Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint

[epbooker]

Ive been putting in some good hours the last few days getting a few layers of rattle can primer off my 57 Bus.
The methods ive use so far are acetone and graffiti remover (Goof off brand.) Both are very slow, but dont damage the OG paint at all.

Will need some paint blending on nose, but overall im very happy with it.

Thinking about trying some over cleaner, anyone have any recommendations seeing my particular situation?

[FritzCP]

given how nice the result is using your current acetone/ graffiti remover, I would carry on with that. I doubt oven cleaner is going to be faster.

If its not going fast enough for you, adding heat helps greatly increase the aggressiveness of the acetone. Leave the bus out in the sun, or use a heat gun to warm up small sections of the panel before scrubbing (acetone is highly flammable so take proper measures). maybe try 000 wool to knock the majority off, then come back with 0000 wool. soaking the wool in acetone also makes it more effective by keeping the wool clean and unclogged, therefore cutting faster and longer.

What youve done so far looks great, keep at it!
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[Brian]

180 grit and some elbow grease.

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[ExtremeBean]

What do you guys use for primer for those bare metal spots? I have the older reddish/brownish primer. I kind of like the patina so I'm not sure if I'm going to color match the paint, but I definitely don't like the bare metal being exposed.

[57chop]

graffiti remover worked well for me, i let it set for a few mins and hit it with a pressure washer.

[austinb]

So I took a swing at removing the white paint on my engine lid, to see how removing the rattle can white on my bus would go. I'm not sure I like my progress since it is so splotchy and I feel like I'm stripping too much!

Under the white is a pearl color, then under that is what looks like is something kind of CLOSE to the OG paint of Arizona Yellow but maybe a shade darker, and then under that is the Arizona Yellow. ( I can't really tell if the lighter yellow is a faded arizona yellow, or what. I'd love anybody else's opinions if they can tell from my pics. )

Using graffiti remover, fine steel wool, and heat gun. I heat the panel a bit, spray graffiti remover, let it sit for about 5-10 seconds, then steel wool it for little till the white comes off, then spray w water bottle and wipe clean.

Some spots, the white comes off, and the paint below appears. Some spots, the white comes off, but so does the og paint. (You can see a couple of primer spots on the left hand side of the engine lid. On the right side,there is primer / body work.)

why so splotchy? anything to do besides cuss when I burn through the OG paint by mistake?
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[youngbug74]

I know my big doesn't look horrible but it has some bubbling in the current paint job I can see its red underneath also the door jambs inner doors and the underside of the hood and Decklid are still the original red..I want to reveal the original paint but I'm scared I will uncovover some ugly rust and bondo. I know the front fenders aren't original so I will have to color match with those. Do you think it's worth it?

[EverettB]

Based on that photo - No
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[seaking]

First - apologies for appearing here with the wrong make of car. In my defense, the engine is in the right place and it is air-cooled.

This car was primered in about 1971 and then sat for 30 years. I've had it for the past 13. The primer is degrading and some of it washes off every time I clean the car. It's now to the point where the original maroon is peeking through and the original strokes of the paint gun are apparent in many places.

I've tried the graffiti remover (a brand I can get locally) and while it does work, it's dead slow. A person at a cruise night suggested wet sanding with medium and fine-grit drywall sponges, and that has been very effective. This (roof and trunk lid) represents about 10-12 hours' work.

I have two questions for the experts here:

How are you handling panel edges? The aftermarket paint is thicker here. I'm thinking this may be the place to go back to the stripper rather than burning through the original paint by oversanding. (After a couple accidents I'm now leaving about 1/4" around the edge of every panel.)

Where bare metal has been exposed, how are you protecting it? I've found a couple places where the PO sanded to metal and put a tiny blob of putty prior to adding the primer. I want to leave these alone until I'm ready to tangle with them. Is wax enough?

This was hiding under a bit of rust-covered putty.

[AircooledHome]

inspiring thread!
I have been using graffiti remover and 0000 steel wool. Feels like quick progress that I've made so far. A couple hours (maybe 4) and I have the front nose panel almost completely OG.

[KingofBoulder]

Does easy-off or stripping compounds damage the original color on the fiberglass?

[Ratt]

started stripping back the red. good-off graffiti remover with steel wool. It's slow going but the results are going to be killer!

[KingofBoulder]

Thanks.....I will try it first

[vwmike]

I've just finished stripping my bus using acetone, steel wool, and plastic razor blades. Have about 60hrs into it. I have a build thread here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=644856
Looking for some advice, hoping more people will see it here.

Started with this:

After stripping she looks like this

Curious to know what others opinions are on how much touch up to do? My plan is to do some metal work next, cargo rocker, dog leg work, as well I'll straighten up the nose as best as I can. After that I'll start on the old body work spots that are showing. I'm thinking leave the roof, just wax it. Not sure about the light blue, it's so thin I don't think it's blend able. Trying to keep as much og paint as possible but I'm a bit of a perfectionist so having a hard time deciding what to fix and what to leave.....

[FritzCP]

work on finding a paint match while you repair the metal. it takes longer than what you might think. Once you get some paint, try your hand at blending what you have. Decide after that if your happy with the blending, or it would be better off with a repray int he OG colors. I would vote for a respray at this point, given the different (non VW) shades of blue. I think the blend would turn out alright actually. no harm in trying.
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[The_Captainn]

Heres my 59 Mango. Found in New Mexico and in the process of getting it back to the go paint.

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[iwaisurfer]

[The_Captainn]

What method did you use to strip off that top layer of paint? I've got a 69 bug and I tried using the graffiti remover with a steel wool pad and it takes forever and also strips down to bare metal real easily.

I used Klean Strip Aircraft stripper. It comes in a aerosol can and i let it sit for just maybe 2-3 mins and it starts eating away the paint very quickly and it starts bubbling up. I just do a small area at a time and once the paint is bubbling up i use a metal razor blade and scrap it off. You have to be very careful not to cut in to deep because you will burn the paint. Once i was down to the mango or the layer just above it i wet sand the rest with 600-2000 grit sandpaper. Takes lots of time and patience. lol Good luck!
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GFK WORLDWIDE

1959 Standard Microbus
1961 Double Cab
1963 Caravelle Camper

[63vdubbug]

Everyone here got me inspired to do this!, and I really didn't like the olive green. Not sure why you would want to hide the turkis color.

I'm in the process and it's coming along, but it takes time! I noticed that the graffiti remover works a lot faster if you heat up the panel first, then spray the chemical and gently rub it down.

The PO sanded down the original color for the new paint job so it's thin. I'm thinking of spaying flat clear or semi gloss clear. Has anybody here sprayed clear after getting it down to the OG color?

[getgeoff]

I gave up and now using wet sanding instead of easy off,graffiti remover or acetone and steel wool.