I just purchased a 64 GMC pickup. Its my first restoration project, was wondering if sandblasting was the best way to go or is there another way. Also have any good ideas on how to go about putting in powersteeting.

thank you...

Sandblasting is not the way to go. It works fine to remove exterior rust on THICK metal but it removes a lot of the metal. Bead blasting is a better way and I hear soda blasting is even easier on the surfaces.

Are you talking about rust removal on body panels or on the frame?

Power steering can be transferred from a similiar year/style vehicle with usually just "grunt" work. You need; steering gearbox, hoses (these can be made by any hydraulic line shop), pittman arm, pump and mounting brackets, possibly the crankshaft pulley and probably the power steering vehicle's steering column. You might need to re-work the brake lines for clearance around the hoses and gearbox.

Pay special attention to the frame where the steering gearbox mounts. You might want to weld a reinforcing plate because the power steering will create more torque to it's mounting area.

What is the abrassiveness of soda compared to beads or nut shells or some other maerial? I've heard of using pecan shells to clean bronze sculptures and other types of art.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I've never used the soda method. I know it's recommended for exterior panels due to it's low (not as aggressive) metal removal properties. I like the beads 'cause it's easy to rig up a tarp around and underneath whatever body panel I'm cleaning. Just empty the collected beads from the tarp into a large bucket of water, strain and dry the floating beads and they're ready for re-use. Sand is much more aggressive but oh, what a pain to clean up.

I dunno about pecan shells but I use walnut shells in my vibratory tumbler to clean up rusted, corroded small parts and chrome pieces. The tumbler is my number two tool, right behind my number one tool - tap and die set, used on all my restoration projects.

I worked in an iron foundry for a while. We had a machine that we put small castings into to clean them up. It seems to me that we put little metal balls like bird shot into it. It did an impressive job.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

If you are talking body panels sandblasting can distort the metal. It generates contact heat. Or seems to stetch the metal. Soda blasting or chemical dipping does not.
If you think this is not so take a piece of sheet tin and sandblast it at normal presures. If it was flat when you started it will not be when finished. . Possibly a good ideal to make moderate convex curves in sheet metal.
Your body panels are a reasonable thick gauge of metal on that vehicle so being very careful you might pull sandblasting off. Keep your pressure very low. Another trick was to add water to the sand stream after it leaves the tip. You then have to deal with almost instantainious surface rust forming.