Read Carefully For The Origin Of The Phrase "Body Schutz".
DS: I've recently stripped an El Camino frame in preparation for installing it under one of my 2-door wagons. The original frame is rotted to pieces at the rear crossmember where the springs attach. I've gone to an Elky frame because it is boxed, therefore stronger for my big block and 700R4. How do you clean and paint the inside of the frame? I've turned it over and gently rapped on it with a brass hammer to knock the big stuff loose, but I want to preserve it as well.JS: Unfortunately, there is no easy way to do this. I think the best way to get the job done is to have the frame chemically stripped. You could make your own "chain flail" to go into the frame and virtually beat the rust out. This involved attaching a short length of hardware chain to the end of a steel rod This rod would then be chucked in your electric drill and then you would run it back and forth at the various open areas of the frame. I guess this method would be similar to the procedure for cleaning the inside of a chimney. It is certainly an awful lot of work and you still could not be sure that you did a satisfactory job.
BT: I used a body schutz gun with a flexible wand and a 4-hole tip that sprays the undercoating out at 90 degrees so you can get full coverage inside the frame. Most auto body and paint supply houses have them. The wand is about 3 feet long and is flexible plastic about 1/2" dia. You can insert it into various holes in the frame while spraying. Make sure it's entirely within the frame before spraying or your body will be covered in schutz.
Archivist: Tom Wilson
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