Hard to remove paint

[pflaming]

I am cleaning this metal to repaint. This paint is exceedingly hard. 80 grit hardly touches it, 120 does better. What may have someone painted this with? 

[Tooljunkie]

Eastwood makes a scotchbrite flapwheel. That should do it. 
any reason you cant leave paint?

[pflaming]

Tool: on this forum I’m the patina advocate, so yes paint can be left. In this case, I’m only going for a smooth finish and believe a nice paint job is in place. I will look for that wheel. TKS 

[Tooljunkie]

I like the patina, but i agree. That buggy needs to look like new. 
i feel the same about my cushman lobsters. They need to be restored. 

[Dave72dt]

given the age of that thing, probably an enamel.  If you're not stripping the panel or working on rust spots, I'd stay away from the flap wheel and continue with the 120.  The flap wheel is way to aggressive for smoothing existing paint.  The 120 should give enough tooth for a primer or sealer to bite into followed by a couple coats of filler primer that can be blocked and prepped for color

[pflaming]

Current plan is to go blue, something like this. The rear fenders need some dedenting and will require torch work to straighten them out. This thing is not made of tin! 

[Tooljunkie]

This is what i was referring to. 

[Dave72dt]

Those rear fenders look pretty rough.  You may want to consider getting them blasted.  By the time you get the remaining paint sanded down level with the rusty spots, it'll be stripped bare and you'll still need to deal with the rust itself.  The bigger portions of the body look like they could be feathered out.

[pflaming]

Dave, I agree. Those fenders are heavy metal. Will require heat to reshape them, the will bead blast, there are at least four colors on here, so it just have had an interesting life. I fabricated a tow hitch today. So will tow it to CHP for title. I have all parts required fo complete it. Fun project. 

[kencombs]

I would do the straightening on the fenders first.  Especially since they are heavy enough to require heat.  That process, heat, hammer,repeat, will probably remove some of the paint and reduce the sanding needed.

 

My theory on paint removal is that if it is well adhered and has no rust under it, it can stay.  Just feather the edges well, apply a liberal dose of epoxy primer followed by a filler primer after the proper wait time. Then move on to finish sanding, more primer and blocking.

 

If needed the rust can be handled, after sanding or blasting. with PickleX20 under the epoxy.

[JBNeal]

I've had good results with chemical paint strippers on metal that I don't want to damage or warp with media blasting or abrasion...on thicker coatings, it can take several applications to get down to the base metal...

[Tony WestOZ]

I`ve used poly strip discs with good effect. They remove paint without damaging the metal.

Like most things the good ones cost and the cheep ones just waste your time.

 

Tony

[plymouthcranbrook]

Paint might be Imron.

 

https://www.axalta.com/gb/en_GB/industrial-liquid-coatings/products/imron.html

[pflaming]

TKS for the great options. I had this sanding disc for my hand grinder so gave it a whirl. Unlike automotive body metal, this metal is thick, very difficult to cut a scar into it. The paint came off. I then started to smooth and feather the edges with DA 230 grit and I’m getting nice results. This body is built out of sheet metal a pure cut and weld design. Designed to take a beating, no pink flowers on the dash. 
 

So tried a couple paint colors, will go with the light blue, will be forgiving of the natural edges in the metal. This is man stuff! 

Edited December 8, 2019 by pflaming