Stripping off old paint to find old military markings
 

Hello Maple Leaf Up restorers,

I posted a message about my truck last week and would like some advice about how to remove layers of paint one at time to try and find old military markings that might be on my truck. After seeing the truck again for first time since March I realised that the cab from the windscreen, over the roof and to the back of the cab have reverted back to a military green. The mudguards and doors have been repainted lots of times so there is a slight chance that any markings might still be covered up.

I would appreciate any advice about how to get the suplus coats off as carefully as possible.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Link.............
 

this link may help lionel


http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=112487

Looking through the layers
 

Hi Lionel and Mike

Mike the g503 is a good link and what the guys had to say is good. My experience says what ever way you use proceed slowly and with real caution, start someplace that is highly unlikely to any marking and work your way down through the layers in bands so you can find out how many layers and what colors until you know whats there by layer all the way down to the bare steel.

Once you have a key to colors and layers move to the edge of panel that may have markings and see if the same layers are true to your test area.

My personnel experience has been wet sanding with orbital air sander with fine wet sand paper with flowing water to keep cleaned away. Other wise it forms a colored paste that hides what you are working on.

What vintage vehicle are you working with and what vintage paint?

Why I ask is that my HUP original CMP paint was completely different from the French OD paint on my C60S. They take different techniques to remove layer by layer.

Let us know how your paint archeology goes.

Cheers Phil

Soda blasting
 

Hi,

Looks like you chaps have this pretty well covered. The paint stripper and technique in the G503 thread seems to work.

I'd just like to add that I've been told that soda blasting (sodium bicarbonate I believe) is able, when done correctly, to remove coatings by layers. A relative has a boatyard and they had to recondition a burnt out engine room in a steel ship and they were amazed at the ability of the mob they got in to do the soda blasting. But at a price of course...

Good Luck

Cheers

Alex