Dealing with tarred sheet metal '39 cpe

Newc

Newc

Well-known member
Hi all; I am cleaning a '39 cpe shell for restoration and this is a real 'tar baby' between factory undercoating everywhere and secondary actual 'Tar' application in the trunk, I wonder if I'll ever get the metal ready to even blast. Its good solid Idaho metal, but a blaster can't do much with 'Tar'. Dipping is a cost and transport problem. any Ideas? Photos here... Newc in Oregon
 

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I have never used it , but some guys like to spray WD 40 on , let it soak a day to soften, then it peels right off w/a putty knife . Give it a try ! - F F
 
I'm thinking an electric paint scraper. These monsters have a heater bar that softens as you scrape. Lots of elbow grease, and good ventilation required.
 
I used a Harbor Freight Multi Tool (#63113 variable speed or 62279 single speed) with a wood blade that I sharpened like a knife edge. It peeled that stuff off like crazy.No fumes or dust but a little noisy. With a coupon,it'll cost under $25.
 
Just a thought but a block of dry ice and that power scraper? the cold would make the tar brittle and pop off with the scraper. Haven't tried myself but it might work.
 
Just try a sharp scraper or chisel and you may find it lifts right off. Once you heat it up it becomes very sticky and hard to remove.

This is my 47. I did it cold and it took about 6 hours to do the whole car.
 

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I removed a lot from my ‘51 using a scraper, air chisel and a needle scaler. It comes off much better cold. If you heat it up, you’re making more work for yourself and then you have fumes and fire danger.......Mark
 
I have used WD-40 also. Works great, spray it on, let it sit & scrape it off. also good for old Ford heavy grease. Loosens it up.
 
Thanks a bunch all; Three days of work and I am making progress... most chips off... the blaster fellow is going to look at the project Tue, so I'll have an update. The Tar applier fellow must have been paided by the pound. Newc
 
My 36 coupe had what looked like roofing tar applied in the inside of the car then applied 14g sheet steel over it all with rivots, must have taken a while to do.



Took out about 100lbs of sheet steel (what's that in stones? :)) Then used a blow torch and a scraper. Days of fun.

I guess the only saving grace to it all was that the tar did a nice job preserving the original floors. Strange way to do floors.
 
Heat makes tar runny. I prefer cold. Dry ice probably better. For future reference people i know use dry ice to remove underseal.
 
I removed tar in below freezing weather one time and the the stuff shattered and fell off in big chunks.
 
my 32 was covered in tar, factory and roofing type. UGGG. I used the harbor freight oscillating multitool. the scraper blade takes off the heavy stuff pretty good.



63113_I.png
 
Ahhh! I like the tool and have one in my carpentry area! Blaster uses wet soda so we'll see bid $600 for the whole car and parts... in my gravel yard. Now I've found huge tar globs on all the seams... under dash area ect. Only two screws rusted in place. One is the Windshield hinge bracket up against the the car top.. bad cage nut now. Thanks all. Newc
 
Try Diesel fuel - spray it on and let it soak - scrap it off - worked on a 57 ford undercoating - it helped that it was on a rotisserie.
 
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