Stripping paint from windshield trim

[Shran]

Has anyone tried stripping the black paint off of 1st/2nd gen windshield trim?

I had to visit five junkyards to find a set that wasn't trashed with hail dents. Problem is, some of it is chrome, some is black! I want all chrome. The black paint does seem to come off - I have some extra pieces that time and weather have halfway stripped, I am sure the factory just applied some sort of paint to the same parts, or left it chrome, depending on trim package.

Brake cleaner won't touch it, Alumabrite (phosphoric acid for cleaning aluminum wheels) did nothing. Also tried lacquer thinner, deglosser liquid, couple other things... no luck.

I would prefer to chemically strip these instead of sanding. I guess I will sand them as a last resort and then polish...would like to avoid that if possible. Any ideas? I'm not real sure what kind of metal I'm working with, it's probably stainless but could be aluminum maybe.

I have a bunch of extra junk pieces so plenty to experiment with! Shoot the ideas at me!

 

[Blmpkn]

Drop it all off at your local media blasting place? I'd imagine they'd be able to clean them up for cheap enough.. AND that way.. you gots more time to look at girlie magazines.

 

[Shran]

I might use that as a last resort. I have a blasting cabinet at home and could do it... just not sure how they will turn out. I could try soda blasting them I guess... they are so thin, I'm afraid that they'll get warped.

 

[Blmpkn]

Soda would probably be the way to go. Definitely puts the least heat into the object being blasted. Do you have an extra piece to try it on?

 

[Shran]

Yep, I have tons of extras. Plenty to experiment with.

I may try aircraft stripper. I forgot about that stuff, I don't have any at the moment.

There is also the possibility that it's some kind of anodized coating, assuming these are aluminum. It's stuck on there pretty good but definitely comes off - have seen anodized coatings come off before similar to this.

 

[Blmpkn]

Aircraft stripper is serious business.

If it's anodized, oven cleaner should work I believe.

 

[dvdswan]

Maybe coke and a magic eraser

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Not sure it is really "paint". Trim is flimsy aluminum which I don't think will like being blasted.

Higher trim trucks had black IIRC at least for first gens.

Chrome is hard to find, I just found a nice set of black trim and stuck it on.

 

[Shadowrider6661]

Try having the paint/coating stripped using the chemical used to strip powder coating.

 

[Shran]

Try having the paint/coating stripped using the chemical used to strip powder coating.

Do you know what that chemical is called?

I haven't had time to try anything yet. Oven cleaner might work - not sure - have used it on painted surfaces before as a degreaser and it didn't do much.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

If you don't mind a crazy thought, why not just go the other way and wrap it instead? I'm sure a body wrap company would have some to sell. From what I've seen, you prep like painting, put the stuff on, and smooth it out with a heat gun.

Modern pickups use a chrome wrap for their grilles, so why not this?

 

[JohnnyO]

Acetone? Wire brush on a drill?

 

[black_demon69]

If powder coated put into an oven and bake it @ high heat to burn it off.

 

[CrabGuy]

Rustoleum Aircraft Remover will take any coating off. Don't expect a chrome finish under the coating though. Anodizing can't be removed with chemicals, it a surface treatment that effects the porosity on the outer layer of aluminum and has either to be sanded off, blasted off, and then re-polished. I've restored enough old Porsche wheels to never want to do that process again.

 

[BlackBII]

I sandblasted and painted mine and they turned out great