This is what I think is an original 32 Ford Insert that someone removed the crank hole by making longer bars. What is the best way to remove the old paint without damaging the stainless surround. My plan is to clean it up and put the crank hole back it. Unfortunately lacquer thinner does not seem to touch it.
Looks like it was being "street-rodded" with the radiator cap opening cut out like that. How about trying paint stripper on a few of the center bars then if that works do a test patch on the stainless surround. Looks like everything got a spray job including the rear stainless trim. Use a scouring pad (with gloves on) to get down between the bars .If you're going to paint the center mask the stainless and bead blast the bars
The stripper and easy off should be safe on the stainless? It looks like the modifications were done way back based on the brazing work. I have a patch coming to fix the top. It was cut out with a torch.
(hot) white vinegar, brushed on and left for a while worked for me on chrome that had 20 year old paint, that previously oven cleaner wouldn’t work on, - but maybe I had the wrong oven cleaner ?
For the amount of work it will be to put the crank hole back in, I would leave it. It looks good and no one else will have one like it at any event you go to.
There’s a half million hole-less inserts out there now. They all look like repros. I think it’s great he wants to restore the crank hole back.
I've used Easy Off oven cleaner with excellent results, be forewarned that stuff is strong, use it in a well ventilated area. HRP
This isn't the cheapest fix but my not good experience says it removes paint just about as fast as it removes grease and it does that pretty good. I bought it because someone on the net suggested it for my parts washer. It ate the paint out of my HF parts washer and ate the paint off the Ford truck hogshead I was cleaning . It does clean grease good but I'd use it in a non painted container rather than a parts washer.
My other concern is what ever is used can be completely removed afterwards so it doesn’t hide in a fold and make the new paint fail.
I've used aircraft stripper on lots of different stainless and chrome pieces and never had a reaction that stained the underlying metal, so I think you're safe there, but can you get the trim off of the shell and insert entirely? Because that stripper likes to get everywhere. If you have the band off, on a table with some paper down, it'll be no problem to strip it and then scrub it clean. But if you have to do it while the band is on the insert yet, it's going to be tougher to get it clean (I never had a passenger car '32 grille before so I'm not real sure how far apart they can be taken). You definitely don't want to try it while the insert is still in the shell. Once it's stripped it's a good idea to spray it off with water and scrub it with a bristle brush or something to get all of the stripper and gunk off of it. I definitely like the idea of putting the crank hole back in. My '32 truck shell doesn't have a crank hole because most of the lower bars were broken out and I had to make new ones, I didn't feel like I could fab up a convincing one from scratch, but I wish it was still there.
Unfortunately this is the version of the insert that the stainless is the whole outside of the insert and it can’t be separated. I will take the insert out of the shell.
My sand blast guy removed the paint on mine with heat. Came out good. Still have to do some very minor clean up with Emory paper, maybe an hr. Worth of light sanding.
I see. I think you'll still be able to get it stripped, it'll just be a bit more cleanup afterwards. Masking tape holds up well to paint stripper in my experience, maybe carefully tape/paper off the bars the best you can before putting stripper on. A tiny bit might leach underneath, but it should still be worth the effort.
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