If you get your car Media Blasted, it's all about trade-offs. How much are you willing to spend, based on what's available in your community in terms of service providers. For this or that process or types of Blasting Media used, the trade-off game continues. Who has the best combination of whatever, good question? Another factor to consider is areas not seen vs. areas that are seen, some people could not care about areas not seen, others, like the crowd that adheres to priming the inside of their Frame Rails whereas they've lasted some 40+ yrs so far...is that really needed? Dipping from what I gather is a messy process, effective as it gets everywhere and cuts out the mess, rather, exposed the ills for you to negotiate. My blasting process has some benefits and drawbacks; the biggest PITA I deal with is getting all the Media out of the A Pillars, Roof channel webbing, and, the Rocker Panels, especially GM Gen1 Camaro that has dual core chambers inside. Where's Bumblebee when I need him to pick up that car, shake it out clean!!! ???
Warping Metal is not caused by a particular blasting Media, I hear 'Heat' all the time is the culprit. If you live or ever been to South Texas in the Summer, go outside at 4pm, put your hand on your Black car's hood, you will not keep it there long, but, does this hood warp? No. However, I understand the principle of warping in a one area from excessive heat being applied -- (comes from being a Welder). Hoods are #1 priority in care to prevent warping. How does a Hood warp from Media Blasting? Well, let me tell you from experience, first hand! It's like 100 small Ball Peen Hammers coming down at one in rapid succession on a 4 inch sq area under near 200cfm of air, albeit under 50psi. Position of the Hose/Nozzle is how you prevent warping them. BUT...For some super Flat no contour relief areas like a 68-69 GTX, Dart GTS where you got a BIG FLAT piece of real estate, you better be darn careful, have good light on subject, and run soft Plastic over it, with a dash of AO in the mix to give it a slight profile, and turn the air down a bit, it will take longer, but, great care has to be taken! Dipping this hood would likely be a better option, but, as I said earlier it's all about trade-offs and compromise. Even though there's no Dipper in S.Antonio, I do my work like there is, like the customer has other options, it's all about Six Sigma and ISO 9001 stuff...stuff I studied and got my degree in at UIW right here in S.Antonio after I retired from the Army.
So, it boils down to where you are, what's available, and how much do you want to spend, and, reading my posts here about Media Blasting because I'm giving it away for free, right here, and, I love all these cars, and, I treat them as if they're my own. Also, the other factor is cost, how much are you willing to spend? Often, those numbers do NOT jive with actual costs.
My 69 Camaro guy, (got to differentiate now as I have 2 same cars), rather my 69 CamaroDL guy wanted to try to Media Blast on his car. I said ok, no one has ever asked me to do this before, I had him waive my Liability on a release which he signed, and he was in there for about an hour blasting the support structure under the removed Qtrs and Roof skin. When I asked him if he wants to come back and try it in August he said "Absolutely not, you guys earn your money". Needless to say, he writes those checks super fast when I bill him!
Good luck!
