Stripping 0659R Down to it's Underwear

[LeftAngle]

Evidently, the PO knew I'd be wanting to strip the paint off his baby, so somehow, he managed to get the primer to stick like glue and the paint to strip off like vinyl wrap or PlastiDip.  I wasn't looking forward to stripping the paint on the car, but discovered a sharp body filler blade was just the ticket to removing it.  For the most part, the primer underneath is OK, but I'll be adding more high build primer to smooth it all out.

One afternoon and the front end is nearly naked, ready for the fiberglass fender modifications. I'll be trying the technique Chip Foose used to open the rear fenders on his Overhaulin S2.  Mine needs to be raised and moved outward about 1.5".

On another note, I've joined the "look at my motor" club by cutting a window between the stock air vents in the rear.  Not because my R16 is comparable with 6litre v12s normally associated with plexiglass views, but because it's so colorful, I might as well show it off.  I figure the rear end of a stock S2 is pretty homely.  I'd like to try and make it a little more sexy.

[EuropaTC]

I used a combination of paint stripper and 3 old wood chisels (1", 1/2" & 1/4") to strip my car. If you keep them sharp and get the angle right then it leaves a good surface. Well,  good enough for spray filler anyway.

Brian

[LeftAngle]

Sounds like what I'm doing, but in my case, the paint is so poorly attached that when the stripper's methylene chloride softens it, the enamel links to the primer and the blade has a tough time scraping it out.  I'm using  body filler blades with sharp corners (I normally round the corners off so they don't mar what I've already done) that can get under the paint and lift it slightly. An entire swath of paint can be lifted off before the blade rides out.

The original primer was never properly faired or sanded smooth, so that may be the reason the paint never got a good grip on it. 

Thanks for the wood chisel idea. 
The body filler blades are extremely thin, about .020 and the edge sharpens up quickly on a stone. The blades bend in any direction to glide over contours. 

But the smallest blade I have is about 1.5" wide, so wood chisels might be perfect for getting into smaller spaces.  I also have round chisels I bet wood work (pun:)) in tight inside corners, like those in the lid tracks and forward compartment.  Stripping the car will now take a fraction of the time I originally planned.  I don't know when I'll have the cash to get it painted, but it'll certainly be ready for paint in the near future.