Curious as to some of the methods you guys employ to do this. I bought a car with a dodgey paint job, but the worst of it is they got overspray on the lights/trim.






The trim I can just scuff and repaint. But I'm curious what you've used to get the paint off the plastic lenses without damaging them.

I've used acetone before, but it puts a haze on the plastic that takes forever to buff off. Simple Green? Paint thinner? Little help?

http://www.autogeek.net/clbaandlu.html

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&as ... CCcQrQQwAw

Try toothpaste.

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83' DR30

I always use this product...

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i dislike buying products for one-time use
so when i needed to restore some plastic lenses i wet-sanded them then used a series of paint polishing stuff i had and made the lenses look fantastic

i used BRASSO polish to remove over spray since i had som laying around and it worked grate it even polished the crome...

https://www.gtdawnbrite.com/shop/images/T/REC76523.jpg


or you can go the cheep way and use paint thiner but you must remove the parts so you can get in every cranny...

x2 on the claybar.

But the lenses can be polished quite aggressively

Check out these instructions for shaving the lettering off MX5 tail lights. It's got instructions on how to polish up the lenses again after the initial sanding. Basically you sand with increasingly finer grades of paper, then do a final polish.
http://www.miata.net/garage/lenspolish.html

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I'll suggest trying the least aggressive method first and being patient. The one thing I have noticed with polishing plastic is that once you do an aggressive polishing job with coarse polish and work down through the various grades, the polished finish lasts six months, the lens turns dull and rough looking, and you have to polish it over again. If you can get the paint off without breaking or deglossing the surface of the plastic, that is going to do the least damage and leave the lenses in the best condition.

Overspray clay is a big chunk of play-dough for your right hand and a spray bottle of final inspection spray in your left hand. Mist on the spray, then wipe the clay through the moistened surface. It is meant to pull the overspray off any smooth surface. The clay is so sticky that you can not wipe it over the surface without the lubrication of the spray. It is not abrasive and will not leave any scratches or mar the surface, if used correctly.

It is also something everyone should have next to the polish and wax on their garage shelf, because it is extremely useful for removing sap, tar, fallout, and anything else that drips onto a car and won't come off with soap or cleaner wax.

Got some of that in the shop. I'll give it a bash.



I'm taking them apart anyway, so that's no big deal. Just not sure what paint thinner is going to do to the plastic. I've seen it haze some plastics, and not others.



Thanks for all the tips. I'll go through them until I find something I like, definitely starting with the easiest/least caustic first.

I know with styrene (the car modeling background comes in handy once in awhile) you can soak the parts in Simple Green them the paint rubs off with a toothbrush. So if Brasso fails, I may go there next.

Have you tried that body work clay or Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound, that is usually good at removing any extra paint.

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1987 Nissan "Datsun" S12 200sx XE notch
1988 Acura Da3 Integra RS
1981 Toyota Te72 Corolla
1983 Toyota Ae72 Corolla

Oops. Didn't see that.

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1987 Nissan "Datsun" S12 200sx XE notch
1988 Acura Da3 Integra RS
1981 Toyota Te72 Corolla
1983 Toyota Ae72 Corolla

Last time that happened to me I just kept waxing with some elbow grease, took some time though.

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1978 280z 2+2
1984 Toyota Camry LE
Both in the family since new

Well, the Brasso worked, albeit VERY slowly. Unfortunately, halfway through the job one lens cracked, so I'll probably just get another pair of lights now.

Do post the best result you got. I'm interested in how you remove the overspray without removing the lens dye

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Choosing an old car doesn't have to mean you're on your own. JNC

DAMN, sorry i didnt see this until now. I work for Griot's Garage and we make a Paint Cleaning Clay that would have taken the overspray of perfectly....

Also, if you are interested in saving them as best you can, so extremely light wetsanding works VERY well. 2000 grit and plenty of water or lube will do the trick. Very simple and easy process.

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No other man-made device since the shields and lances of the ancient knights fulfills a man's ego like an automobile. -Sir William
1984 Tercel 4WD wagon