Is it possible to remove peeling lacquer without having to sand down down to bare metal?
My roof has lost the majority of the lacquer with the exception of the edges above the front/rear screens and the side windows. I'm tempted to try and give it a light sanding then respray the roof with cans and then re-lacquer, however I could do with removing the last hang-ons of the old lacquer as it's clear to see (no pun intended) that it won't provide a sound base for the new paint.
https://ibb.co/cTymqk
https://ibb.co/ewrvi5
I would like to try and remove it without damaging the paint underneath, if this is possible, as I don't want to lose any of the rustproofing that may exist under the topcoat. Can paint stripper be used to remove the lacquer, or will it take the paint off as well? Has anyone any good suggestions or am I really expecting far too much?

On a slightly different note, is anyone able to explain why each time I search for front brake discs for my model using the reg number to pinpoint the exact car, I keep getting results for solid discs, when mine most definitely has vented ones? As I've not put vented front discs and calipers on, I can only assume it either came from the factory like that, or the previous lady owner did!

Use my reg number instead, it always brings up vented for mine and I'm on solids.

For the lacquer DO NOT USE PAINT STRIPPER. If you don't want to repaint the roof and only want to re-lacquer you have a fiddly, difficult job ahead of you. Fortunately, your colour coat doesn't seem too bad but be aware it's not very thick at all on these cars so there's not much to work with. I would recommend proceeding thus:

Using an old fashioned flexible disposable razor blade, gently work under a loose edge of lacquer and persuade it to lift in the largest sheet you can. Careful, it's really easy to dig the corners of the blade into the paint. This should get the loose lacquer off completely, if you're slow and careful it will generally come up in large brittle sheets.

Next is the sandpaper job. Go no coarser than 500 grit wet-and-dry paper and work through the remaining lacquer, avoiding the unlacquered areas. You'll know when you hit paint because the water will go pink/red/orange. Use a squirty bottle of water with a drop or two of washing up liquid in it to keep the surface wet as you sand and dry the area regularly with a towel you're not precious about so you can see the progress you're making.

Once you've removed as much of the old lacquer as you can find, you need to prep the whole panel and for this you want to be using something in the region of 1200 grit to get a smooth finish without running the risk of cutting through the colour coat. Once the panel is uniformly smooth you can then re-lacquer it.

If it's a saloon or 5-door hatchback you're probably better off paying to get the roof repainted because there's no need to blend it into surrounding bodywork meaning the colour match doesn't have to be as perfect. It will also save you hours of labour, removing lacquer peel is not easy, even more so when there's no decent sacrificial thickness of colour coat beneath it.

Vulgalour wrote:If it's a saloon or 5-door hatchback you're probably better off paying to get the roof repainted because there's no need to blend it into surrounding bodywork meaning the colour match doesn't have to be as perfect. It will also save you hours of labour, removing lacquer peel is not easy, even more so when there's no decent sacrificial thickness of colour coat beneath it.

I had loads of lacquer peel on my roof and it was deep too - really thick intact lacquer in parts and what looked like razor cuts in various directions in others as if a cat had chosen the car to sharpen its claws on.

I couldn't have realistically tried to remove that lacquer - it was a right off! I had very fine scratches on the tops of the wings and botched some lacquer removal there, as I mentioned in your Little Purple Austin thread.

Just had the whole roof re-sprayed for £100. You're right - a colour match wasn't necessary as it's a "floating roof" and your eye just can't see the difference between 25-year old paint on the rest of the car and brand new out of a can.

I could have gone black of course, but I think someone has already beaten me to it... I still have the mini's chequered design in reserve

You could go cream, that way inevitable birb poop won't be so visible

I nearly got confused too, you and Jules have VERY similar avatars.

Vulgalour wrote:I nearly got confused too, you and Jules have VERY similar avatars.

That's because I saw Johnnys Avatar and decided to pinch his idea!

Julesmat50 wrote:

Vulgalour wrote:I nearly got confused too, you and Jules have VERY similar avatars.

That's because I saw Johnnys Avatar and decided to pinch his idea!

I'm thinking of changing mine...

You could have at least gone for a different car colour, not flame Many people are getting confused. Some threads on the forum look like I'm talking to myself...

I may have uploaded an avatar...

Vulgalour wrote:I may have uploaded an avatar...

Oh come on You've deliberately left out your black lip spoiler

Now let's see if I can crop the rear quarter out of one of your Austin photos and really confuse people...

XD