I have a HZ console that has been sprayed with VHT Vinyl paint. I want to strip it because it is peeling in places and to feather it out may flatten out the grain. I want to know what can be used to strip the paint without hurting the plastic or the grain. I have used all purpose thinners that was gentle on the plastic but did not remove the paint. I even used petrol with no significant results. I have also contacted VHT but I am wanting to get advice ASAP to get this job completed Cheers MS

Cheers, I will give it a go and see what happens

This stuff sticks like s*** to a blanket, I contacted VHT and they said it is not designed to come off and suggested acetone thinners but this actually melts the plastic, I use it that stuff to fuse any cracks together. I've tried, brake fluid, the oven cleaner and some citrus base cleaner, 2Pak reducer and Turps with no results, Mosses Himself couldn't part this stuff. The interesting thing is the console was originally brown but nothing has removed the original brown either back to the base plastic black and yet I was told that holden used Dulon Acrylic on the plastics so this should wash off with all purpose thinners. This is one tough paint and yet guarantee you that when paint your car and when putting it back together you get one drop of brake fluid on it and........well you know!! I am going to try soda blasting it off and see how this goes.

If I can just get my missus to hurry off to coles and get me a bag. I will try this with a little sandblasting kit that came with my compressor or just make up a feed tube using an air blower and try it outside in the yard. If it works seems like a no fuss solution when looking at a few links to soda blasting on the net for cleaning up bits especially alloy parts.

that is where the problem lies. The console must of had some acrylic sprayed on it previously by somebody else to change it from brown to black and I scuffed a majority of that off prior to painting it with the VHT. The only problem is after I painted it I cut two holes in it for electric window switches ( Yeah yeah I know hindsight's a wonderful thing) and when I went to peel the masking tape off that I was using to draw my markings on some of the other paint must not have been very well attached/bonded and therefore peeled large jagged edge sections from the job.

I did actually set up a air blower to blast some bi carb and it worked quite well but very slowly and to do my job I would need a set up with more pressure and more volume.

Does anybody know of a soda blaster that I can get hold of in the south Brisbane Ipswich area. nearly all of the numb nut bastards that are listed on the net I have tried contacting don't answer their phone or don't reply to emails or even have the correct mob number listed, How they do business God only knows?? Cheers MS

Edited by user Friday, 29 March 2013 9:13:52 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

The original hesitation at buying a new one or getting a good one was that I wanted to cut holes in it for switches as mentioned, and this I couldn't bring myself to doing to a new/good console. The one I am using was laying out behind the shed and had quite a bit of damage to it so I didn't mind cutting holes in it and so far the repairs to the damaged areas and the holes for the switches have all turned out well so I am sort of committed to seeing this project through to the end and learning along the way. But I did make up templates for the holes so if all else fails and I do get another console I am ready.

It is just that good used ones don't come up that often for sale and most sellers on ebay haven't a clue how to pack items for postage so what is good(or looks good in the pictures and described by the seller as being good??) when you win it is faaarked when you receive it and they all act dumb about it when questioned.
it took me a total of four HQ consoles until I received one that was not suffering substantial damage with one being totally rooted because the ****er had wrapped it in a garbage bagand a beer carton either end, it received major damage with both sides being smashed out and the other three etc etc etc. Swap meets just don't seem to have this sort of stuff any more. Cheers MS

I definitely recommend VHT based on what I have recently experienced and I have always used it on all plastic items from dash facias, grills, complete interiors, seats door trims etc, steering wheels including the horn button and when done properly does give a good result. It has been mentioned that holden used acrylic to paint the plastic but I don't believe this to be true because the original Tan under the acrylic black that somebody else had painted it wasn't budging either. the only thing that removes it is years of rubbing on the seat. Finally I have been contacted by a soda blaster so I am off to see what he can do. Cheers MS