before & after

blast and a coat of POR15 does wonders

bare metal

nothing like bare clean metal on which to work. I am using POR 15 to coat the sandblasted areas - this product is strong and dries to a gloss finish, it is self levelling which means it does not show the brush marks - there is no need to spray

lots of sand - no beach!

central victorian sand blasting did a great job today - front end, diff, front sub frame, underbody of shell and floor of the interior. 3 hours and $550 later we have a result

front end pre sandblast prep

hardened grease has to be steamcleaned off as sandblasting does not remove grease or oil
I will not re-build the front end as it is incredibly tight, will tape over the king pins, wishbone elbows and tie rod ends before sandblasting to prevent garnet entry

bathtime

first wash in 40 years!

training wheels

this is my simple solution for moving the shell around the shed, and for getting her onto the trailer to the sandblasters.
the ute is perfectly balanced, the system is not welded or bolted to the shell and so has not compromised the ute at all. note the rear stay arms - a feat of engineering!