Questioni have
just been given an early model ford coupe and the children where i got it from have sprauyed the duco with black spray paint from a can how can i get it off the maroon duco without ruining the original paint job please
AnswerHi Anthony....There actually are a few safe and effective ways to remove graffiti spray paint off of a vehicle's finish, without damaging the paint to the point of having to refinish the vehicle. The various methods, will depend on which type of paint is on the vehicle.
In general, there are 2 types of paint. A) Single stage paint, in which the color and gloss coats are mixed together initially, and then sprayed on, resulting in the color and gloss in a single pass. Hence the term "Single stage". Single stage paint, will be either Lacquer or Enamel. B) Basecoat/Clearcoat, (2 stage paint) in which the color/base coat is first applied and allowed to dry, and then the clear coat is then applied afterward.
That being said, if your vehicle still has the original Duco paint on it, it will be a single stage lacquer paint.
To find out if you have a single stage or 2 stage paint on your vehicle, (in the chance that the vehicle has been refinished in the past,) simply take a piece of fine grit sandpaper, and sand a tiny spot in an inconspicuous spot on the car. If when sanding the residue is maroon, it will be a single stage paint. If the residue is white, it will be a base/clear 2 stage paint. Listed below, are the recommended ways to safely remove the graffiti spray paint:
Single stage: Use a rubbing compound on a soft cloth, and gently rub the affected area with a back and forth motion. Once the graffiti has been removed, follow up by using a finishing compound on a different soft cloth, using the same method. If you have access to a power polisher, you can use the same steps, just remember to keep the speed low, and take your time.
2 Stage paint: You can use the exact same process and materials for this as mentioned above for single stage. In addition, you can safely use a paint thinner/reducer on a clean soft rag also to remove the graffiti. If using this method, you will still need to apply a finishing compound afterward, as the solvent will somewhat dull the clear coat, depending upon how long the solvent has been in contact with the finish.
If there is anything else I can help you out with, please drop me another line anytime.....Hope this helps....Thanks....Dave.
