To strip or not to strip?

[Hobbitzt]

Hi all this is only my second thread so tell me if anything seems wrong, I have a second-hand king hauler that I have converted to a daycab and I have now decided to repaint it. What I was wondering is do you guys think the paint needs stripping off or could I just take off the stickers and paint over it? And if i should strip it then what could I use?







This is the body as it stands.

Almost forgot, Im in Australia so i can't get certain brands and the paint is standard Tamiya paint i believe.

Cheers, Daniel.

[frizzen]

How thick is the paint? How do details look? Will surface prep remove them? how thin can you lay the cover coat? How do you think details will look after.

Around here there are some chemical options that work ok on enamels, not sure how it translates over there.
Dot 3 - automotive brake fluid
PurplePower
Easyoff oven cleaner - also can strip chrome

[Hobbitzt]

Originally Posted by frizzen

How thick is the paint? How do details look? Will surface prep remove them? how thin can you lay the cover coat? How do you think details will look after.

Around here there are some chemical options that work ok on enamels, not sure how it translates over there.
Dot 3 - automotive brake fluid
PurplePower
Easyoff oven cleaner - also can strip chrome

The paint isn't too thick and the details still look good, I'd say that I could probably paint over them and they'd still be there. Plus I've done most the bodywork for the daycab and I'm worried that the products used to remove the paint might strip the adhesive and the filler.

Thanks, Daniel

[Hostile]

What you need to be aware of is if its been painted with enamel paint. If you tjen go over it with acrillic itll do a weird cracking thing and youll have to strip the paint regardless. Nail polish remover works well, bit is very time consuming. Personally i always prefer to strip the paint to have a cleaner finish and avoid the irritation of any detail glugging up.

[Hobbitzt]

Originally Posted by Hostile

What you need to be aware of is if its been painted with enamel paint. If you tjen go over it with acrillic itll do a weird cracking thing and youll have to strip the paint regardless. Nail polish remover works well, bit is very time consuming. Personally i always prefer to strip the paint to have a cleaner finish and avoid the irritation of any detail glugging up.

Nail polish remover sounds good but doesn't it damage the plastic??
Sorry for all the questions.

Cheers, Daniel

[Mikem]

I just had to strip a truck because my paint was real bad . I used Super Clean from Walmart that took of most of the paint over nite,you have to submerge the cab . It took 2 gallons. the primer I used 90% rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush to get it of . Now I’m back to a white cab . Use rubber gloves and glasses ? Mike

[Hobbitzt]

Thanks Mike, I'm in Australia, but is super clean like an oven cleaner?

Cheers, Daniel

[Mikem]

Sort of but faster . I don’t know what would be the same down there . Can you google super clean and find a product like that ?

[Hostile]

Nail polish remover and metholated spirits are fine on plastic. Turps will melt it tho.

[frizzen]

Castrol super clean is an automotive cleaner/degreaser you can spray on or soak parts in.