removing paint

[jmallen05]

My car has a cheap, non vw color, respray from a previous owner. I've been wanting to strip the respray off and see whats underneath. My main concern is that I suspect its been hit in the front and may not have the original drivers side fender, but I can't be for sure. If I start stripping the paint and all goes wrong I don't have the money to get it repainted, so I'd be up sh*t creek if you know what I mean, with no way of turning back. Over the weekend I noticed a large spot on one of the tail light housing where the paint has peeled off, not sure why, but underneath was the original paint that was in really nice shape. I have visions of my whole car in original paint and now I want it.

Has anyone removed a bad respray? If so what did you use, what were your results?


jerry

[dansam]

Aaaaack Lotsa work man.... You really think its worth it??? It looks soooo good now. I hate to see it go rat.

[Dustin]

It looks pretty good right now so I would be hesitant to remove the respray. Maybe the original paint was faded down to the primer on the top and hood area or like you said the car was damaged. There are many threads on the samba about removing aftermarket paint.

[ghiastein]

I vote to leave it. Without coin you will not be happy with any results if any. I would drive it and enjoy it. Someday when you have the coin and the time that is when you attack the body.

Learn from my mistakes my Ghia was down for 3 years. Thats 3 long years of not having a VW to drive. I was planning on doing a long restoration that would become more involved as my funds increased. I got impatient and hurried my car along.

Someday I will do the Ghia right, but before I start I want a good nice looking and nice running air cooled Volkswagen

[bren]

I would probably leave it alone. Projects like this always seem to grow and cost more. However, if you are serious about doing it I would consider talking to a professional painter for advise. George is one of those that I would talk to before doing this.

[busdriver]

well if you want to do it easy off oven cleaner is the way to go. you can buy it in the grocery store. use scotch brite pads. work small areas. you will see how it works. i just did a front bumper with at least two layers of paint on it. this stuff works real good. spray water to dillute. time consuming for sure. just my bumper took at least a few hours. was it worth it? for me it was.

[gfreel01]

The paint that is coming off is your cars way of telling you it wants a new paint job.

[Ruffuss]

Sounds like an off season project to me, if thats what you decide. I also vote to leave it until it gets worse and you have the funds to do it right. A restore/repaint is always more costly then you want or expect as the job goes on

[dubfreak1]

I'm surprised you guys didn't see the obvious solution.

Simply buy another VW and when you have it one the road the way you want it, then attack the 67.... ;D

Seriously, I think your car looks great as-is

[81pumagtc]

Jerry:

If you really want to do a good job on the paint, the only way to have the old paint removed is by soda blasting. It uses baking soda sprayed dry from a gun at relatively low temperatures. It does not abrade the paint off like media blasting does...which often warps the metal from heat build up.

Soda blasting uses micro "explosions" to remove the paint, and is so easy on the metal that you don't have to remove chrome, because it does not hurt it. You can usually have a car done in under half a day. The bad side is that it will take off filler, but leave rust completely untouched. Kind of interesting. You can even take the paint off of an aluminum beer can without destroying the surface. If you suspect putty, and it's well done, either mask it off, or have it redone when it's removed.

Another advantage is that it cleans up with water, and does not collect in seams like solvent style cleaners. Nothing worse than having the paint fall off at seams a couple of years because the seams weeped.

I watched my buddy have all of the paint removed from his 'vette in a day, and have it painted in four. The last one took a year.

Dave Riedle

[jmallen05]

The paint has always bothered me a little. Now that its starting to peel, its really getting to me....I just don't want to get in over my head. If its going to happen its going to wait until this winter, I'm still on the fence.


jerry