Tar Mat removal - rivet/muffler gun

[TVollnogle]

I happened onto this technique while starting to remove the Tar Mat from the floors and tunnel of my '70 which I'm restoring. Don't know if it has been used before, but here it is:

I started out heating the mat (which I had seen suggested) but that just made a mess and poor results. I then used a gasket scraper and manually started chipping the mat out with acceptable results, although labor intense (as declared by Bambikiller240 a couple of years ago in a thread).

It occured to me that I had a couple of pneumatic rivet/muffler guns and a chisel point tool and wondered if that might work. I rounded the corners of the chisel slightly so as not to gouge the floor and tunnel metal. I held the gun at about a 30 degree angle and turned the air pressure low. It worked like a dream. Chipped the mat out with no effort and no damage to the metal. Doing both floor pans, the transmission tunnel and the luggage area probably took just over an hour. A little paint thinner on a rag and putty knife for minor clean-up and the metal was clean and bare.

Terry

'70 240Z

[Mr Camouflage]

Also, petrol, or turpentine on a pot scourer disolves the stuff for cleanup too.

[jmortensen]

I happened onto this technique while starting to remove the Tar Mat from the floors and tunnel of my '70 which I'm restoring. Don't know if it has been used before, but here it is:

I started out heating the mat (which I had seen suggested) but that just made a mess and poor results. I then used a gasket scraper and manually started chipping the mat out with acceptable results, although labor intense (as declared by Bambikiller240 a couple of years ago in a thread).

It occured to me that I had a couple of pneumatic rivet/muffler guns and a chisel point tool and wondered if that might work. I rounded the corners of the chisel slightly so as not to gouge the floor and tunnel metal. I held the gun at about a 30 degree angle and turned the air pressure low. It worked like a dream. Chipped the mat out with no effort and no damage to the metal. Doing both floor pans, the transmission tunnel and the luggage area probably took just over an hour. A little paint thinner on a rag and putty knife for minor clean-up and the metal was clean and bare.

I've been using an air hammer with a chisel tip. If the rubber is hard it pops off pretty cleanly, but it leaves a bunch of little chips still stuck to the floor. The best thing I've figured out for them is to use a wire wheel to get most of it off, then some acetone to get the last little bit. It is VERY labor intensive. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started...

I guess mine was more rubbery than yours or something.

[hls30.com]

Why didn't you try the dry ice route?

Low involvement,easy, cheep, and clean!

Use a torch to loosen undercoating for a scraper, burn out where you can't reach, and wipe down with mineral spirits for the leftovers...

WIll

[MarkDixon]

Just like Hls30 said, I have heard many people say that taking dry ice and breaking it into many small pieces and covering the tar mat is the best way to remove it.

I have not tried it, but it makes sense.

no mess because the ice evaporates and the tar mat will chip away in large pieces.