if your got room to media blast, then I'd say pressure washer after that. Pressure washer is your friend and is perfectly suited for this kind of job.

Otherwise a wire brush on drill, but is so medieval to me. Like said, A putty knife and a torch would be my last choice and will scrap up the panels.