# Repainting Plastic Cars



## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

Hi
A few years ago I was told if I just painted over old painted lettering I would still be able to read the lettering through the new paint. Does that sound right? I also read a post about removing factory painted lettering from rolling stock. If I remember right someone said Dot 5 brake fluid would take the lettering off without harming the plastic car. Does that sound right?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

First point....yes, you will still be able to see the lettering under a re-paint....

Second point....brake fluid will likely take the paint off, and soften the plastic car, do not do it....

Unless, of course, you test it on a crap car.....


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

I know Dot 5 won't do the same damage as Dot 3 but yeah maybe it will still melt plastic. I'm looking for a easy way to remove lettering without sanding tiny spaces on a HO car


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

I've never done it, but I've read that you can soak in in 91% alcohol. Here are a few other ideas.








Paint stripping


I am working on a project that involves stripping the paint from a K-Line EP-5 locomotive shell. It was a Great Northern paint scheme with multiple layers of paint. I used the DOT brake fluid method and let the shell sit overnight. Barely any paint came off, even with some determined scrubbing...




www.modeltrainforum.com


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I was very successful in painting some cars a few years ago using a bead blaster to remove all the paint and lettering before painting. The only thing you have to do with plastic is keep the nozzle farther away for a more gentle action. I'm planning on another go when I get time, I have about 20 of the MTH Premier club boxcars that I bought for peanuts NIB. I would like to make a nice string of PRR boxcars from them.


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

Lehigh74 said:


> I've never done it, but I've read that you can soak in in 91% alcohol. Here are a few other ideas.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link. I started soaking one with the 91% alcohol this morning, we'll see how that goes


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Diesel Fuel said:


> Thanks for the link. I started soaking one with the 91% alcohol this morning, we'll see how that goes


Diesel Fuel;

If the paint is alcohol-based, and many factory paints are, then the soaking and scrubbing the model with an old toothbrush may work. I have had great success removing all the paint, and lettering, right down to bare plastic by using alcohol in a small ultrasonic cleaner.

Good Luck;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

I tried cleaning up a hopper car in brake fluid once. It softened up the plastic so badly that I left fingerprints in the plastic just from picking it up out of the tray, and I had to handle it further in order to wash off the fluid. I've had good luck with 91% alcohol though, but it does take a bit of scrubbing with an old toothbrush.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

1 - Yes, pad-printed lettering has a "texture"/relief that will be visible under new paint.
2 - The above suggestions are good - I've had good success striping models from several manufacturers with alcohol.


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

Morning Guys
I have removed the lettering using 91% alcohol. At first I didn't think it would work but this morning I got a little more serious about leaving the car in a container of alcohol and all of a sudden it just scrubbed right off. Knowing what I do know I could probably clean one off in under 2 hours.Thanks for all the help and ideas.
A few pics


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Looks like it even left the paint under the lettering.


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## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

I've tried stripping entirely and removing paint with many methods and the best I can come up with is "it depends". Sometimes alcohol with a swab brings the lettering right off, sometimes the lettering and base paint comes off.

Sometimes very careful scraping with a scalpel (rounded) blade removes the lettering neatest.

Sometimes the only recourse is to strip or scrape to the plastic and then patch.

If stripping the whole care, sometimes Alcohol, sometimes Super Clean ( I use Purple Power). Sometimes nothing that is safe for plastic will work, though this is usually when the car has been painted and primed with aggressive enamels.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

Now my question in all of this... Where are you finding 91% iso alcohol at?!? We finally started getting 70% back on the shelves again last month, but none of the stores have 91% in stock.


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I used some spray cleaner I got at work to take lettering off of cars but it’s very expensive and can be hard on some plastics. I just painted a couple of heavyweights and you can’t really tell the factory lettering is still there. I used Vallejo paints with my air brush and the roof that’s painted black was I think krylon satin black these cars only have one coat of paint at the point this picture was taken with no dull coat yet. They’re athearn blue box cars


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Looks like it even left the paint under the lettering.


That's a real plus because I planed on using a black car!


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

Shdwdrgn said:


> Now my question in all of this... Where are you finding 91% iso alcohol at?!? We finally started getting 70% back on the shelves again last month, but none of the stores have 91% in stock.


I didn't know that, I just happened to have a bottle because I use it as part of a record cleaning fluid I mix up. Guess I better keep an eye open for more


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Shdwdrgn said:


> Now my question in all of this... Where are you finding 91% iso alcohol at?!? We finally started getting 70% back on the shelves again last month, but none of the stores have 91% in stock.


Shdwdrgn;

You can order 99% alcohol from Amazon. My wife just received an order of it. It was expensive though. Also, you don't really need 91% to remove paint. The 70% should work.

Traction Fan 🙂


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

traction fan said:


> Shdwdrgn;
> 
> You can order 99% alcohol from Amazon. My wife just received an order of it. It was expensive though. Also, you don't really need 91% to remove paint. The 70% should work.
> 
> Traction Fan 🙂


Will 70% work slower? I'm working on a second boxcar now that was Santa Fe red. The lettering came off easy but I'm having a tough time getting through the red. I wonder if 70% would not work as good.


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

I realize now this thread should be titled stripping paint and lettering not repainting plastic cars


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

If you’re trying to remove paint and everything have you thought about using denatured alcohol?


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

Jscullans said:


> If you’re trying to remove paint and everything have you thought about using denatured alcohol?


Never used that for anything before. Is it stronger than regular alcohol?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

70% is much slower at removing paint.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Diesel Fuel said:


> Will 70% work slower? I'm working on a second boxcar now that was Santa Fe red. The lettering came off easy but I'm having a tough time getting through the red. I wonder if 70% would not work as good.


Diesel Fuel;

Yes, 70% alcohol has 30% water diluting it, so it might not work as well. It may require longer soaking, and more scrubbing. A lot of factory paint is alcohol-based, but I don't think I've ever seen water-based paint used for a factory paint job.
So, the more alcohol, the stronger the dissolving action on the alcohol-based paint will be.
When I strip paint from a model, I use alcohol in a small ultrasonic cleaner. This works great with either 91% or 70% since the cleaner does high speed micro scrubbing. The model will typically be down to bare plastic in 20 min.
If no ultrasonic cleaner is available, a product called "soft scrub" helps get the paint off with less scrubbing. Soft scrub is a gentle substitute for household cleanser (Ajax, Comet, Etc.) It's usually in the household cleaners section of supermarkets, or Walmart. 

Good Luck;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I’ve used denatured alcohol to clean a couple painted parts for cars and it’s taken the paint off. I’m not sure if it would hurt it but I think it’s somewhat comparable to kerosene. They use it to light the old Coleman camp lanterns so it’s got to be relatively flammable so if you try it wear gloves. Not certain if it will effect plastic so if you use it I would try it in a spot not visible like inside the shell.


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Denatured alcohol is just moonshine (PGA) with stuff added to make it unfit for consumption - usually methanol. I've had some success removing paint with it.


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I was doing a paint job on an athearn blue box heavyweight and an mdc Harriman diner car this weekend and I ended up getting decals and paint off with 91% isopropyl alcohol. I applied it with a brush and worked it around in small areas then I scrubbed on it with a microfiber rag like you would get at autozone and the paint was coming right off for me. If you don’t have any 91% you may be able to find some 70% at the local drug store. I’ve got half of a mind to test hand sanitizer which most everyone has right now to see if that works. The 91% worked like a charm though


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

I have used nail polish remover on a Q tip but it will attack the paint underneath. It's acetone based so I kept a wet paper towel to wipe the car down as soon as the lettering was gone.


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

Gramps said:


> I have used nail polish remover on a Q tip but it will attack the paint underneath. It's acetone based so I kept a wet paper towel to wipe the car down as soon as the lettering was gone.


That's interesting, I would have thought acetone would have went right through all the paint as soon as it touched it. I might give your method a try


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Just make sure you wet down the area right away. If the lettering is staying but the paint is fading, wet it down, wait a while and try again. If you're going to repaint the entire car it might not matter.


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

Also be careful with acetone because a friend of mine uses it as a plastic weld to build model semi trucks. They may be a different type of plastic but don’t let it touch any raw plastic till you at least try it somewhere that’s not visible on the particular model


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Jscullans said:


> Also be careful with acetone because a friend of mine uses it as a plastic weld to build model semi trucks. They may be a different type of plastic but don’t let it touch any raw plastic till you at least try it somewhere that’s not visible on the particular model


Acetone is also extremely flammable. It evaporates very quickly, and the fumes are harmful to humans & pets. Read all the cautions on the container, this stuff can be very dangerous if used improperly.

Traction Fan


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Back in the 90's "kids" were inhaling acetone fumes to get a buzz. A friend caught his kid and some others doing it in the garage. He poured some on a piece of plastic and it melted into a puddle. They were "scared straight"... at least as far as that went.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

I realize how strong acetone is but I'm talking about a small amount of nail polish remover on a Q tip and I emphasize the wet paper towel.


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Gotcha Gramps. Apologies for derailing.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

No apology needed.


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

Gramps said:


> Just make sure you wet down the area right away. If the lettering is staying but the paint is fading, wet it down, wait a while and try again. If you're going to repaint the entire car it might not matter.


I used some nail polish remover today to get the last of some stubborn paint out of the cracks. It did a good job but I was afraid of melting the plastic. I followed your advice and washed it down with water so the Acetone didn't lay on the plastic too long. I worked outdoors on the patio. Now the boxcar is ready for repaint and decals


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Glad it worked for you. Hopefully you can post a photo of the finished model.


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## Shdwdrgn (Dec 23, 2014)

traction fan said:


> Shdwdrgn;
> 
> You can order 99% alcohol from Amazon. My wife just received an order of it. It was expensive though. Also, you don't really need 91% to remove paint. The 70% should work.
> 
> Traction Fan 🙂


Somehow I missed this post when you put it up... I'm not using it to remove paint, I use it to clean the flux while building my turnouts. I also am using it directly on the foam while soldering flex track together (it runs off the rails and onto the foam), and I'm concerned what 99% would do to the foam and other bits? 70% requires a period of soaking to get the flux off but the 91% will strip it pretty quickly with a toothbrush. And 99%? Well numerically it's not that different from 91%, but the difference in concentration has an exponential curve to it I believe?


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Shdwdrgn said:


> Somehow I missed this post when you put it up... I'm not using it to remove paint, I use it to clean the flux while building my turnouts. I also am using it directly on the foam while soldering flex track together (it runs off the rails and onto the foam), and I'm concerned what 99% would do to the foam and other bits? 70% requires a period of soaking to get the flux off but the 91% will strip it pretty quickly with a toothbrush. And 99%? Well numerically it's not that different from 91%, but the difference in concentration has an exponential curve to it I believe?


Shdwdrgn;

I don't know if it would harm extruded foam. I live in California where extruded foam is hard to find. I used Styrofoam beadboard on my grandson's layout for that reason. I haven't gotten any 99% alcohol on the Styrofoam though. I suppose you could try some on a small scrap of foam. If necessary, you could also dilute the 99% with a little water.

Good Luck;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

traction fan said:


> Shdwdrgn;
> 
> I don't know if it would harm extruded foam. I live in California where extruded foam is hard to find. I used Styrofoam beadboard on my grandson's layout for that reason. I haven't gotten any 99% alcohol on the Styrofoam though. I suppose you could try some on a small scrap of foam. If necessary, you could also dilute the 99% with a little water.
> 
> ...


You can’t get polystyrene foam in California?


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Jscullans said:


> You can’t get polystyrene foam in California?


You might be able to get it, but the Home Depot, Lowes, etc. don't carry it, as they do in many other states. I looked at buying online from Lowes, but there is a big catch, a $100 fee, on top of the price! 

Traction Fan


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

That’s highway robbery. California has waaaaaaaaay more regulations than Illinois does I’m about every single category


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Proposition 65... air could cause cancer.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Further research has shown it's not air that causes cancer, it's breathing the air


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

I stand corrected Gramps. No breathing in Ca.


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I was very successful in painting some cars a few years ago using a bead blaster to remove all the paint and lettering before painting. The only thing you have to do with plastic is keep the nozzle farther away for a more gentle action. I'm planning on another go when I get time, I have about 20 of the MTH Premier club boxcars that I bought for peanuts NIB. I would like to make a nice string of PRR boxcars from them.


You can also turn the air down if you have the right setup. I have a blasting cabinet and use only glass beads, a very fine media. Looks like white sand. I have never tried it on plastic. Just metal. The glass beads leaves a very smooth surface where as sand will etch the surface some what. If you could compare the two finishes, you would feel a difference. I have always used glass beads. Don't misunderstand, sand is okay. I just the like result of the glass beads.
I would never use ANY brake fluid on anything made of plastic. Fine as a paint remover on metal. Plastic will soften if not completely distort. I have fooled with and restored many muscle cars way bock when and learned from stupid accidents what brake fluid will do to plastic. Back then it was only Dot 3.
91% rubbing alcohol will work if you leave the car soak for a bit and also a tooth brush.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Jscullans said:


> That’s highway robbery. California has waaaaaaaaay more regulations than Illinois does I’m about every single category


 Yes, we are the "Nanny state"
Traction Fan 😕


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