Project NSX: Part 16 – Dry Ice Blasting Restoration

NSX Dry Ice Blasting I Am DetailingWe restore the undercarriage and engine bay of our NSX with Dry Ice Blasting.

Now we just might be addicted to Dry Ice Blasting.  Once you go ice, nothing is as nice.  Maybe we’ve been listening to Rob Van Winkle a little too much lately but this is truly an incredible process that removes oil, dirt, dust, and grime away from surfaces to restore them to as-new condition.

Our first experience to this process was in Project FD RX7 Restomod: Part 5 – Dry Ice Blasting.  Both the NSX and RX-7 are 30 years old and these cars even when taken care of meticulously, build up layers of gunk that even harsh chemicals struggle to remove.

Dry Ice Blasting Blasting only uses compressed air and dry ice to clean and restore surfaces, so there is no concern of corrosion, damage, or electrical problems typically associated with pressure washing or aggressive cleaning of engine bays and undercarriages of cars.  The only residual mess from dry ice blasting is from the original grease and grime that is removed from the surface.

Jakob of I AM DETAILING & Dry Ice Auto, located in Costa Mesa, California is one of the best in the business and is considerd to have more time and experience under the ice gun than anyone in the country.  He has experience blasting tons of exotic and priceless vehicles, including many NSXs.  Due to the prestige of the NSX, this platform greatly deserves this level of TCL.

For your cathartic pleasure, enjoy these NSX videos from I Am Detailing:

 

 

 

 

It is just so satisfying and therapeutic to see years of muck just melt away and reveal the original surface that hasn’t seen daylight in decades.

7 comments

    1. Oh for sure! Our Project FD RX-7 was a gunk-filled mess. Now it’s so nice to work on what’s essentially a brand new car. The only downside is that you won’t want to work on another car that isn’t blasted! haha.

  1. “Once you go ice, nothing is as nice.”

    To this startlingly bit of wisdom, I can only add…’yup, yup.’

  2. Will it remove surface rust? Just typical red blemishes and such, superficial at best. This sounds like a much better way to handle undercarriage paint prep… At least in my case. I hate having to use wire brushes and such.

    1. Dry Ice Blasting is a game-changer. Check out the more detailed article on the process for Project FD RX-7. The aggressiveness will depend on the settings and experience of the technician. It can remove undercoating or it can be gentile enough to not remove it. I just blasted a lightly corroded and gummed up aluminum differential and it’s perfectly clean and ready for paint prep.

  3. Would love to know the total weight of the gunk that came off. Can we get before and after weights the next time?

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