Taking back to original paint - how to?

[nkm2]

Hello forum,

My 1972 bay has three layers of paint (2x Hammerite blue and 1 x Ral mint green) on top of the original pastel white.
I would like to take it back to the original pastel white. But not sure how to.
Can you advise how to do this? Tools? Or good chemicals?
Can I use paint stipper?

Thanks for any advice - Klaus

 

[nkm2]

Found this one:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=76072&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=80" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anything else is mucho appreciado.

 

[ozziedog]

Good luck with this one, and good luck trying to get your original paint bud. Most paints can be removed with varying degrees of difficulty and various chemicals and abrasives in combination :roll: Hard work and elbow grease will eventually win the day to coin a phrase, because we all know it won`t happen in just a day,,, a bit like Rome :lol: But as soon as you mention hammerite, I cringed :? because I love the stuff to use but have never tried to get it off, I`ve only heard that it`s a heartbreaker to try and remove but I suppose that will mostly depend on how neatly it was applied and how clean the surface prep was. I`m of the understanding that it bonds better to bare metal but I`m just not sure. Let us know how you get on and I`m quite interested to hear how the hammerite bonds with things from a removal point of view,

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,, :mrgreen:

 

[Lee C]

My hood old Gramps in his wisdom mixed hammerite & some other **** together to make bright blue, then brushed one side of his bus in!!!!
It was a **** to get off as it just kept clogging the DA discs up!!!!!
Not much fun at all!!!!!!



I got my split back down to original paint with 400 disc then 800 wet then clear coated the whole lot !!
It was a horrible red metallic when I got it but the lotus white underneath was quite ️canny when I got down to it!!!!

 

[nkm2]

Thanks Ozzie and Lee,
I used stripper with spatula (Hammerite and Ral) and thinner with steel wool (for the Primer) to take it down (Hammerite comes of really easy with the stripper).
Indeed Hammerite smears and clocks when using discs.
The original paint is quite resilient against the stripper.

Comes out good - question is what kinda white it is, looks a bit like a sanka (maybe there is a red cross under there too):
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a69/nkm2/strip_zpsjpdkn6dx.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for you help!!! Klaus

 

[Happystamps]

Your problem with stripper is that you can't really paint over it. Sometimes it'll be OK when you've cleaned and neutralised where you've applied it, but a lot of the time it just completely cocks up your paint finish- the bonnet on the bug is almost entirely devoid of paint because of it.

 

[slammed72]

I'm about 200 hours into my paint removal saga and still have the tailgate and deck lid to do !!! My process has been a da sander with 120 grit pads, take the top off the paint then start with a 240 grit pad until you just get signs of colour through. Next job is gun wash poured onto the paint and rub with fine steel wool and with any amount of luck there should be your og paint.

Gotta admit mine is rattier than I would have hoped for and I have had to pint some small sections but from what it was to what it is,is a world apart.

Hope that helps mate !!!

 

[Webbaldo]

Lee C's advice is good, hes our local Painting Jedi!

My method is more agricultural :lol:

Gunwash (generic cheapo thinner) seems to work well but very messy.

Don't use celly thinner its too strong

Paint Stripper is too strong

DA Pads work but can take forever.

Its a case of applying thinner and being careful not to leave it on too long

Or....

Prep it, spray the whole thing in rustoleum and be done with it, sand that down a little for patina effect
(Only lasts 4-5 year but is dead easy to do and very rarely reacts with anything)

 

[nkm2]

Hy forum, thanks for all the advice and stories on how to do it.
I have not continued with the grinding method due to 'smearing' of the Hammerite. Neutralizing the is a good call as well (have not over painted it yet).
It does gives a bit of a buzz this excavation work, I am still not sure whether my 1972 is all L 90 D (06) pastel white... there might be some blue in it as well..

Cheers Klaus