Removing spray tar based coating

[baddad 10]

I'm stripping down a 69 that the PO just coated everything with asphalt based coatings inside & out(floors, trunk, deck lid, etc). I have been using mineral spirits & scrub brush to this point, but I'm curious if anyone has any "tricks" that might work as good or better(w less fumes).

[Kris 90]

My uncle did this to my car before I bought it from him, but only in the fender wells. I used one of the vibrating multi tools with the scraper blade and it worked awsome. There was still some very minor residue but was easily removed with a wire wheel on a drill. Here is the one I used below. Its $20 before any discount coupons and i think the package of 3 different size scrapers was less than $10. Before this I just used a hand scraper and man did that suck. This thing knocked out what what would have taken me days by hand in about 10 min.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/oscillating-multifunction-power-tool-60428.html

[MustangGT 11]

I used a heat gun (cheap one from China Freight) and putty knife. Once the thick stuff was off I used thinner and a green scrub pad then doing a final once over with a thinner soaked shop towel. Worked like a champ.

 

Just work in small areas and don't try and eat the whole elephant in one bite and it will go fairly quick.

[Midlife 814]

Most asphalt and tar-based undercoatings dissolve fairly easily with gasoline or kerosene. Gas is more available (probably cheaper, too!). I removed all of the undercoating of the 1966 Fastback that way with rags and elbow grease. Just need to do this in a reasonably ventilated area.

 

The best feature of using gasoline is that it doesn't affect the underbody paint/finish and doesn't nick the sheet metal.

[Hoover 12]

Be careful with disposing of used rags. You don't want your car or garage to burn down.

[mustangstofear 608]

A small propane torch and a petty knife, is how we do it. Then it all gets media blasted.

[jmlay 80]

I soda blasted mine. ;-)

[BandBSTANGS 15]

A little messy ...easy off oven cleaner

[JayEstes 172]

Ya know, for the wide open spaces, you can hit it with the wire-brush, and the bulk of it is gone in an instant. After that, I use a scotch-brite pad dipped in laquer thinner (of course with big chem proof gloves). If you're sensitive to fumes, this might not be a good idea, but it cuts that stuff amazingly well.

 

Jay

[Kris 90]

I feel the safest and fastest and cheapest way to go is the multi tool with scraper blade. It doesn't give you any fumes or anything. Just make sure you wear safety glasses cause the stuff will go flying. I had some places on my car where it was 3/4 " thick and it took it off with no problem. Even the areas where it was thin, it zipped straight through. It basically leaves nothing behind, sometimes a minor bit of residue (very very minor) but I just went over it real fast with a wire wheel anyways to get it ready for primer and undercoating. Here is the link below to the scraper attachment set I got to use with it. Don't use the cutting blade with the teeth, only the two smooth bladed scrapers. The angled one works the best. Trust me once you try it this way you will never go back to using chemicals, hand scraping, or a heat gun again it works awesome. I personally have tried all of the other ways the other guys have suggested so far on my car and they are all very very slow and can be expensive. This is what I found works the best and the only way I would ever clean tar off again. If you use a 20%-25% off coupon which are available online it will be less than $30 total after tax and will give you a tool you can use for all kinds of stuff too.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-multi-tool-blade-set-68966.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/oscillating-multifunction-power-tool-60428.html