How to REMOVE red paint from tail lights?

[DaveInLA]

A few years ago, I used the Testors candy apple transparent paint as well as a clearcoat spray to give the all-red look. It was good for a little less than year, but now the paint is really dull, cracked, and slightly chipped. It doesn't look good, and I don't want to respray it every 9 months.

How should I go about removing the paint? Will simple paint thinner or acetone work well? Any other tips? Do I have to protect the rubber gaskets when wiping down the paint?

[BMW BMXER]

Since its just model paint I think some thinner/acetone would work fine.

[Van Westervelt]

Ive stripped it off like two sets... Acetone and some of those blue shop paper towel to get it out of the cracks works like a charm! Then you can polish em up with meguires clear plastic polish, look like new!

[AndrewBird]

You could also sand them down then polish them up. More work, but it might end up looking better. I would think the acetone would melt/haze the plastic.

As far as the chipping/fading goes, what did you expect from model car clear coat? If you want to do it right, get some auto body clear coat and spray them with that after you re-red them.

[Jand3rson]

I think I'm going to be one of the few people who's red tails don't fade and turn to shit. They were painted with Testor's red, but then sprayed with 4 coats of automotive-grade clearcoat, and I'm now in the process of wetsanding them with 1200-grit, and polishing them with cutting compound. Yeah, they're a lot of work, but hard work is what pays off and lasts.

[DaveInLA]

I would think the acetone would melt/haze the plastic.

Can anybody confirm if this happens? I wasn't sure about this, which is why I'm asking. Maybe I'll start with nail polish remover (weaker solution) first, then take it from there.

[808BMW]

Yeah Josh, pics in 2 years would be nice :P

I just leave em ugly, it matches the rest of my car perfectly.

[Jand3rson]

Yeah Josh, pics in 2 years would be nice :P

Just have to finish sanding and polishing this other light, then I can get them installed. :up:

[EtaSport]

My tails will never fade. Yes, thinner/acetone will haze the plastic. Its very simple to bring back the shine with some auto polish.

[e30evolution]

I did all red and smoked on mine..... I used dupont chroma clear with mid temp activator and a few drops of red paint.... sprayed the corners until i got the red i liked.... then did the same but with black paint for the smoked. then followed it up with a few more coats of chroma clear. been over a year now and they still shine.

[Digitalwave]

To answer the original question, acetone will most likely fade the plastic. Start with nail polish remover and see what you can do with that.

[Dave]

Find 60 bucks and buy another set of stock ones.

[bmwmike]

so if you paint the orange part with the red stuff, does it not look right though? Or can you get it to all be the same red?

[Digitalwave]

so if you paint the orange part with the red stuff, does it not look right though? Or can you get it to all be the same red?

It won't look 100% perfect unless you paint the whole tail light which some people do (ghetto).

[Jand3rson]

It won't look 100% perfect unless you paint the whole tail light which some people do (ghetto).

Oh, I don't know about that... :D

This is the one I just finished. 3 coats of paint on just the amber part, followed by 4 coats of automotive-grade clear coat over the entire light lens, then wet sanded with 1200-grit, and polished with Diamon Cut compound. Bad pic, I'll get some more when they're on the car.