Paint Removal From Plastic Trim Parts

[RSlate1282@aol.com]

Hello List Members:

I did a web search and found a way to remove the paint from the plastic trim
parts on the insides of my 96 SE-R. What I found out from a " Hobby Model
Train" web site was to let the painted plastic trim parts soak in brake
fluid. At first I was worried that the plastic trim parts would be melted by
the brake fluid, so I tested a small area on the back side of the trim with
the brake fluid and it did not melt or disfigure the plastic trim so I
started soaking the plastic trim parts in brake fluid. It took about 4 hours
to get the paint totally removed. I did speed up the process somewhat by very
lightly scrubbing the plastic from time to time as it was setting soaking
with 0000 steel wool. I found that by lightly scrubbing top to bottom then
letting it set and soak for a few minutes and then scrubbing from side to
side worked faster in the removal of the paint than just letting it set and
soak, if I just lightly scrubbed in one direction each time I scrubbed the
plastic trim parts I could not see where it was speeding up the removal
process but by changing directions each time it did speed every thing up, I
guess it was opening up a new area for the brake fluid to do the removal
work. After all the paint was removed from the plastic trim parts I washed
them in water to remove the brake fluid and let them air dry, they had a some
what whitish color to them but by using "Back To Black" restorer it is now
looking as good as new and in the few hours that the plastic trim parts have
been restored back to there original condition and color they still look as
good as new so I guess there are not any ill effects to using the brake fluid
to remove the paint from the plastic trim parts.
Hope somebody else can get some usage out of this.

Ron Slate