Best way to strip plastic grill?

MrNorm · Post by **MrNorm** » Sun Mar 10, 13 9:20 pm

Need to strip my 71 Challenger grill and want an effective and least hassle way to do it. Long story short I already laboriously stripped the 'dummy air intakes' (basically very fine detail and major PITA) once and then ruined them with watery rubbish MP paint. So they need stripping again but also the main grill. That also has a lot of bare black plastic which is dirty and stained, so i would be nice to have that looking better as well. So I'm thinking some kind of blasting possibly (soda, walnut ??) or a chemical stripper that works and will also sort out the bare plastic.

I'm fed up looking at this, I'd appreciate your suggestions!
Thanks

Not mine but in case you don't know what it looks like..

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sun Mar 10, 13 9:31 pm

I would not strip it.
I had a similar issue on a '69 Charger and I rubbed it down with VERY fine grade wet and dry and re-painted in Acrylic.

I am sure you will find a better way, though...

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sun Mar 10, 13 9:32 pm

with out seeing , cant you not wet flat with 400 -800 get it as flat as possible , if you break through dust a bit of plastic primer on the areas then a few coats of 2k highbulid primer then flat same as normal ,
what i done with mine , oviously dont get two pack in any fins waffle parts of the grill ,

MrNorm · Post by **MrNorm** » Sun Mar 10, 13 9:53 pm

Here is an example.....
This is the back of the grill, in it you can see the bare plastic, and the castellations of the front of the grill. It is a nightmare to sand, and I already spent a bit of time doing that but it will take forever to do by sanding
That's why I'm thinking a chemical stripper or blasting. The metal bit is also hassle but not my main concern...

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Mar 11, 13 8:44 am

If that is what they look like now I would just clean and paint over.

Nice to hear you are actually doing some work on the pink pram Gav.

latil · Post by **latil** » Mon Mar 11, 13 9:27 am

http://www.emodels.co.uk/plastic-kits/m ... 17270.html Still available

Nitromors is OK on some plastics,but,do you dare try?

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Mar 11, 13 9:31 am

latil wrote: Nitromors is OK on some plastics,but,do you dare try?

Plenty of unseen area on the underside to try a test.

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Mon Mar 11, 13 10:07 am

I would definitely try soda blasting rather than attacking it with chemicals Gavin!

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Mar 11, 13 10:28 am

Ivor wrote:I would definitely try soda blasting rather than attacking it with chemicals Gavin!

Chicken.

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Mon Mar 11, 13 11:12 am

There's nothing worse than the front of your 'cuda going floppy mate!

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Mar 11, 13 11:49 am

Ivor wrote:There's nothing worse than the front of your 'cuda going floppy mate!

Wrong! There is nothing worse than the front of your Challenger being mistaken for the front of a 'Cuda!

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Mon Mar 11, 13 12:11 pm

Oops, I'm losing my marbles

MrNorm · Post by **MrNorm** » Mon Mar 11, 13 12:16 pm

Don't worry Dave I'm not doing any work, just talking about it

Nah, actually step by tiny step I am actually making progress. It seems so slow that I've got used to it being never-ending, but I can actually see decent progress. Maybe I need to update my progress page......

Regarding cleaning and painting, I'm not even sure how to clean it. Getting into the back of those reinforcements is a pain, can't really get a brush in there. I thought about pressure washing but that may not work great and has some risk. I would certainly consider a chemical if it were a decent shot, its true there are plenty of unobtrusive areas to try on. Not sure about that modelling stuff though Steve - I'd probably need about 20 jars of it!

All good input though, all other thoughts appreciated. Ivor any advice on the soda blasting - do's or don'ts? The appeal of that route is hand it all over and get it back ready for paint....though for a price, but this may be one of those areas where it is money well spent?

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Mon Mar 11, 13 12:47 pm

I would wholeheartedly recommend soda blasting Gavin, it's a very gentle form of abrasive that leaves everything (including the rubber and plastic items I left on the body) clean an undamaged.

Here is a shot of the Alpine boy on the Rotisserie at the moment, the abrasive is so mild it cleaned all the paint and undercoats off yet the heat marks from the factory welding remain, while conventional blasting removes them.

I would suggest using a cheap home shot blasting gun, buying the soda and trying it in an inconspicuous area, I bet it works!

Philth · Post by **Philth** » Mon Mar 11, 13 12:51 pm

Hey Gavin,

You can try this: -
1) send the missus away with the kids for the weekend as a "treat"
2) run a very hot bath, mix in a goot measure of soda crystals
3) immerse grill in the bath, ajitating every now an then - note you do not have to get in the bath as well
4) leave for 24 hours
5) any dirt at the back of the reinforcements can be removed with the electric toothbrush that the missus "forgot" to pack
6) bonus points on missus returning as the soda crystals will have also cleaned the bath ("oh, you've cleaned the bath!")
7) everyone's happy - except maybe the toothbrush ("toothbrush, what toothbrush?")

Perhaps Will can make a Grill Cleaning Machine(TM) for his Charger that can be adapted for a Challenger....