Stripping Paint

[rickd13]

What is the best way to strip off paint so I can get back to bare plastic? I do not like the way the hood of the car I am doing came out and I need to strip it. Is brake fluid a good way to do it? Will it remove all of the color coats and primer also (all of it is lacquer)? Will it damage the plastic? How do you go about using brake fluid if that is what you suggest? Would you just soak the hood in it, and for how long? Thanks for the help.

[disabled modeler]

Hi Rick... Brake fluid is a good choice to use it wont harm the plastic but will remove chrome plating. Another option is to use Castrol Super Clean de-greaser straight...it will dull the finish of the plastic some but dose remove old paint well. You dont want to let it dry on the parts and it can be hard on glass and taillights as well as for your hands so you will want to use gloves when working with it. after the old paint becomes loose carefully use a tooth brush to lightly scrub the old paint away. repeat till the body or parts are clean of all paint and wash with warm soapy water to remove any residue left by the cleaners or oils. Let air dry and your ready to start over to painting it. I use them both to clean mine it seems if one wont work the other will in time.You do have to be careful with Lacquer paints...some will etch the plastic parts so a good primer is always recommended before painting a Lacquer on plastics.

[mopar1]

I have had alot of luck with easy off oven cleaner seams to work faster for the paint i was taking off just put the parts i sprayed in a zip lock bag for about 6 to 8 hours and cleaned them did it again to clean what else was left on. i also use sos pads might leave very fine scrachs but doesnt take off the door handles hood pins etc.

[Nick Winter]

I use DOT 3 Brake fluid for automotive paints, Pinesol for nearly everything else and 91% alchol for prepaint kits.

Nick

[rickd13]

Thanks guys. This forum is great.