Plastic Part Paint Stripping

Q: Plastic Part Paint Stripping

Does anyone have any advice for stripping paint off of plastic parts? I attempted to repaint my dash and let’s just say the first attempt didn’t go so well. Can I use off the shelf paint stripper?

A: Paint stripper is probably too strong. I have used brake fluid on plastic parts in the past. If you can soak it in it, its quick. Other wise, it takes a while.

A: My brother, a serious plastic model airplane hobbyist, gave me this tip for taking paint off plastic. He said to use Westley’s Bleche-White whitewall/blackwall tire cleaner. You can get this stuff at almost any auto parts store.

Here’s my testimony: My painter got overspray on my turn signal lenses and on the rubber moldings along the rails for my convertible top. Naturally I was sick when I saw the paint on the turn signal lenses (have you priced 1968 lenses lately?). Anyway….I soaked the parts in the Bleche-White for 24 hours. ALL the paint came off, even the silver paint which is applied by the factory on the lenses. I used an old tooth brush to get the paint out of the various nooks and crannies of the part. The paint came off the rubber pieces just as well. The Bleche-White had absolutely no ill effects on the plastic or rubber parts. I wore rubber gloves when handling the parts in the solution as it is caustic to skin.

Oh yeah, I masked off my turn signal lenses and painted them with the same silver that’s used on Rally II wheels. They look brand spanking new!

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