# how do i strip paint from a road champs bus?



## Cobratrooper11 (Mar 4, 2015)

how do i strip paint from a road champs bus? and then what paint would be good for repaint purposes? i am to recieve a Flxible with major paint damage from ebay, and thought you guys might know the easiest way i rehab it! thanks for your help. 

























this is the bus in question!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Are you going to remove all of the various parts, first (wheels, plastic trim, windows, etc.)? If you do, you can strip the paint on the metal shell itself with Heavy Duty Easy Off Oven Cleaner ... spray in an old metal pan, cover with tin foil, let soak for hours, rinse & scrub with Scotch Brite pad, etc.).

If you don't plan to remove all of the various parts, you might instead use a wire brush on a dremel to feather away the big chips, and then tape and prime and spray paint.

Either way, you've got some tough graphics works ahead. Decals in mind?

Maybe instead ...

Use some toothpick dabs of white acrylic craft paint to simply touch up the white chips, and a black Sharpie pen to touch up the black. Simple, and not perfect, but it might get you 90% of the way there.

Besides ... what actual city bus drives around without a few dings and dents?!? 

TJ


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Can you take the chassis off?

Many, many, many products will work here, and which one is "best" will largely be determined by your own personal preferences. For stripping, I prefer a product called Easy Lift Off or ELO. It's made by Testors (Rustoleum) and is widely available in hobby stores. It is safe for plastics, which isn't true of all products.

For painting, you will probably want an airbrush (a whole other can of worms). I prefer acrylics for health reasons, and my preferred brand is Vallejo. However, any of the major brands will be fine.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I am repainting an old switcher. Removed all parts
of the shell that would come off, including the
window glazing and let soak a day or two in
brake fluid. Then very carefully use a kitchen
brush to remove the loosened paint. You may need
a fine point tool to get it from fine details. Wash
with dish detergent afterwards.

If you don't want to use an air brush, hobby shops
have an acrylic spray can paint by Tamiya. Art
supply stores also have acrylic in spray cans.

Whatever paint you choose, test it on an obscure
surface of your model to make certain it doesn't
mar. I test it using a q-tip with a drop of
the paint on it.

Don


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## Cobratrooper11 (Mar 4, 2015)

i am going to try and dissasemble the bus before i strip it! then i'll try the spray paint idea!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Leave it as is and try your hand at adding some weathering?
It off to a good start.


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## Mark R. (Jan 26, 2013)

Diecast models are painted entirely different than engines or train cars. These finishes are baked on to make them durable (remember, these are toys for kids !).

I also restore a lot of diecast cars, and the products we are accustomed to using to strip our model trains will not touch this stuff. You need to go with the heavy-duty stuff. Aircraft stripper or furniture stripper will do the job in rather short order right down to clean bare metal in about ten minutes.

Be sure to remove any and all plastic and rubber parts first (don't forget the headlights and tail-lights). I've actually done three of these exact same buses, and they clean up quite nice.

Mark.


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## Cobratrooper11 (Mar 4, 2015)

Mark R. said:


> Diecast models are painted entirely different than engines or train cars. These finishes are baked on to make them durable (remember, these are toys for kids !).
> 
> I also restore a lot of diecast cars, and the products we are accustomed to using to strip our model trains will not touch this stuff. You need to go with the heavy-duty stuff. Aircraft stripper or furniture stripper will do the job in rather short order right down to clean bare metal in about ten minutes.
> 
> ...


got pics?


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## Mark R. (Jan 26, 2013)

Here's one of them. It's kind of dirty from being on my layout now for a number of years ....










Mark.


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## Cobratrooper11 (Mar 4, 2015)

wow! i was thinking of painting mine in LACMTA Livery, or a custom created livery for my future layout!


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Mark R. said:


> Diecast models are painted entirely different than engines or train cars. These finishes are baked on to make them durable (remember, these are toys for kids !).
> 
> I also restore a lot of diecast cars, and the products we are accustomed to using to strip our model trains will not touch this stuff. You need to go with the heavy-duty stuff. Aircraft stripper or furniture stripper will do the job in rather short order right down to clean bare metal in about ten minutes.
> 
> ...


Very true. I did not look carefully enough and thought this was a Wiking or Herpa model.

One other thing about die cast models. Even though they may be listed as HO scale, they are often actually 1:72 scale, which is noticeably too large.


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## Cobratrooper11 (Mar 4, 2015)

CTValleyRR said:


> Very true. I did not look carefully enough and thought this was a Wiking or Herpa model.
> 
> One other thing about die cast models. Even though they may be listed as HO scale, they are often actually 1:72 scale, which is noticeably too large.


i guess that shows how details road champs models were/are... anyway my plan is to paint it something like this.









or i could also go with this









i know someone once custom made a road champs LACMTA bus, but havent seen a pic in ages!


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## Cobratrooper11 (Mar 4, 2015)

if i may ask.... would waterslide decals work better for stripe and livery logos?


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## SBRacing (Mar 11, 2015)

If you cannot unscrew the chassie, you can take a drill and drill the pin. I did that for my of my cars so i could paint the indside and paint body seperate. After I was done i took a litte glue and glued what was left of the pin to the chassie.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

I use Original Formula Pine Sol...scent is bearable and it is spouse approved. I just set it in a jar over night....



















I file down the real thick window frames when it is stripped....










Still looking for some good graphics, though I think this one will end up as a road side sign like a couple of restaurants in town have...


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## DaveInTheHat (Nov 13, 2011)

Take it apart and soak the body in a small jar of lacquer thinner over night. I've stripped a few die casts. The paint is tough to get off. 
Paint on the plastic parts usually can be stripped with oven cleaner.
After I strip the paint I wash all the parts in Dawn before I prime them.


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