how can i remove 1 layer of paint?

[Loren]

anyone on here ever try removing 1 layer of paint? i know the ratrod guys do this to get back to the factory paint or to find old company logos painted on old "shop trucks,panels" I even read about it a little on one of their forums. here's why i want to know about this. after 2 years of owning and working on (but sadly,not actually driving the car) i got the idea to spray paint some stripes on my car. i did a good job masking and all that,and used a flat white under the color. it did not match the color on the cap,and came out more yellow,than the lime green i'd picked out. now my car reminds me of some kind of "john deer" farm equipment. i want to take the stripes back off ! but if i can't i guess i'll have to try to repaint them in better colors. anyone have any ideas? thanks!

[Skib]

careful sanding and touch up or just paint over them

[sssr20det510]

Try wet sanding with fine grid sand paper

[Loren]

I've read ratrod guys use oven cleaner,actually read about that on on of their forums,and a bit in "Hot Rod" but i didn't get to read the whole article while i was at the store. i need to now more about that method before i even try that. the car needs repainted eventually anyway,i just can't afford that right now.

[Jesse C.]

Most of those vintage door signs on the shit rods are fake!

 

And why do you want to only remove one layer of paint?

[Loren]

I painted some BRE style stripes on my car. The color didn't turn out the way it was supposed to and now my car has the "John Deere"look. I just want to remove the stripes,without removing the rest of the paint.

[Jesse C.]

What kind of paint did you use and is the car in its original paint still?

[Loren]

Krylon indoor/outdoor spray paint.1 layer of white primer,then 1 or 2 caots of what was supposed to be "ivy green"(nearly bright lime green).it turned out more yellow,unfortunately. The car had been repainted due to prior front end damage. It has lots of little dents,and will need body and paint work eventually. I have buffed it out for now & am just trying to make the car look as good as possible until I have the funds for the body and paint work to be done.

[Laecaon]

The good thing here is that the original paint and Krylon are not the same type of paint, meaning basic chemicals from Home depot will eat the Krylon and not the Original color. I remember while sanding my car down rubbing paint thinner(from HD) onto it and it barely made my cloth turn white after wiping the whole car(my car is/was white). I would see about some paint thinner (not stripper!), and test on the original color in some non obvious spot like under a panel inside the car to see if it pulls much up. If its a go try attacking the stripes. Otherwise try wetsanding.

[Loren]

thanks everyone. i'll give it a go with the thinner first,then maybe step up to the oven cleaner. worst case scenario,i know it's due for body and paint work anyway,so whatever happens it's not permanent.

[Jesse C.]

Try "Goof Off" cleaner first. Do not use oven cleaner!! That will eat all the paint!

 

Goof Off is great to remove graffiti so it should work ok. You can get it at the home depot.

[ohpyramids]

always test on an inconspicuous area first. thats what she said.

[kmc63]

Try "Goof Off" cleaner first. Do not use oven cleaner!! That will eat all the paint!

 

Goof Off is great to remove graffiti so it should work ok. You can get it at the home depot.

Jesse C is right,DO NOT USE OVEN CLEANER.Use thinner if that wont work which it should go to acetone.The next strongest would be MEK, But start with thinner and progress if you get no results. These chemicals should take off the krylon and not the stock paint. Oven cleaner will bubble your stock paint.who said oven cleaner :blink:

[hogboy52]

Several pages here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=76072

[Loren]

i should have known to try "Goof Off",i've used it before to remove spray paint from the side of a building. some little tribal monkey,gang banging S.O.B's used to tag the Round Table i worked at back in the day. I'll give that a shot. i heard of some other graffiti /paint removers on the Samba thanks to hogboy52 for sending me that link. i should've nown to check there too,bein' an old VW guy and all. I'll avoid the oven cleaner then. Thanks again everyone. I'll post pics of how it goes when i get to work on it.

[Javin]

Wait a second! I just realized no one made you post a pic to see what you are getting rid of yet. Well I request a before picture and an after!

[Loren]

it's the green 'goon in my profile pics. i'll try to post a pic here too. the yellow stripes are what i'm trying to remove.

[Guest DatsuNoob]

I'd say MEK or MPK (methyl propyl ketone) and alot of buffing. Good chance for making the surrounding or underlying paint haze up and get dull if you're not careful. Test a small corner first. Maybe try a less aggressive scotchbrite pad with the solvent to get the bulk of it off then you can scuff and paint over it. Careful not to get too far outside the lines when sanding or you'll see the swirls around the edges of your stripes and it could look like :poop: :D