Plastic Splitter - Prep and Paint

[LukeR94]

I have recently been given a OEM MK1 MX5 splitter from a good friend.

It is in tatty condition and is fairly scraped and has been painted 3 times in different colours. It looks like a scraped rainbow.

Now I am wanting to take off all the paint as it is cracking in places and respray it black/dark grey, to get it back to original. But I am having trouble with getting the paint off, I have tried sanding but im not having much luck, it isnt realy taking enough off, as the coates are quite deep.

Do I need to soldier on and stop being a girl and sand it, or can I use paint stripper or will that melt, destroy the plastic?

Any other tips?

Thanks in advance.

[paintman]

Paint stripper could well attack the plastic.
What grade of paper are you using?

[LukeR94]

Cant remember think it was 180, im gunna get a few different grits at the weekend and try to get the cracks out, if not im going to gently apply the paint stripper with a brush and get it off before it attacks the plastic.

Any other ideas anyone?

[Peanut Gallery]

180 would be the roughest I would use, then see how it goes through the paint. I would be fairly happy to use a little electrical sander though :- http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-bo4555-2-palm-san... - starting with probably 500 grit. If that doesn't work I might go rougher. (not down to the 50 grit I was using on house doors)

Be gentle! - Those sanders when they get going can remove a ton of paint fast. Do that for the flats, then go for smoother paper until you are happy.