I did it and made a mess out of the piece. I eventually fnished it but I could not match the right color and decided to get it replaced.

As mentioned before the coat is thick, but it is not clear, it is tinted. I tried a very strong chemical paint striper but it was not enough, plus it started to melt the plastic behind the piece. I then sanded it with an air tool. Another thing I noticed was that the coat is not smooth but looks like new car's paint (with small ripples) that will not show if you spray or bush it.

I think that if your friend is pretty good at finishing wood he might be able to duplicate the look. But I guess it will be hard.

hope this helps...

__________________
'02 C240
'00 LR Discovery
'72 280SE
'67 280SL

---past---

'79 280E sold (RIP)
'86 300E sold
'87 300SDL sold
'90 Laforza sold
'95 320SE sold
'98 ML 320 (sold)