Best For Removing the Body Panel Paint

[71SandbugCharger]

As I was rebuilding the door inners, I decided to rust protect the paint inside the door, and then add sound deadening, and then I thought why not strip the paint off the exterior of the door and prep for new paint.

The existing red is a rattle can protection added a while ago.
Would love to do this all inside the garage... I figure I’ll focus on parts at a time.

What would be best to easily remove the existing paint without taking it out and sand blasting (which I don’t have)?

 

[747mopar]

This stuff works great. Work in a well ventilated area, wear gloves and goggles... It burns! I found that applying it then power washing it off works the best but is messy, typically you apply it then scrape the paint off with a puddy knife. I use a paint brush to apply then keep adding it where you see it absorbing it until it's all wet... within a few minutes the paint will turn to slime. If there's multiple layers it may take a few applications.

 

[69L48Z27]

I haven’t had good luck with AirCraft Stripper. Over the summer I used an entire gallon on Jeep XJ hood and still spent an hour sanding it after the gallon was gone. Not sure that stuff is as potent as it may have been a couple years ago.

 

[747mopar]

I haven’t had good luck with AirCraft Stripper. Over the summer I used an entire gallon on Jeep XJ hood and still spent an hour sanding it after the gallon was gone. Not sure that stuff is as potent as it may have been a couple years ago.

Warm weather helps but some paints are a bit tougher, also if it's stubborn opening it up with sandpaper will help it work.

 

[69L48Z27]

Warm weather helps but some paints are a bit tougher, also if it's stubborn opening it up with sandpaper will help it work.

It was plenty warm out. Might have been part of the problem. I even covered it plastic wrap at one point to try and keep it moist.

 

[71SandbugCharger]

Citristrip, 15-20 minutes. Used a plastic putty knife and it came off like plastic pieces. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[Pistol Pete]

Be forewarned - once you head down this road, you need to remove ALL of the paint, plastic and primer down to bare steel. Any residual stripper that soaks into any material you leave behind will bite you in the *** after you refinish it. Might take a day, might take a year, but it will resurface.

 

[khryslerkid]

I haven’t had good luck with AirCraft Stripper. Over the summer I used an entire gallon on Jeep XJ hood and still spent an hour sanding it after the gallon was gone. Not sure that stuff is as potent as it may have been a couple years ago.

They did change the formula from the original. EPA or something. I bought some a couple of years ago and noticed it was weaker than what I was used to. You can't let it dry out while it's working and when scraping.

Be forewarned - once you head down this road, you need to remove ALL of the paint, plastic and primer down to bare steel. Any residual stripper that soaks into any material you leave behind will bite you in the *** after you refinish it. Might take a day, might take a year, but it will resurface.

Real important to wash thoroughly when done with the removal.

 

[1967coronet]

Also a few packs of steel wool will come in handy with the stripper.
Also wear some eye protection.

 

[Lee Robinson]

Also a few packs of steel wool will come in handy with the stripper.
Also wear some eye protection.

Physically strip it. I use a buffer with a soft pad and 40 grit paper. Then follow with 80 grit on a DA sander.
Stripper makes a mess, is toxic and like previous posts there can be no residue left or it can cause paint
problems. It will also stain glass, stainless and melt plastic . Degrease really well after stripping and before
applying epoxy primer and primer.

 

[747mopar]

Citristrip, 15-20 minutes. Used a plastic putty knife and it came off like plastic pieces. Thanks for the ideas!

View attachment 1023668 View attachment 1023669

If it's coming off like plastic your waiting to long, start scraping when the paint is soft.

 

[1967coronet]

Physically strip it. I use a buffer with a soft pad and 40 grit paper. Then follow with 80 grit on a DA sander.
Stripper makes a mess, is toxic and like previous posts there can be no residue left or it can cause paint
problems. It will also stain glass, stainless and melt plastic . Degrease really well after stripping and before
applying epoxy primer and primer.

Lee, I ha

Physically strip it. I use a buffer with a soft pad and 40 grit paper. Then follow with 80 grit on a DA sander.
Stripper makes a mess, is toxic and like previous posts there can be no residue left or it can cause paint
problems. It will also stain glass, stainless and melt plastic . Degrease really well after stripping and before
applying epoxy primer and primer.

Lee I like to remove glass and trim before stripping a car of paint. Just the way i was taught many years ago.
Nothing wrong with chemical strippers as long as it's used correctly and followed with clean up.

 

[Cranky]

After spending hours on my deck lid, I tried a razor blade scrapper on the rest of the car and man, it came off in sheets!