[T2] Undercoating removal tip

[Joe Average]

On 03/27/2014 08:48 PM, John Dillon wrote:
> Not sure if I posted this before but I used a heat gun and paint scrapper to get off the bulk then a pump spray bottle full of gasoline - did about 1 sq ft at a time and kept a hose running to wash the gas away.  Worked really well then POR 15'd underneath - back in like 96 - still looks great under there
Yep, you mentioned it. My bus is unable to move b/c it is sitting up on 
jackstands in the garage. If it was sitting outside or if I had it 
sitting on a rolling frame and a flat driveway - I'd make use of the 
gasoline.

Because I can't shove it out the door in an emergency (fire) so I won't 
use that this time. Next time.

In the past (20+ years ago) I've used gasoline to clean parts. I've also 
had it "explode" on me as well. Don't mind saying I'm scared of it and 
use diesel for the first cleaning of parts these days.

Years ago had a drunk roommate throw his lit cigarette into the gasoline 
I had my hands in. He casually mentioned after I had a conniption that 
it wouldn't explode with a cigarette - of course I wasn't willing to 
test that with my hands in it... ;) Then there was the time I tossed a 
pint of used cleaning gasoline on our burn barrel after it sat for days 
- and it went WOOSH! Huh? Something small was burning inside. No heat, 
no smoke. Gasoline vapor in my clothes and my washed hands (after 
cleaning parts) immediately lit. I blistered my hands and got the 
clothes off. And the fire would not immediately go out. Water did not 
put it out, had to wrap my shirt around my hands to smother the fire 
out. No ER trip but a sobering moment.

Then there was the time a buddy and I were trying to start a BMW 320 
(carb) and he gave it last a glug of gasoline about the moment the 
engine backfired through the carb and lit the jug of gasoline which he 
dropped which then splashed. It lit his clothes on fire and b/c his 
shorts were some sort of nylon/polyester - they burned and may have 
stuck to him a little on one leg. Also blistered his hands and arm and 
singed his hair. That was an ER trip and he was fixed up in an hour or 
so. Car was fine.

Lastly was the story of a guy that was using an incandescent bulb to 
light the area where he was cleaning part with gasoline. Something fell 
and broke the bulb causing a big fire.

Hope you are smarter than I was back then. I was 20-something and this 
period more or less marked that sense of youthful immortality. I am not  
a quick learner... ;)

'78 Westy update: still cleaning parts and painting them. All the front 
end parts are done, am working on the rear suspension pieces. Ruined one 
bearing hub but I'm smarter now... "Wasted" alot of time this weekend 
looking at Baywindow chat/pictures/discussion online. (made me very 
happy though).

Chris in TN