I used some aircraft stripper. It takes all the paint off in one step. You can then degrease them, sand them and paint them, or have them powder coated.
Aircraft Stripper works very well. You'll probably need several applicatiions to get everything off. You can also use a paint scraper for most and a brown 3M buffing wheel and a power drill to remove a lot of the softened paint. Just wear some eye protection. The wheel will sling material, and aircraft stripper in the eyes is very excruciating.
After I get them stripped, I wash them with a degreaser, like Castrol Super Clean and rinse very well. After they're dry, I wash them with White Vinegar. Again, let them dry very well. Maybe overnight.
I prime them with Zinc Phosphate primer. This is the type primer used on aircraft prior to painting. When the primer is dried, shoot your coat of paint. For a close to original red, I use Hi-Temp Ford Engine Red. I usually let the covers bake in the sun for at least a day. After the paint's dry, using a window scraper of the kind that uses a single-edge razor blade, slice the primer and paint off the raised surfaces and oil filler cap seal area. There'll be some staining left from the primer.
I then use a minimum of 1200 grit sand paper on an electric pad sander to polish off the ribbing of the covers. After the sanding is completed, I bake them in an oven for 30 minutes at 200 degrees.
Do you have to bake them? I'm thinking that my wife isn't going to let me do that in her $1k convection oven... I'm going to use a purple paint that I found at the auto store. It says that it is good to 500F. Not sure if I believe that...
-Brian
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02:34 PM
Eclipse Member
Posts: 2040 From: Woodstock, Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 2004
I'd like to add that the dishwasher works well for degreasing parts.
.....but it tends to get blood on the floor.
The reason I bake them is to harden the paint before it comes into contact with engine oils. Helps keep stains from soaking into the paint. I've never had a problem with odors while baking them.
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09:35 PM
Apr 10th, 2009
Eclipse Member
Posts: 2040 From: Woodstock, Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 2004
Rule # 1 - and I say this from pure experience - men, don't ever let your wife catch you rebuilding 20+ year old calipers on her brand new, solid wood ( I think it's cherry or something like that), dining room table.
------------------ Jay Brintnell Southern Ontario Fiero Association Yellow 85 Notchback(A.K.A. GodFearN)
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01:56 AM
sjmaye Member
Posts: 2468 From: Hendersonville, TN USA Registered: Jun 2003
I stripped and bead blasted all ready to paint them myself. I finally ended up sending them to Electrathon here on PFF to have them powder coated. Couldn't be happier with the result.
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04:15 AM
PFF
System Bot
Eclipse Member
Posts: 2040 From: Woodstock, Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 2004
you can use a space heater to bake parts ,just build a wall around it,, that parts are in ..
On a warm day,,you can place parts in a box once the parts are dry enough not to attract dirt ect. the box is open at the top and placed so full sun reaches parts .. you can also place a sheet of plastic or glass over the box and this will retain heat to bake on finish just lay an all metal wrench on the concrete that recieves full sun on a warm day and then pick it up a few hours later to see how this works.. Dupli color is not as heat resistant as VHT .. I found out the hard way before they lowered the temp reading on the can the paint would endure allways have some sort of plan ,, then move forward to accomplish it ..
[This message has been edited by uhlanstan (edited 04-10-2009).]
