PAINT ON RUBBER AND ORANGE PEEL

JUST PURCHASED 280SL. IT HAS BEEN REPAINTED. WHOEVER REPAINTED DID NOT SPEND MUCH TIME TAPEING AROUND RUBBER. HOW CAN I GET THE PAINT OFF THE RUBBER?
THERE IS ORANGE PEEL ALL OVER CAR. A FRIEND TOLD ME TO WET SAND WITH 1000 GRIT, THEN WITH 1500 GRIT, THEN BUFF WITH RUBBNG COMPOUD. DOES THIS SOUND OK? THANKS DON

[Lee Scheeler]

If the rubber has paint on it then there isn't much you can do short of replacement. You can try roughing it off but that will leave the rubber ripped up.

The orange peel is an issue that needs to be addressed when the car is being painted. Once the paint is dry and the peel is there...it pretty much is what it is.

Sorry I can't offer better news...Lee

Don and Lee:

I'm not quite sure why everyone seems to think you can't get paint off of rubber.

We have been told for years that brake fluid "eats" paint, and that you should never spill any on your paint.

Why can't Don just use a Q-tip with some brake fluid on it, and slowly and methodically dissolve the paint from the rubber? Of course, this might require masking the car's painted surfaces, and taking extraordinary steps at being careful, but then all good things take time; and fast fixes usually turn out to take longer and are more expensive than careful, "steady and slow".

Any comments to this course of action? Sure would save Don lots of money in material and labor!!!!!.........Andras

Brake fluid is kinda of scary, maybe a last resort? Other products I've seen work is WD-40 (works great on any thing sticky) and a commerical product made by PPG called DX330 Wax & Grease Remover. We use it for prepping panels before painting but I've seen it take off over-spray on rubber seals.

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jeffs
1999 CLK430
silver/charcoal

THANKS FOR THE INPUT. I'VE TRYED USING WD-40. IT WORKS GREAT. IT SEEMS TO LOOSEN UP THE RUBBER AND I CAN SCRAPE THE OVER SPRAYED PAINT OFF MUCH EASIER. THANKS FOR THE INFO, THIS IS A GREAT WEB SITE.