# Removing paint from interior trim...



## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

The previous owner of my S13 decided it would be a good idea to paint many of the interior pieces bright yellow... This is very confusing to me, considering the car is "cranberry red"... Anyway, you can imagine I am fast to figure out how to remove the aforementioned problem... Can anyone suggest the best method of removing paint from interior plastics?...

Here is an example of one of the interior pieces:











Thankyou in advance for any help...


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

your probly gona end up haveing to sand it off and repaint black or another color and accent your stock intirior colors :thumbup: but what ever you do dont use paint striper


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## Twiz (Aug 24, 2004)

Try Goof-Off it works good on dried paint. You'll have to let the part soak in it for a few minutes and try to scrape it off with a plastic putty knife or a credit card.


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## Dav5049915 (Sep 26, 2004)

sanding plastic isn't a very good idea. 

either try what twiz said first, or if worst comes to worst, buy the plastics new.


edit: although that paint looks like you might be able to chip it off.


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

from the looks of it, he didnt prep the pieces(sand, primer) so using that goof off material and scraping with something hard but not sharp(credit card, etc) would be a good idea.


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## jeff9nissan (Jan 9, 2004)

I did that too mine. Only differently. But anyway, I let them soak in gasoline for a while, then rubbed them with turpintine. Try that. That way you still have the fake texture if there was any.


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

Dav5049915 said:


> sanding plastic isn't a very good idea.
> 
> either try what twiz said first, or if worst comes to worst, buy the plastics new.
> 
> ...


.......why cant you sand plastic?


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

Twiz said:


> Try Goof-Off it works good on dried paint. You'll have to let the part soak in it for a few minutes and try to scrape it off with a plastic putty knife or a credit card.


Where can I find Goof-Off?...


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

jeff9nissan said:


> I did that too mine. Only differently. But anyway, I let them soak in gasoline for a while, then rubbed them with turpintine. Try that. That way you still have the fake texture if there was any.


The gasoline didn't hurt the plastic?...


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

1.6pete said:


> .......why cant you sand plastic?


You can sand plastic - just work your way down to a very fine grade sandpaper


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## Binger (Aug 29, 2002)

may be alot less time consuming to just buy a junkyard interior and replace all of it then sell the painted crap to some kid on E-bay


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

Binger said:


> may be alot less time consuming to just buy a junkyard interior and replace all of it then sell the painted crap to some kid on E-bay


damn skippy. and i think if you use any type of turpantine it may soften the plastic and it could get gummy :thumbup:


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

So there is no possible way to remove paint from interior plastics?... I find this very hard to believe.... In all of our history, we could not come up with something to remove paint from plastics?...

I can't afford to buy the interior pieces (at the moment)... I am studying to be an automotive technician and that is eating all my money.... Exactly why I am trying to remove the paint...

I bought some "Goof-Off 2" but it isn't doing anything... I even let a few of the pieces soak in it over night... Should I have bought the regular "Goof-Off"?...

If worse comes to worse I will just try sanding with some fine grade sand paper... However, that will surely take some time...


Any other suggestions?...


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

well heres the thing even if you do sand it all off the plastic will then be kinda grey not black any more what you should do is just sand as much as you can off with out to much work then get some adesive promoter primer spray 3 bucks at wal mart, then get some black paint anything i prefer krylon drys very fast (7 min. fast!) and then youl have some nicely painted intirior peices but it wont be to "bling" like that weak ass yellow you have right now lol also i think its turbo 200 who made some custom tweeter enclosers for his a piller and he found so textur spray that you can sand alittle and get you "leather grain" back :thumbup:
but atr a junk yard it should be much at all to get new panels maybe 20bucks? im not sure


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

1.6pete said:


> well heres the thing even if you do sand it all off the plastic will then be kinda grey not black any more what you should do is just sand as much as you can off with out to much work then get some adesive promoter primer spray 3 bucks at wal mart, then get some black paint anything i prefer krylon drys very fast (7 min. fast!) and then youl have some nicely painted intirior peices but it wont be to "bling" like that weak ass yellow you have right now lol also i think its turbo 200 who made some custom tweeter enclosers for his a piller and he found so textur spray that you can sand alittle and get you "leather grain" back :thumbup:
> but atr a junk yard it should be much at all to get new panels maybe 20bucks? im not sure


I agree.. The bright yellow is just retarded... That's why I am removing it, to go back to the factory color... However, this leather texture idea is interesting...

Anyway, I soaked the pieces in "Goof-Off 2" overnight, and it did indeed work... Now I just have to scrape it all off (still a bit time consuming, but I don't really mind)... So, no sanding will be necessary... Depending on the outcome, I will either leave it unpainted, or repaint them black (maybe with alluminum paint on some very small sections, to add something without it being overstated)...

I'll post pictures of the finished job...


Thanks for the advice guys, as usual, it is very appreciated...


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## Twiz (Aug 24, 2004)

Yes... the regular goof-off, comes in a metal can, goof-off 2 comes with a sprayer and it's not concentrated. Return it and buy the other one if you still can. Try to refill it back somehow lol


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

Twiz said:


> Yes... the regular goof-off, comes in a metal can, goof-off 2 comes with a sprayer and it's not concentrated. Return it and buy the other one if you still can. Try to refill it back somehow lol


I'll remember that for next time... It's a little late now, I have already emptied the spray can to soak the parts...


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## Twiz (Aug 24, 2004)

Oh... I'm sorry to hear ... you could try to see if this paint peels under hot water... but not boiling water you don't want to warp the plastic. I'd try this a couple of times and leave the parts in there for a couple hours.


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

Twiz said:


> Oh... I'm sorry to hear ... you could try to see if this paint peels under hot water... but not boiling water you don't want to warp the plastic. I'd try this a couple of times and leave the parts in there for a couple hours.


No need... If I let them soak in "Goof Off 2" overnight, the paint comes right off...


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## Dav5049915 (Sep 26, 2004)

1.6pete said:


> .......why cant you sand plastic?



i was thinking sand blasting, totally different. my bad


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

Ok, I removed all the paint, which took forever to scrape off completely, and now I am looking to prep and repaint them...

What I need to know is:

What is a good product (brand or type of paint) for painting interior trim (plastic)?..

Should I prime them first, and if so, what is a good reliable primer for plastic?..

Thankyou in advance...


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

if you want it to stick use this or any other brand adhesion promotor and for the paint i think a semi-flat or a satin would go well with the rest of the plastic in your car (dont want it to shiny :thumbup: ) i think krylon's fusion paint would be good. get some krylon fusion satin black :thumbup: that should work


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

Well, I finished painting them... Here is a pic to show my handywork...










They all came out great... Very understated...


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

outstanding work! how did u get that look of aluminum on the vents fins? and did u paint the shifter too? i love when people learn or discover the beauties of spray paint............ theres just so much you can do to your car with only 5 bucks! :thumbup: F buying dash kits! ..............get some paint. i love that look too its so subtle its great :waving: and what did u finally end up using? krylon, duplicolor?


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## DelphicReason (Oct 8, 2004)

Thankyou...

I painted them all satin black (with Dupli-Color interior paint)... Then I masked off everything but the fins, sprayed the alluminum color (Dupli-Color import paint), sprayed a clear coat (You guessed it.. Dupli-Color), then unmasked everything to get what you see in the picture... I did indeed paint the shifter... It used to be bright yellow (like all the other interior accents). So, I sanded it down, applied the satin black, masked off everything but the top section, sprayed the alluminum, then clear coat, then I was done... My interior looks like a million bucks now... Next I'm going to sand down the center console and paint that either an alluminum color, or just a nice satin black... I haven't decided yet...

Did you see my new smoked front and side indicators? (also a do-it-yourself job)...

http://www.nissanforums.com/showpost.php?p=736676&postcount=23


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