Acid Dipping
Short answer: Acid dipping works but carries a real risk: if the cleanup isn’t thorough, trapped acid in hidden nooks and boxed sections can bleed back out later and cause blistering or rust — and those hidden areas end up with no paint or protection. It’s a particular worry on thin sheet metal like hoods and body shells.
Two approaches members use:
- Skip dipping: scrape off grease, dirt, and flaking paint, use a degreaser, then a heavy wire wheel on an angle grinder for stubborn paint and surface rust (subframe off the car). A bonus is being able to grind or chisel off factory welding slag and blemishes.
- Dip safely: one member had his subframe acid-dipped with no leaching by washing it with soap and water, a long rinse, blow-drying with compressed air, then wiping the whole frame with lacquer thinner and air-drying before priming. He also applied POR-15 to all accessible areas, including inside the boxed frame sections.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
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