Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint

[ccb_dan]

I would not use a sander...way too much risk of burn through. Maybe if you have a lot of paint and/or Bondo over the OG paint but even still I think you run a very high risk of blowing through your OG paint.

You have to be patient...I probably have a total of 20 hours in mine and I still have some faint blue in there that I may never get out without burning through the green.

Like volksheime said...just expect to burn through a ton of pads. I would use a Dobie pad for about a 1 or 2 sq. ft. area then ditch ti because it got too full and quit working.

I used Kleen Strip brand acetone from Wal Mart.

[c21darrel]

I removed rattle can primer with Graffiti remover from HomeDepot, along with an assortment of 0000 steel wool, scotch pads, scrubbys, small brass brush... pretty quick and easy. 3, 16 oz containers went around the whole DC.
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[slowfiveo]

Ive searched thru this thread and basically everyone that has been stripping their car has had a shoddy respray.

My situation is that my 66 has what seems to have been a nice paint job done but has began to chip and bubble. I plan to strip it down to restore it this winter but i wanted to rock the OG paint for a summer. What product would you guys recommend for a paint job such as this?

paint is a base coat, clear coat

[DuaneL]

After finally reading all 40 pages of this fine post I am getting ready to try this on my 66 bug (I know this was originally a bus post and thnx bus ppl). I figure I don't have much to lose since my originally ruby red bug s sporting a rattle can Rustoleum primer paint job (PO not me) I plan to start by trying Motsenbockers Graffiti Remover and maybe acetone to see which works for my case and I plan to try to avoid using steel wool or other pads and try to stick to towels and lots of elbow grease. the weather should warm up to the 60's by next weekend so hopefully I will get started then here are some before pictures and I will post more as I go.

and a small area I used some paint thinner on since the primer was real thin here

where primer was flaking and what gave me the idea to try to get back to original paint

and one of the areas I do know has bondo

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1971 std bug, 1776, ACN Super Stock 34-3, dvda dist, 27x8.50 14 tires

[Kirk]

The 0000 steel wool wont scratch the paint visibly. After the primer is off you wax it and never know. Ive tried with just EZ off and a towel and never had good luck. Ive done a dozen cars this way. Water, EZ off, steel wool, and towels. Gloves if you dont want primer grey finger nails. Yours should be easy. Good luck, post pics.
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[otis_bartleh]

I used 000 and 0000 steel wool and Jasco. It wasn't too bad, just time consuming.
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'59 Mango Bus
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[ricekooker]

[CaffeineJunky]

After spot checking a couple different places. I began stripping away the flat black and bringing back the original cobalt blue. I used Graffiti Remover and #000 steel wool. In certain places I used a razor blade to begin the stripping. Then I spayed the steel wool with the graffiti remover and applied it to the aftermarket paint. After a few minutes of rubbing I sprayed it down with a hose. It is incredibly tedious.

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[lammyrider]

Yes it is after 5 yrs of on off stripping im getting into the final straight.just got some very stuborn spots and the vents gonna leave the roof for now,wanted it finished proper for hessisch but the weather had other ideas it will look presentable tho

[CouzinX]

Thought I'd start this project with the rims. Sprayed with a light blue in the 80's and love to see what's underneath. Looks like L381 Sea Green, but is/was it with the L286 Turquoise White or a black? I can see where it used to have rings on it - by the scrapes.

Thought a 63 Vert with L398 Pacific Blue was to have only the L289 Blue-White color. Thoughts

Started this with only oven cleaner and a shop rag.

I need to pick up some wool to clean up.
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63 Vert

[CouzinX]

In answer to my own question, according to WW website, the L398 came with a Night Blue Disc L394 with the black rim L41, until July 1962. Starting August 1962, they switched to the L289 Blue White wheel disc. Being that mine was built July 1962, it has the former.

It also looks as though the L394 Night Blue is a discontinued color, according to http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/paintcodestype1.php.

Anyone have a paint code for this one?
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63 Vert

[Brendel20]

So I just removed some old re-spray using paint remover and now here is what I have:
Before:

After:

Any suggestions on my next step? I have a can of dove blue coming from paintscratch that I was going to try and blend in along the bottom but what about the the other bare metal spots?

Maybe just clear coat over it all to prevent rusting?

[1967250s]

High build self etching primer. Are you going to repaint everything? That hatch could really stand a complete repaint. Primer, block sand, prime again, new paint. More work to touch up, spot by spot.

[IN2VWS]

Don't know if it has been mentioned previously, as I didn't read through the 40 pages.......I have had success with a hot water high pressure washer.
I used a professional Karcher machine with adjustable water temperature. I cranked the temp up as high as it would go, which is 150º Celsius. (300ºF)
The crappy paint on top just peels away, and the original paint does not get damaged in any way.
Usually you will get 90% of the paint off with this method, leaving only 10% to remove using other methods.
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[PNWesside31]

Well, just like everyone here, I read all pages, and decided to try this and ended up trying many attempts. Tried oven cleaner, and then grafitti remover and the most I got was a yellowish ring wherever I attempted but never seemed to penetrate the crap paint.

The pic above is where I'm at using aircraft paint remover in a different area, and I can't tell if:

1. That's a replacement panel that's grey or maroon
2. I went through both og and crap paint
3. The grey is bond because it's magnetic everywhere...although it seems to be more magnetic in certain areas

If anyone has experience with this, I'd love to get some clarity or advice.

1. Thats just a

[1967250s]

Looks like apretty good repaint many years ago. Probably more layers to go. Try another spot.

[bomberbaja]

I just finished reading the whole thread, and figured I'd throw in my 2 cents.

I've been having good luck with Klean-Strip Strip-X Stripper. I just poor a little bit onto a piece of fine steal wool and start rubbing. Takes down the re-spray pretty quick, but doesn't seam to eat the OG paint at all. I haven't let it sit though.

Oh and by the way, I think the Klean-Strip KS-3 Stripper would be WAY too strong for this application. I know burns skin a whole heck of a lot more than the Strip-X does.

[Dogo]

I've never tackled this before, but would like to on my '70 camper. I'm trying to figure out how to attack it.
What seems most logical to me, is to do all the hardest spots first (seams, around windows, around handles, etc, etc), and THEN work the "easiest" (larger) areas later, so that you don't keep pouring remover into those crevices/tight spots. Does this make sense based on your experiences? or maybe I'm way off and should be done the other way around?
I'd appreciate any info/input.
Thanks!

[FritzCP]

Its trial and error. You can try to do the detailing stuff first but in practice I've found that when you use chemical strippers, the spray nozzles on the bottle dictate that you spray and scrub a 1' area or so at a time. The chemicals with eat and soften the respray at different rates depending on the area, how thick and the type of paint. as you work the big panel, some of the edges will work clean without concentrating on them. If the stripper your using will eat through the OG paint on the nooks and crannys in the time it takes to scrub the panel, its too aggresive.

With the smallish time window the chemicals give you, you find you have to scrub in different directions and scrub into the repray to get it of and sticking in one spot and direction is not effective.. You have to scrub hard, fast and in multiple directions and cannot usually purposely avoid the small detailed spots - therefore you will end up scrubing the small spots again and risk burning through the paint.

I end up starting on a corner and scrubbing my way up and out of it. the nooks and crannys will be 50% taken car of as you do the majority of the panel. Then come back with a gentle and focused approach on the remaining tight spots. Usually, it does not take very long to finish it up becasue the respray has already been worn down, loosened up and abraded to the point some acetone and a terry cloth/ 0000 wool will take care of the small spots with minimal addtional aggresiveness/effort.

thats my experience on some nasty thicker paint. If its just primer or thin paint, then your idea may fair better. try it and see, then report back.
Good luck!
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[Dogo]

Thanks for your input. Makes sense also. I guess, as you say, it's trail and error, for the most part.
Also seems to me that a gel consistency stripper would give you a little more control as to what areas you're concentrating on (?). Another thing I'll have to learn as I go, I guess.
Will likely try both approaches on the bumpers and see how it goes.

Anyone..... As far as strength of all the stuff being used, what would be considered the mildest? Acetone, oven cleaner, graffiti remover? in that order?