Engine Compartment Refresh

[72vwtype2]

While my engine is out for a rebuild I am considering taking a sandblaster and cleaning up my bay window engine compartment. Besides some baked on oil stains there is some surface rust that I would like to remove. This endeavor would include replacing a rusted out battery tray. The long term-goal is to ultimately have the whole underside "cleaned up".

Has anyone undertaken such a project? Any do's or dont's?

Thanks.

[Geoff]

I did it on my 69 and it it was worth all the work. Sure makes working on it nice now, no grease and crap to get all over you. I was able to de grease the area and sand most of it with only a small amount of spot blasting.

[BUSDADDY]

Yep, some good degreaser and liberal applications of elbow grease go a long way, an assortment of scrub brushes help too See what it's like after it's all sparkly clean, it may not help the battery tray but any job you decide on after will be nicer if it's clean first.

[72vwtype2]

I gave the engine compartment a good "buffing" and it cleaned up alright. I will still need to give it a good blasting.

Any recommendations on a decent battery tray replacement panel? I don't think the funky green people have made one yet. I think they are ramping up there production of Bay Window panels, so I may wait.

Thanks.