Homelite 55 Cowling Paint Strip or or Blast

[Blake Monroe]

Looking for some advice. I have a 1962 Homelite 55 that I am looking to sell, but the previous owner painted the cowl cover with some form of white paint with lots of brush strokes showing. I know that the cowl is made of fiberglass and was hoping a few of you could recommend the best way to remove the paint…sanding, soda blast, heat gun, or gel stripper? I don’t want to damage the fiberglass. I guess I could sell it as is, but the challenge might be interesting. Any suggestions for this central Florida newbie to the hobby?

[labrador-guy]

Blake if it was mine I would get a bucket of water and some 220 wet n dry sand paper. A sanding block would help keep the sanding job flat. I won’t take long and it will be ready for primer. If it has some damage cracks or chunks of fiberglass missing some bondo body filler and some more sanding will fix ‘er up perrr’ty in no time.

dale

get’em wet……don’t let’em set!

[Blake Monroe]

Thanks, I’ll give that a try. I would love to see it restored back to the original paint colors. I did find a local place that does soda blasting and I think I will get a quote from them as well. I’ll let you know which route I go.

[labrador-guy]

I have no experience with blasting fiberglass. I have several motors that were aluminum that I had sand blasted. Sometimes the blasting pressure that gets used is to high especially on hoods with thick paint on them. It caused a really rough finish that I had to sand by hand and use a filling primer, when they were returned to me, and it is still rough feeling. Looks good but that motor could have been better. It’s like anything else, ya live and learn!

dale

[frankr]

I agree, wet sand with 200, then 400.

[Bob Wight]

A third vote for wet sanding. On those motors that I’ve restored with fiberglass cowls, I’ve always wet sanded. Mine were not particularly bad or rough so I started with 400 and went up to 600 grit. Sounds like yours is pretty gnarly, so agree with the others – start with 220 then 400. Here’s some pics of one I did a few years ago.

Bob

1937 Champion D2C Deluxe Lite Twin
1954 Johnson CD-11
1955 Johnson QD-16
1957 Evinrude Fastwin 18
1958 Johnson QD-19
1958 Johnson FD-12
1959 Johnson QD-20

“Every 20 minute job is only a broken bolt away from a 3-day project.”
"Every time you remove a broken or seized bolt an angel gets his wings."

[Blake Monroe]

Do you know by any chance would media they used in the sandblasting?

[Blake Monroe]

Great job on refinishing that cowling!!!!!

[Tubs]

I have been using this for some time. It
is not fast acting. I usually let it sit overnight.
It will be all dried up so you scrape off what
you can. Then wet what is left with soap
water to remove what remains. Sometimes
you might need a second application depending
on how thick what your removing is.
Tubs

A "Boathouse Repair" is one that done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

[crosbyman]

carefull with the fumes of methylene choride ….nasty stuff ! Ventilate !!

Joining AOMCI has priviledges 🙂

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