North American Turbocoupe Organization



Stubborn Clear Coat
Walsted Offline
Posting Freak
#1
A while ago, I asked about removing clearcoat from 10-hole rims. I sprayed all four rims with Aircraft Paint Remover, ($4 at Walmart, $5 at Pep Boys,) and the clearcoat came right off of two of the wheels, and they look real nice. A bunch of dirt came off of the other two wheels, but the clear-coat stayed on real tight, except for a few chips. The two wheels that it came off have a 1987 (E7) part number, and the two that it stayed on have a 1991 (F1) part number. I have since tried three or four other different types of paint/lacquer/polyurethane/epoxy remover, on about half a dozen occasions, let it set for up to an hour, and the clear coat is still on the newer wheels. I clean the wheels off after every attempt with soap and water to keep from having my garage smell like paint remover, and the chips haven't even changed shape.

I really like the polished look that the wheels have when the clear coat comes off. Does anyone have any ideas on how to chemically remove the really clean and really stubborn clearcoat on the newer wheels? I would prefer not to resort to sandblasting or anything similar, since I fear that would ruin the finish.

Thanks

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Mike Walsted - NATO member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe .
Mike Walsted - Sold my 1986 5-speed TurboCoupe
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wwwtbirdforumcom Offline
Senior Member
#2
post some pics of each wheel for us to see if you get a chance
NATO Member
Here is my 1987 TC, Mean look - Glad to be here...
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[Image: Cumberland.gif]
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Hawk Offline
Senior Member
#3
Mike,

There are many brands of stripper on the market, some work well, others, not so well. Of the strippers available to the public, the best one I have used is made by CleanStrip. It is sold under the Ditzler/PPG line of products. Ask for Ditzler Aircraft Stripper. To help the stripper do its job, rough up the clear coat with something like 220 grit sand paper. Just scratch it up. The scratches allow the stripper to really attack the paint. I've run into some really stubborn finishes in my 20 years of painting.
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dixiedude06 Offline
Member
#4
So if you just strip off the clear coat do they lok nice? Can you just leave them like that? thanks

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87 turbocoupe, 5-speed, Completely loaded, superchip, bleeder valve set to 17 psi, Kn cone
87 turbocoupe, 5-speed, Completely loaded, some mods
93 F-150 Lightning #4593 of 5276
13.9 @ 99 mph
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Walsted Offline
Posting Freak
#5
Quote:Originally posted by dixiedude06:
So if you just strip off the clear coat do they look nice?
I think so, although I have to clean them up a bit. They look polished, with a mirror finish. Mine are the 10-hole/phone dial style like on the Mustangs, though, not the same as the snowflake style that came on the 87/88 turbocoupes.

Quote:Can you just leave them like that?
They still need something on them. The thread referenced above has a lot of good info on it, and I plan on keeping them waxed. That is, if I can get the clearcoat off of the second set.

hawk: Thanks for the advice on the stripper and the sandpaper. That will be my next attempt, although I will have to be careful not to sand the spots where the clearcoat has chipped off.



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Mike Walsted - NATO member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe .
Mike Walsted - Sold my 1986 5-speed TurboCoupe
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