How should I remove this paint from my door panels?

[Gigem]

Some previous owner/asshat put some paint on these original 1972 GMC Sierra Grande door panels. How best to remove? Goof Off? Acetone? Mineral spirits?

[57taskforce]

A Pressure washer will likely do it. Mine had spray adhesive on them... before and after.

[Luvlegs]

I've used handfuls of sand and literally rubbed plastic auto parts that were detailed (to get into textured areas). I painted them afterwards but there was little "scratching" visible. Not sure it would work if you we're trying to get paint off and then leave without a finish.

[k29349]

Rub on a nice coating of brake fluid and then pressure wash the next day.

[MAC71Cheyenne]

Mineral spirits and acetone will eat the plastic.
Least aggressive first then work up. I would try Dawn dish soap with a fairly stiff brush first the denatured alcohol if the Dawn doesn't cut it. Depending on how clean the prior prep and paint used it may just scrub off.

[StingRay]

Those door panels are polypropylene. There are few solvents that will even touch the stuff. White panels I media blast. It'll take off all of the oxidized plastic along with the paint and leave a very nice panel. It'll be a flat finish though.

[MAC71Cheyenne]

Now why didn't I think of that?

[StingRay]

Polypropylene is unbelievably tough stuff. Same stuff modern front bumpers are made of. it's actually tough to stick any kind of paint to. Pressure washing, paint strippers and the like will wok fine. Pressure washing might get a lot of that oxidized stuff off too. Blasting works great and when painting again it'll have a little tooth into the plastic. Use low pressure and a small blaster for the job. Not trying to kill the panel with an industrial pressure blaster. An adhesion promoter should be used before paint and possibly a flame treatment of the panel as well

[72bowtiestepper]

Thanks for the ideas guys....I am about to refinish the plastic door panels on my 72....Great timing !

[Gigem]

The good folks over at the Garage Journal suggested EZ Off. That, followed up with a bath from my low powered electric pressure washer did a pretty good job.

[Gigem]

Today I am repainting these door panels. Did some research and got all of the SEM products needed to do the job. SEM Soap, SEM Plastic and Leather Prep, SEM Plastic Adhesion Promoter and 2 cans of SEM Color Coat - Super White.

This is after doing all the prep and shooting maybe 2-3 light coats of color.

I am going to shoot several more coats. Someone on here said that they used a can per panel which seemed crazy but now not so crazy. After prep, these panels drink up this paint!

These won't be perfect since there were several pretty deep scratches in the plastic, but I think they will be good enough for my jalopy.

I'll post more pictures of the final product tomorrow.

[best view]

,Those came out nice good work

[Gigem]

Here are the door panels finished and put back together with the trim and new inserts. I realize now that I need to do the arm rests too. That will be tomorrow's project.

[KSCHEVYUP]

Thanks for sharing this project with everyone.
I will be doing my door panels sometime this year
Ron

[FL71C10]

Those look great. Nice job!

[72bowtiestepper]

Nice work Gigem...lookin' good !

[CG]

They look good! But ... after reading the thread and going back to the first post it made me chuckle.

40 years from now your truck will be owned by someone that isn't born yet. Maybe he will sign up for this board (you never know it might still be around) and his first post will start out with a picture and ...

Some previous owner/asshat put some paint on these... LOL!

[Gigem]

Originally Posted by CG

They look good! But ... after reading the thread and going back to the first post it made me chuckle.

40 years from now your truck will be owned by someone that isn't born yet. Maybe he will sign up for this board (you never know it might still be around) and his first post will start out with a picture and ...

Some previous owner/asshat put some paint on these... LOL!

[landarts]

I bought these for $20 dollars from a guy on Marketplace. When I went to pick them up they were ugly and covered with black spray paint and not a very good job. Bought them to see if I could revive them and turn them into a useful set of door panels.

I bought a small jug of Orange Citrus strip from Home Depot and brushed it on with a chip brush and covered them with some painters plastic for about an hour. Walked them outside of the garage into the rocks and sprayed it off with a power washer. Then sprayed them down with some Simple Green and power washed again. Just about like new.