Rear interior panels

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CTGSTANG

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May 10, 2011
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Location
Brandon, FL
My Car
1972 Mustang Convertible red/white interior. Engine: 302 V8 w/air, upgraded Edelbrock Performer RPM Intake, Petronix, Holly 600cfm carb, power windows.
I have successfully taken out the rear interior panels (not hard) and am getting ready to strip them for new paint. Anybody have a good idea on what I should use to strip the plastic panels? Brake fluid or a light sanding? I do not have a soda blaster as my air compressor is too small. Thanks again everyone!

I've posted alot of things lately and always get good advice from the forum!

 
They are all chipped with a gray color underneath. I had no idea they were colored plastic. I'll look closer when I get home tonight.

 
sounds like they are deteriorated

if you scratch them with your finger nail do you get a greyish powder?

 
NO BRAKE FLUID!!

Soap and water first, then some 400 sand paper and lightly sand, almost just a wipe. After the paper wears down a little, go back over it with a little more detail and get the nokes and crannies. Then wash soap and water. Wipe down with a good grease and wax remover. I sprayed mine with duplicolor vinyl dye and they came out really nice.

The gloss is too much and the flat is to dull, so I used the flat first as a base, then coated with the gloss, then fogged the flat over the gloss so it wasn't so shinny. Came out with a very clean finish, very close to the new ones.

 
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They are all chipped with a gray color underneath. I had no idea they were colored plastic. I'll look closer when I get home tonight.
Sounds like someone primered them before..If thats the case then you need to strip the primer. I use a product called Motsenbockers Lift off (Home Depot)..It's a water base stripper & works excellent on plastic..The key is to watch it & never let it dry out on the part your stripping...I have also used brake fluid on many plastic parts with no problem (Thats a body shop trick that many people don't know about)..BUT you should always test a small spot first. DO NOT USE SANDPAPER on any textured part..First off it never gets all the nooks cranny's in the texture & 2nd if your not careful it will knock down the texture..Use a scotch brite pad instead..Also do not use soap...Some soaps have oils & additives that will cause poor adhesion..Once you get it stripped follow the procedure in my vid..


 
Thanks for the advice. I just pulled both panels and they are a gray/black plastic. Apparently they were painted white at some point. Now when I use the brake fluid or that stripper you recommended(insert joke here) can I soak it or use a cloth to rub it repeatedly until the paint comes off? Good news...I found the seatbelts under the seat bottom. They look great like they have been in a time capsule!

 
They are all chipped with a gray color underneath. I had no idea they were colored plastic. I'll look closer when I get home tonight.
Sounds like someone primered them before..If thats the case then you need to strip the primer. I use a product called Motsenbockers Lift off (Home Depot)..It's a water base stripper & works excellent on plastic..The key is to watch it & never let it dry out on the part your stripping...I have also used brake fluid on many plastic parts with no problem (Thats a body shop trick that many people don't know about)..BUT you should always test a small spot first. DO NOT USE SANDPAPER on any textured part..First off it never gets all the nooks cranny's in the texture & 2nd if your not careful it will knock down the texture..Use a scotch brite pad instead..Also do not use soap...Some soaps have oils & additives that will cause poor adhesion..Once you get it stripped follow the procedure in my vid..


Sand paper is fine as long as you don't flat sand the texture away or use a belt sander. but I think most people are smarter then that.

I have redone many, many interior panels by sanding and the finish looks perfect, can't see sand marks and you can still see the texture just fine. I never have problems getting the nooks and crannies with sand paper, but maybe I'm just a really detail oriented...

Brake fluid can easily get down into any small imperfections or cracks and if you don't thoroughly clean it and get it out, it will come back through and jack up all your hard work. Better off using something made for cleaning and prepping paint and not taking any chances.

But that's just me.

Hey, nice vid though!

 
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They are all chipped with a gray color underneath. I had no idea they were colored plastic. I'll look closer when I get home tonight.
Sounds like someone primered them before..If thats the case then you need to strip the primer. I use a product called Motsenbockers Lift off (Home Depot)..It's a water base stripper & works excellent on plastic..The key is to watch it & never let it dry out on the part your stripping...I have also used brake fluid on many plastic parts with no problem (Thats a body shop trick that many people don't know about)..BUT you should always test a small spot first. DO NOT USE SANDPAPER on any textured part..First off it never gets all the nooks cranny's in the texture & 2nd if your not careful it will knock down the texture..Use a scotch brite pad instead..Also do not use soap...Some soaps have oils & additives that will cause poor adhesion..Once you get it stripped follow the procedure in my vid..

as they say there's more than one way to skin a cat

Some people take the A train..some the B train..As long as they arrive at the same destination it's all good..All I can say is that in over 25 years of doing this for a living & offering a lifetime guarantee on my work I have never had 1 single comeback on any panels or plastic parts I have dyed using the techniques in my video..

 
I'm taking everyone's advice. Using some light sandpaper then coating with the paint remover. It's taking a lot more elbow grease getting that paint off that I originally thought. It's slow but hopefully will be well worth it. Also, how did you guys know my wife has a cat? Lol

 
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