twintracks

Has anyone found a good, consistent method (chemical strip) for removing paint one layer at a time? I realize this is a tough proposition, and my previous attempts at this have failed. I'm trying to remove a very old repaint on 1/2 of a two toned, rust free '55 Olds that has non-original salmon painted over the original turquoise.
Thanks.

Convertcrazed

Just finished mine, I was going to blast it, but chem strip was much cheaper. I found that the aircraft stripper was worth the extra $......The main thing is to put on thick as possible and don't let it dry. I used a Ace hardware 15$ 2gallon garden pump sprayer(with the largest tip) I used about 1-1/2 gallons per app.....then covered entire car with blue tarp for 2-4 hrs( keep it airtight with 2x4's on driveway) Then I pressure washed with a rotary tip (3000PSI)....after 3 apps 95% bare metal ( mine had 5 layers of paint) She's now covered again for 12 hrs with rust dissolver....then blast again 2maro....should be good to go....just some sanding to remove the last 5%?
Anyway hope this helps?
Eric

redoldsman

It has been a long time since I stripped a car. As mentioned, aircraft stripper is the only way to go. Be sure you have plenty of ventilation and good rubber gloves. You do not want to get this stuff on you. After I applied it, I used the plastic bondo spreaders to scrap the old paint off. If it has been repainted it may take two applications. I think took steel wool pads soaked in lacquer thinner and wiped it down. Then I went over it with a piece of an old towel soaked in thinner to get it clean. It is a messy job but it works.

67442nut

Sound like you're trying to get down to original paint and while preserving the original paint.
If that's your intent, it'll be tough to do with a chemical stripper.
I've used a lot of it and, from my experience, the aircraft stripper will keep dissolving until it hits a layer of primer,
depending on how thick you lay it on.
You might have a chance of accomplishing your goal with the standard stripper if you control how heavy the coats
of stripper are.
Probably your best shot, which would be a little more tedious, might be to carefully sand it down to
the original paint with a DA sander and some fine sandpaper, maybe between 280 and 360.
Go slowly until you start seeing the original color, then immediately move on to an adjacent area and repeat the process.
I think it'd be tough to control a chemical stripper to the same degree.

Yellowstatue

I used oven cleaner to remove a painted name on the box of my pick-up and it left the original paint untouched. Try that on a discreet area and see what happens.

rustyroger

If the two layers of paint have the same chemical composition then a chemical stripper will react with both coats the same way. They probably are the same or the second layer would have reacted with the first coat.

Like Ed Skaff said, you will need to carefully rub away the top coat and not the first one.
I think your best bet is to take it back to bare metal and start over, that way you will uncover any rust that has developed and can deal with it at the same time.

Roger.

twintracks

Thanks everyone. This is going to be a driver, and it is a New Mexico car with zero rust. The main problem is that the interior is green and grey. So the salmon repaint is not a good match. It did look much better after wet sanding and polishing.
I could change the interior, but I much prefer the turquoise and white. I've already started down that road, as I've already repadded the dash in the original green, and new carpet in green.
I'm thinking I'll just leave it as is, until I'm ready to get into a complete repaint. For now, it's too far back in the project que for a proper full repaint.
Does anyone have the rear fender trim spears for a '55 98?


Thanks, Jerry