CHEMICAL PAINT ETCHING NEW REPAIR/STRIPPING PROCESS

SUBJECT: DRY STRIPPING FACILITIES NETWORK (DSFN)

MODELS: ALL LIGHT AND MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS

Dry Stripping Facilities Network (DSFN) is a network of operators across the United States and Canada that uses a system which allows removal of a vehicle's exterior finish by layers (to preserve the rust protection of the vehicle coating and sheet metal).

The attached brochure is being provided as a source of information on DSFN products and services.

We believe this source and their equipment to be reliable. There may be additional manufactures of such equipment. General Motors does not endorse, indicate any preference for or assume any responsibility for the products or equipment from this firm or for any such item which may be available from other sources.

NATIONAL NETWORK FOR NEW METHOD OF AUTOMOTIVE PAINT REMOVAL ANNOUNCED

At one time or another, most car dealers and auto body shops have had to deal with warranty problems related to paint and other coating failures. While spot-treatments are sometimes sufficient for solving these problems, more serious conditions will require stripping these surfaces down to a primer level, or all the way to the substrate panel, before re-coating.

New car dealers, saddled with correcting these problems, have had to resort to either chemical stripping or hand sanding. Both labor intensive, these methods can tie up a bay for a week, and in the case of chemical strippers, involve waste removal problems.

As an alternative method for removing these problem coatings, dealers can use the services of the Dry Stripping Facilities Network (DSFN). DSFN is made up of independently owned businesses that use dry stripping (also known as plastic media blasting) techniques for coating removal and surface preparation. Located throughout the U.S. and Canada, die Network currently has 90 members, and in the not too distant future, facilities located in every metropolitan area in North America.

The process of dry stripping is similar to sand blasting, but uses equipment specially designed to propel and recover sharp edged non-toxic plastic granules. The light weight of the plastic allows coating removal at pressures ranging from 10 to 40 psi (normal operating pressures for other blasting techniques, e.g., silica sand, aluminum oxide, or glass beads, are typically in die 80 to 100 psi range). These low operating pressures, combined with the relative softness of these plastic particles, permit rapid removal of paint and other coatings from thin steel, aluminum, fiberglass, SMC, urethane, and other substrate materials without warping panels or damaging surfaces. Clad, anodized, galvanized and phosphate coatings are left intact. In many cases, paint can be removed layer by layer down to the base substrate, or just down to the primer coating if it is harder than coatings above it. Plastic body filler can be left intact, or removed as necessary. Surface rust can be removed also; but, deep pitted rust would require additional attention before repainting.

As an alternative to hazardous chemical stripping and laborious sanding, local DSFN members take the hassle out of stripping operations-often with same-day service. Vehicle or equipment downtime is drastically reduced, and a clean, dry, ready to paint surface is produced-without chemical residues which can effect future coatings. Prices for dry stripping the outside of a car range from $300 to $600 depending on the geographic location, paint type and thickness, and size of vehicle.

For further information about the nearest DSFN facility or about dry stripping, contact:

Peter Merrill-Oldham Dry Stripping Facilities Network 79 Connecticut Mills Avenue Danielson, CT 06239 (800) 634-9185 FAX (203) 779-1403 (203) 779-1401

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.