Why strip it completely to the bare metal? Is the original paint cracked up or something? I did body work and paint for twenty five years, and found that (usually) the original primer and paint make a tougher base than what most people can do by stripping and starting over. If the original paint isn't cracked up or peeling off etc, I usually just remove any repaints (since it comes off easier, as you discovered), and use a good primer and do a lot of priming and block sanding. The fact that it's so hard to get off says something, so why not use it to your advantage? As someone else mentioned, it takes a lot of materials and labor to prepare the sanded (or sandblasted) metal for paint. I'm sure others will have different opinions, but I've always had good luck doing it like this. What ever you do, don't scrimp on the quality of your materials. Always buy the best materials you can afford, or figure out just what you can afford, then get better stuff. It makes a big difference in how long it will hold up, especially when it's out in the weather a lot. Even though it's more expensive, I like to use a good epoxy primer when possible. It's much tougher than basic inexpensive primer (if there is such a thing these days). The cheap stuff is just that.....cheap stuff. It might look good for a couple of years, but on something you plan to keep a long time, you'll be much happier with the good stuff. If you use good materials, mix and apply it correctly, and really take care of it like you should, it should last a long time. I don't like doing things more than once. But anyway, back to your question.....you can use "Aircraft" paint stripper to remove the paint. It's a messy job, but does work good. Once the paint is removed, you can use the DA with a somewhat finer grit paper, then prime and block sand a lot. It's better to strip small areas (like one fender) at a time, so the stripper don't dry on the car. I like to strip one fender, sand and prime the bare metal, then block sand that one, before moving on to another one. That way I don't get overwhelmed with trying to do the entire car at one time. Good luck on your project.
Jim
N. Carolina
N. Carolina
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