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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:12 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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Our 1961 11-window spent its whole life on a summer camp for kids. After it retired, they let the kids paint it any color or colors they wished. I decided to start on a rear corner and make my mistakes there:
I started with Klean Strip Graffiti Remover and a rag. It worked well enough, but I'm pretty sure it kills humans quickly. Next I tried Motsenbockers Graffiti Remover (which I think is a little less lethal) and a razor blade and/or 0000 steel wool. I've also tried 1500 and 2000 wet sandpaper and water. I'd prefer to work with the water. Here's a sample of some of the colors under the surface:
Here's what it looks like tonight:
Today I had a little setback. I beleive the bus is mouse gray, and I've been pretty happy with how the gray is turning out. Most recently, however, when I've mistakenly sanded through the gray, I get a different gray underneath. Anyone have a guess, or a suggestion of how I'd figure out, if the gray underneath is a primer or the real original finish? Check out the lighter grey spots here:
I struggle more with the white. I assume that the factory painted it all gray, and then sprayed the white on top, right? It's easy to mistakenly sand through to the grey below. Check out the bright white stripe on the right side here. You can see how I still haven't gotten rid of this big splotch of bright white paint, but the surrounding paint has been worn through to the gray.
Any suggestions or tales of similar experiences would be very welcomed! |
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ronjonlasvegas Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2004 Posts: 902 Location: Las Vegas, NV
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:41 am Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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If you want less toxic and no fumes use Citristrip. They sell it at Home Depot or Wal Mart. Brush it on, wait 30-45 minutes depending on how many layers and scrape it off. You might need to use it twice if you have a lot of layer or have thick coats of paint that was professionally applied.
Before
After
_________________ September 1964 Standard Sunroof walk through SWR/BG original paint. |
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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 10:26 am Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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Thanks for the Citristrip tip, ronjonlasvegas.
What are you scraping with? A razor blade? Something plastic?
Scott |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 3:33 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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Ive been debating on stripping my Jade Green '60 Euro back to original paint. The paint is pretty thick though, and it seems like a ton of work lol.
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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:09 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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I tool ronjonlasvegas' suggestion and tried some Citristrip. I opted for the aerosol.
Citristrip is quick. The can says to leave it on for 30 minutes (or much more) but I had pretty significant results scraping paint off with a plastic razor blade after less than 10 minutes. I'd worry that leaving it on longer would increase the likelihood you'd lose OG paint. Heck, I hope I've neutralized it enough so that it's not still working now.
With one application, a quick scrape, and a few minutes touch-up, I went from this:
To this:
It's quick. I'll share a follow-up image, with a little more touch up, soon. |
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superjet437 Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2014 Posts: 96 Location: Washington State
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Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2017 8:16 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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I recently picked this 1966 up from my dad where it had been sitting for over 20 years. He purchased it and parked it. Never drove it or did anything to it.
I retrieved it and started cleaning it up. It quickly became evident it still had it's original Beige Grey and Titian Red paint.
I used EZ Off Oven Cleaner and Goof Off. I've done everything but the passenger side and the roof. Very good results so far.
I'll post some more as I go. I need to remove some old bondo next. I would love some advice on buffing/polishing the newly revealed paint!
Last edited by superjet437 on Tue Sep 05, 2017 4:19 am; edited 1 time in total |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69827 Location: Phoenix Metro
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junichi Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2005 Posts: 749 Location: brentwood bay, bc
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Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:02 am Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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I think I my have latex house paint here on mine. It is very thick and flakes off in big chunks some times, but other areas in little chips. Any suggestions on what this might be and how to remove it? Goof off, acetone, lacquer thinner seem to have no effect. I can't get things like Motsenbockers or Jasco where I am.
PS mostly found bondo to date but the rest of the bus shows promise... _________________ 1964 Kombi- http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=640048
Sold: 1985 Transporter Doka,1978 Westfalia, 1975 bay x 2, 1986 syncro vanagon, 1965 beetle, 1980 vanagon, 1967 deluxe bus, 1988 golf |
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OhHerrooo Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 1291 Location: Costa Mesa, CA
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Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:02 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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Looking for your guys' opinion here... I'm the 4th owner and the car appears to be very original. It was definitely repainted at some point, but the top layer of paint is for sure chipping away from the OG pearl white paint below. What do you guys think, worth attempting to strip?
This was after a recent wash, and the paint looks just ok from 10 feet away. But when you get in a little closer, you can really see where things look strange:
On the bottom left corner of the hatch you can see the OG paint below the black primer - which is why I'm inclined to give it a shot. Same with the apron and bottom of the passenger rear fender nearest the hatch. There are other spots around the car where the paint is chipping and the og paint appears clearly (without primer) below the respray. The passenger door also shows a bunch of cracks, where bondo was applied and must have been bumped at some point, cracking the top layer of paint.
In addition to all of this, I feel like whatever panels are funky underneath the respray could be replaced, seeing as pearl white seems to be a fairly common color. Also... I was putting on my new license plate last night and removed some electrical tape that had been covering the license plate bracket holes on my hatch. Peeled it off and the top layer of paint came right off with it, exposing unmolested OG paint below.
What do you guys think? _________________ '67 Squareback
'69 Squareback
'68 Westfalia
'68 Squareback
OCT3 - Orange County Type 3's
www.evenkeelsurfshapes.com |
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junichi Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2005 Posts: 749 Location: brentwood bay, bc
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Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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The primer on top of the OG paint on mine is very tough to get off. I would do a little lest patch before you commit. _________________ 1964 Kombi- http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=640048
Sold: 1985 Transporter Doka,1978 Westfalia, 1975 bay x 2, 1986 syncro vanagon, 1965 beetle, 1980 vanagon, 1967 deluxe bus, 1988 golf |
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OhHerrooo Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 1291 Location: Costa Mesa, CA
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Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:01 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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So I got the bug to see how good of shape the OG paint was beneath this respray. In a bunch of spots all over the car, the top coat has been flaking off (super easily) of the OG paint below, with the OG paint showing no signs of sanding or any primer in between coats.
I bought a pack of razor blades, a can of Goof Off Graffiti Remover, and some 0000 steel wool and got to work. I started on a small corner of the hatch, since it would be getting paint work regardless of the condition of the OG paint. Turns out there was some slight rust in the black area which was sanded, converted, primered and painted. But as I moved away from this uglier zone, I was rewarded with super pristine, clean, unscratched OG pearl white paint. I haven't yet really dialed in my timing/technique with the paint removal, but the results I've been getting have been worth the time (and hand cramps). The respray is super close to the OG color, so it is kinda hard to tell in the pics, but you'll get the idea.
In the first photo I've stripped the left third of the hatch below the window in addition to the flat area around the license plate (mostly). I've also started on the bottom of the hatch on the right hand side above the lower break line.
In the second photo I just wanted to give you an idea of the color difference and how clean the OG paint is. I had a couple knicks here and there, but nothing that I'm super upset about.
Once I'm done stripping the OG paint on the rest of the hatch, I'll have a shop match the bottom left corner to the OG pearl white.
I really like OG paint cars, and this one will be a bit of a project but will for sure be worth it once complete. _________________ '67 Squareback
'69 Squareback
'68 Westfalia
'68 Squareback
OCT3 - Orange County Type 3's
www.evenkeelsurfshapes.com |
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LAGrunthaner Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2007 Posts: 5509 Location: 1st Coast
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Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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I have a set of door window frames that have a little grey over the original white and I'm reading that I can spray oven cleaner on a rag and rub the paint off with the rag or steel wool. But my question is what solution do I use to wipe on and stop the process of removing the paint? Paint remover, water, other? After that soap & water? _________________ American Red Cross Safe And Well:
https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/...bsite.html
Maui Roadsters
www.mauiroadsters.com
http://www.oacdp.org
Lind wrote: |
Have you considered simply starting with a nicer bus? I don't know what your skills are, but the race is easier if you can see the finish line. If you are not a runner, don't start off doing a marathon. |
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cab57 Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 66 Location: FRANCE
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Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 11:58 am Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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I used brake cleaner to stop the process, before using steel wool. _________________ Beetle convertible built 06/66
Beetle ragtop built 28/04/59 |
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OhHerrooo Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 1291 Location: Costa Mesa, CA
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Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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I've been using Goof Off Graffiti remover with decent success, but am looking for something slightly stronger. The paint I'm stripping seems to be automotive paint, but there isn't a layer of primer between the OG paint and the respray. Can anyone recommend a slightly stronger solution?
Here's a progress pic from the pass. front fender. The hatch is also mostly done, just have some recessed spots in the license plate area to get.
_________________ '67 Squareback
'69 Squareback
'68 Westfalia
'68 Squareback
OCT3 - Orange County Type 3's
www.evenkeelsurfshapes.com |
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LAGrunthaner Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2007 Posts: 5509 Location: 1st Coast
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:41 am Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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Well it wasn't needed to stop the process because it wasn't working all that well in some areas and well in others. I ended up using water to stop the process because as I thought of my oven that is what I would do LOL. Both cans of oven cleaner jammed before I could finish up yet another reason to despise aerosols yikes! I'm going to the store for Citri-Strip in a bottle today.
cab57 wrote: |
I used brake cleaner to stop the process, before using steel wool. |
_________________ American Red Cross Safe And Well:
https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/...bsite.html
Maui Roadsters
www.mauiroadsters.com
http://www.oacdp.org
Lind wrote: |
Have you considered simply starting with a nicer bus? I don't know what your skills are, but the race is easier if you can see the finish line. If you are not a runner, don't start off doing a marathon. |
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slave1pilot Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2010 Posts: 943 Location: Tehachapi CA
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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I read over this entire thread at work yesterday , and got inspired.
A little background...
My wife bought me a '63 ragtop body on a '59 pan as aChristmas gift a few years back. I hadn't had a bug in a couple decades and she knew that the fever never goes away. I had been searching casually for about 8 years or so when she found this one ,
My intention is to build a Herbie as I've always wanted one. No love lost because it's not numbers matching , and it'll never be worth anything of great value (except to me of course)
since the doors have to be replaced with complete doors (one piece window conversion done by the PO) I started stripping the door first, and then got carried away.
so...
The passenger door was already replaced (and also the decklid)
I can't tell what the color is. Is it just professionally sprayed primer? Is it "Ruby Red'?
is my car actually a '63?
Since the body isnt original and I have no VIN plate, I am lost.
_________________ My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1
Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle |
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67ctbug Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2016 Posts: 3624 Location: CT
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 6:45 am Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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Is there white under the red?
Here's my contribution...
It was factory black and someone painted over the whole car in white without any primer or sanding. The stuff is peeling off. i use a combo of acetone and a razor blade. _________________ '67 Beetle L41
'74 Westfalia
'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'72 Dodge Wrecker
Go Cubs!
World Series Champions 2016
KentPS wrote: |
...or the PO envied the terrorists' bus in "Back to the Future". |
mukluk wrote: |
He's fine, just waiting for the dragon in winklepickers to move out of his lane. |
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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 8:23 pm Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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I've been refining my paint removal technique as I work around our '61 standard. Here's sort of a "before" picture:
For a few evenings, I've focused on the rearmost passenger door. I use brush-on Citristrip and a plastic scraper that looks like a razor blade to do the bulk of the paint removal. Here's what it looks like with all of the black removed (as well as most of the rest):
After that, to get every last bit of paint off, I've been using either Motsenbocker's Graffiti Remover (or plain Acetone), a paper towel, and some elbow grease. Here's where I'm at on the door now:
My question is this: has anyone else experienced the kind of swirly or milky effect seen the last photo above? I'm tempted to try something like rubbing compound to even this out but I'm concerned that I may be simply removing too much original paint. Ideas? |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69827 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2017 11:59 am Post subject: Re: Removing aftermarket paint to get OG paint |
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Hi Everett, Thanks for the suggestion. I've been interested to try TR-3 since I saw it mentioned on the El Pavo 15 thread. I'll report back on my results!
Scott |
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