Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

[cajuncook1]

Hey guys, was wondering if you have any experience with removing paint from a outboard motor.

This is the story: 1957 Evinrude 3hp

Bought a motor to repair and possibly restore. The previous owner painted the darn thing with crappy old paint from a regular spray paint can. So, I was wondering how to take it off without damaging or minimizing the original paint underneath.

- One suggestion given to me was to try and paint thinner or lacquer.

Was wondering if anyone has some experience in this area??? Open to suggestions.

Thanks for your time and willingness to help in advance

 

[JimS123]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

My experience is quite limited in this area. My OB collection is up to 57 now, but I've only restored about 45 of them.

I use regular old ZipStrip paint remover. The hazardous smelly kind, not the water base green kind. There is no way you can get the crap off the top without harming what's underneath.

Disassemble the motor as far as you want to go (remove the lower cowls and gas tank, tiller handle, prop) then work on each piece separately. Brush on the stripper liberally, let soak 10 minutes, then use OO steel wool to remove the paint. It should come off very easily. If you get to original paint, stop scraping. If the original blue comes off and you hit yellow, stop as this is the original primer. If you get to bare metal in some places, don't worry.

After it dries I use 320 sandpaper to smooth it all out, then prime with self-etching primer. If you use any other kind of primer on bare aluminum, it will peel for sure.

Here's your motor's cousin - a restored 1953 Johnson 3 HP.

 

[cajuncook1]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

Very nicely done!!!! Thanks very much for sharing your experience and information. After I'm sure this little one can run, then I will start to clean her up and repaint. Don't know if I can do the quality work that you displayed, but i'll give it a go. Will probably wait til early fall to paint....just too hot a the moment to be stripping and repainting. Triple digits temps all week and may next as well.

Thanks
cajuncook1

 

[Roy Wirebaugh]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

I used Citrusstrip on mine and it worked pretty well. I just sprayed it on and let it sit for about an hour. It took all the extra paint off down to the original. Its about 9.00 for the can and I had plenty. I smells like oranges so I could spray it in the basement.....Roy

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

You can use the old paint as primer for a new coat, unless it was really badly done and is lumpy/thick/gloppy. Get some plain steel wool and work over all the surface, roughing it up...then repaint with the color of your choice. If it were mine and you want that little 3 hp to look really sharp, I'd dismantle it and use plain old nasty spray-on oven cleaner...it will take off paint, grease, grime, etc. back down to the original primer and sometimes to bare metal (depends on how long you let it work). Then I'd wash it down and dry it with a tack-free rag, wearing gloves, hit it with some self-etching primer and then put the color coat on, followed by clear coat. Wear gloves all during the prep process, cause any oil from anything...including your skin will foul your primer and color coats and cause orange skin (crinkly) paint...which means...do-over.

 

[cajuncook1]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

Good suggestions and information, very please that you took time to help me out!!! Thanks guys, will save and copy this information for the fall.

I have changed out the whole ignition system and now have good spark. Cleaned out the fuel tank, valve and copper fuel line. Waiting for the impeller and carb kits to come in the mail.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

I don't think you are going to be able to save the old paint, you raelly can't get the crappy paint off without talking off the original paint to, it is probably in pretty bad shape any how.

If you are going to put in the time just strip it and start over, you will end up with a much nicer finished product.

I redid mine last winter and I use a heat gun, only on the metal parts and a good sharp paint scraper, alot it came right off and what didn't I just scuffed with 320, if it is still stuck after 30 years it isn't going anyhwere.

Most newbie painter think you need to remove every last bit of paint and you don't, if it stuck good just scuff it but you want to hit it all with the scraper, I found alot of it that looked good but came right off witht the acraper.

Once you get it all off/scuffed make sure you use etching primer on any bare metal, you don't need alot just get it on, it will tint it yellowish, once th primer is dry you can paint it.

I did mine with a spray can then finished with real automotive clear I had left from painting my boat, it is all in the prep not what kind of paint you use, I have done just as well with a spray bomb as i have with a "real"spray gun.

Hereare some pics of mine(I hope it has been awhile since I did a pic)

 

[cajuncook1]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

Nice job!! Thanks, any constructive advice and outcomes are much appreciated. I hope can come close to the job that you have explained and demonstrated!!!

Thanks!!

cajuncook1

 

[RSchendel]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

I've been thinking about doing the same thing to my '58 Fastwin cowl. I checked with a local sandblasting shop. They quoted $25 to use glass beads to sandblast it. Does anyone know if this is recommended? Will it result in a surface that is smooth enough to paint?

After sandblasting, I am considering asking for quotes from local body shops to do the 3 tone paint.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

I've never done an outboard this way, but I have had parts beadblasted. Steel parts were OK for what I was doing, but the aluminum parts I had done were too rough for my liking if I was going to repaint it.

 

[59Banshee]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

Hi Guys, what about Soda Blasting? they claim they can strip a layer of paint off at a atime, that way your original paint would have little or no damage (other than what the previous painter did to it)
and environmentally friendly as well! that stuff is so gentle you can blast glass and not etch it
Matt

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Help with removing a crappie paint job on a 1957 3hp Evinrude

That's the rub with using media-blasting on aluminum...if the media is too coarse it will pit the aluminum and then you have to do filler and primer rather than just primer.