Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

[Larry E.]

Started my project to clean/strip (Combination Of Paint/Undercoating) for the 66 Corvette Tire Carrier.
(Both Pieces). 1st tried Citristrip and it would not cut through the above. Then got some "Aircraft Stripper"
(WHICH IS STRONGER THAN CITRISTRIP)
that is very expensive but safe for fiberglass and it would not take the above off. We are dealing with an
original 66 tire carrier that was undercoated at the dealer on delivery and since been painted throughout
the years by the previous owners. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEA'S FOR ME? SOME OTHER PRODUCT
THAT I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT IS SAFE FOR FIBERGLASS??? TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE
THE PICTURE BELOW. Thanks in advance>Larry
P.S. If can not come up with the results needed will repaint (make it look presentable) and just take the point
hit in Judging.

[Brad Hillhouse (37766)]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

depends on what it was painted with 50 years ago.

Doing the same job Ive had great luck with brake cleaner spray or lacquer thinner and +/- 5 rolls of paper towels.

Brad

[Patrick H.]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

Acetone works for paint of "almost" any type. However, paints of years ago were quite adherent, and it may take time to remove them.
Today's paint strippers are almost useless.

[Tim S.]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

I have had good luck with regular old GoJo hand cleaner. Spread it on and let it sit. It soaks in and breaks down the bond to the original surface, yet does not raise hell with the original surface. I use this and a steam cleaner to remove undercoating (many times). It's messy as all hell, but worth it

Tim

[Harry S.]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

Acetone in a well ventilated area, but I also like Brad's solution.

[Paul D.]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

I had great success cleaning the fiberglass outer heater box on my 71 with walnut shells in my blast cabinet. Took off all the paint and sealer and did not appear to harm the finish at all. I plan to put some matt clear on it at some point for added protection. Not sure you can fit that tire carrier in a cabinet, though.

[Thomas S.]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

Ditto on the brake cleaner. Lots of fumes and lots of cleaner, but it will do the trick. Very toxic procedure so invest in a good full face 3M mask filter with carbon cartridges.

[Don L.]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

While mine is a C3 and not a C2, I'll share that approximately 10 years ago, I had a similar project. A previous owner had painted the entire tub black. There was no undercoating.

I disassembled the tub, removing the "V" brace from the fiberglass tub. I restored the "V" brace by stripping with a gel stripper I bought at Home Depot or Lowes. I sanded it thoroughly and sprayed it with SEM TRIM BLACK, my favorite paint. As for the tub itself, I used the same gel stripper with zero damage to the glass. IIRC, it took a couple/few applications to get the paint completely removed. I then took lacquer thinner and steel wool to get the paint completely removed. After the steel wool/lacquer thinner, I "rinsed" the tub with more lacquer thinner and a few terry towels.Finally, it came up looking pretty good. I was careful not to damage the Rockwell mfg sticker, which was under the "V" brace. Before reassembling with aluminum rivets, I sprayed the tub with matte Krylon to bring the appearance of the fibers out.

See the attached photo of the finished product. Today, the tub appears as it did after restoration.





Hope this helps.

[Ed S.]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

Speaking of spare tire tubs - I had a problem with mine recently that is not "cleanliness" related but worth mentioning so others can take heed. While reinstalling my tub with the original 5/16 x 24 bolts and washers I inadvertently stripped the threads in 3 of the 4 holes in the steel cross members. I was being careful not to exert too much torque on the wrench - using a small 4 inch long 1/4 inch socket wrench but..... it happened anyway. The problem is the steel on the cross members is relatively thin and it is also fairly soft steel. So the threads that are cut into it are about 1.5 to 2 complete turns long and not very strong. Easy to stress and strip. The threads on the bolts were fine - perfect. How to fix? Cutting new threads and using new larger bolts won't work, I could not find larger bolts with heads that matched the originals and you still have the same issue - not a lot of tread surface in a thin piece of steel. I tried an aluminum "RIVNUT" - first finding rivnuts with the same thread size is no easy task - I found one company that carried 5/16 x 24 inserts - but I had to buy two boxes of 25 to satisfy their $25 minimum purchase. I drilled one hole in a cross member a bit larger and inserted the riv nut successfully - it was in there good and tight - this is a marvelous invention. And the original bolt ran right in real nice. Then, before I drilled the holes larger and installed the other 3 rivnuts I positioned the tub and attempted to run an original bolt into the one installed rivnut - didn't work - the rivnut threads are recessed and the thickness of the tub and the lip of the rivnut were longer than the bolt. So.... I resorted to a MacGyver fix. I had four 5/16 x 24 nuts - I was able to apply a good dab (more like a blob) of JB Weld on the perimeter of the back side of the (stripped) threaded holes -and then I was able to position a nut directly over the hole - I ran a longer 5/16 x 24 bolt into the nut and using the bolt as a tool I positioned the nut dead center over the hole and pulled down. After letting it set for 24 hours I removed the long temporary bolt and moved on to the next hole. Essentially I did (with the car assembled) what GM should have done during manufacturing - spot "welded" a nut on the back side of the holes to take the bolts securely. If you are doing a frame off operation I highly recommend spot welding bolts directly over the holes - like GM should have done - once assembled, it is no easy task to get nuts into position and secure them with adhesive - electric spot welding is impossible. The nuts are in there secure enough to tighten with the original bolts - I don't ever intend to remove them. Good luck. BTW - if anyone needs 46 aluminum 5/16 x 24 rivnuts let me know.

[Richard G.]

Re: Need Help on Cleaning/Stripping For C2 Tire Carrier

Soda blasting works great on fiberglass.
I just did my door jams and they turned out looking like new.
Blasting with dry ice does the same thing but the cost is much higher.
Likely soda will not cut through any undercoating.
Soda will not hurt much but it will kill grass if you leave it on the ground.
I don't thing you can get "Aircraft Stripper" any more.
Or it's been reformulated? It really isn't like the old stuff.