My car was painted and the area on the right inner fender that has the vin # was painted over. You can't see it in the picture but the vin # is there the paint is thick and it is hard to see. What would be the best way to remove the paint to better show the vin? Should I just leave it alone?

Click to view attachment

Interesting that they taped off the octane sticker and painted over the VIN!

I would tape it off with a good sealing tape, and with a small brush coat with an aggressive paint remover like aircraft paint remover. Let sit a bit and wipe off with steel wool.

worry about the vin paint when you plan on selling it.

k

That area is usually not raised like that, it's just flat.

Maybe they did tape it off and never bothered to remove the tape afterwards?

Interesting catch...you may be right!

If there is no tape, I'd get an exacto knife and cut around the edge, then start flaking off the paint. It may take some time but should turn out ok

Tape off the surrounding surface and hit it with a Scotch brite wheel??? Since it's raised it will leave you with a polished metal surface with pretty blue inlaid numbers!

My '75 is raised and interestingly, the same color (laguna blau), unless his is olympic.

As for paint removal, I would tape off the area with electrical tape and bead blast it, then prime or clear-coat it.

Click to view attachment

No tape under the paint.

My 1970 is raised, looks just like Big Ken's only it's Bahia red.

the blasting, grinding and stripping methods will be hard to control.

I'd take a razor blade, and some 180 grit sand paper, the paint in the indented numbers would look good

I did mine by masking tape around the area which should be bare metal, Xacto around the inner edges for a clean edge, then Acetone on a Q-tip & gently work the paint off, then carefully remove the tape. Blue or Frog tape works best.

These other sanding, scotch brite wheels & more aggressive methods could wear down the stampings too much, as they are often pretty weak stampings anyway.

Good techniques, but be really careful with the MEK(acetone). Even in small quantities it's explosive and carcinogenic. Along with benzene and formaldhyde, liberal use of acetone caused me many years ago to run away from being a QC chemist. They were the tools of the trade in the late '60's.

I used to keep a small amount around for detailing purposes on the 914 because it was so good at removing minor (an major) filth and grease. One time, I was dipping q-tips into the MEK and cleaning minor gunk from the injectors. Nudged a nearby screwdriver, which hit the cooling fan and apparently made a micro spark. FOOM! All the spent q-tpis went up. Fortunately, I had my halon extinguisher close by. Never used it again!

Be very careful with this stuff!

MEK is not acetone. They're both organic solvents, but acetone is much less toxic. It is used as model paint thinner, and is the primary component in nail polish remover.

--DD

I went with this method. Turned out great!

You gotta post a pic!