best paint stripper

O

OJ86

Promoted Users
I am in the process of starting another project this week. I have to strip the car down to metal. I really do not feel like sanding this entire car down. I'd prefer to strip it.

my question is, are the paint strippers at Home Depot or Lowes worth a damn? or should I just stick with the strippers I can buy from my paint supplier(usually double in price)
 
just warm the paint . a heat gun can do some damage if your not careful. buy a quality blade holder .
 
Should I buzz the panels down with 80 or 40 grit real quick? or just start at it the way it sits?

Sorry for the dumb questions, I just have never stripped a car like this.. I am going to snag up a heat gun tonight and give her a go!
 
no need to sand. use the blade to cut a starting line in the paint. start off with little bites . 1/4 to 1/2 in. if the paint chips it is not warm enough. it will come off easy in long strips once warmed. takes a few runs to get the hang of it. just dont overheat it.
 
And this will pull off all of the factory coating off to bare metal? At least this car is a giant box and not full of curves!
 
getting the first coat of primer is not gong to happen. you will separate the primer from top coat. the primer that is left will sand off quick. the single original coat does not come off as easy as one with a repaint. cant tell you why but it just acts different.
 
Well, I appreciate all of the advise! I will report back how bad I screw it up and frustrated I get!
 
I used the heat gun and razor (actually paint-scraper) method and found it to be more satisfying than the chemicals.
 
Any photos?

I've been working on my tbird for a few months. Slow going since I'm learning as I go.
 
Been working on it for 3 days now, but I only get about an hour a night so I'm de-trimming it and stripping it as I go.

Should be down to metal this weekend. photo.jpg
 
The huge plus is I am putting a fiberglass decklid and a it and it already has a glass hood! Plus t-tops!
 
Thanks for the heat gun and razor blade trick I seem to enjoy this more than the DA and without the consequences of paint stripper....... Is a heat gun capable of warping a panel??? I havent even got paint to melt or bubble but there is substantional heat in the panel.......
 
tthomp50;15878 said:
...... Is a heat gun capable of warping a panel???......
Click to expand...
Yes. Many heat guns produce more than enough heat to cause metal to shrink, or fiberglass to burn.
 
Just keep moving and you can be ok. When I was doing the doors of my tbird I could tell when the metal was getting too hot as it would flex just a bit easier. I ended up making multiple passes on my panels because of the many layers of paint. I'd get a few off the first time but couldn't linger to get the gunky primer he had on there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top