Fairing paint

[grannyknot]

I'm about to start the visual restoration of the bike now that I have most of the mechanical problems figured out.
So I have laid out all 12 pieces of the body and tank, 3 different paint jobs with primer in between each coat.
Aaaghh, the lazy part of me just wants to scuff it up and spray the new paint, the sadistic part of me wants to sand those layers down to atleast the original paint so as to avoid paint cracks and chipping.
The problem here is the ABS plastic of the fairings, paint stripper melts it.
I can't see anyway around this but just get in there with some 80 grit  and wear my right arm out.
I'm open to all suggestions.

[Steve_in_Florida]

Power, Baby!

Do yourself a favor and invest a couple of bucks on a pneumatic or electric sander.

Air is best, as you can use it to wet-sand. Not safe to do that electrically...

Plus, that forces you to get a compressor, if you don't already have one!

[grannyknot]

Steve, I have a compressor and a bumble bee sander. The few times I have used it in the past I found that the very fine oil mist that comes out the air exit contaminates the paint surface so the paint doesn't adhere.

But body shops use air powered tools all the time, they must have no inline oil-er in their system, their sanders must wear out very quickly but I guess the customer is paying for that in the end so it doesn't matter.
Okay, possible solution

[markmartin]

I can't see anyway around this but just get in there with some 80 grit  and wear my right arm out.
I'm open to all suggestions.

You're kidding when you say 80 grit sandpaper. -- right? 

[miked]

After sanding, a body shop will clean the surface with a good quality wax and grease remover. Over here in Aust, I use a product called Prepsol.
Wipe it on with a clean rag soaked in the product, make sure you get the entire surface covered, then rub it off with a dry (very) clean rag.
This removes all of the oil mist along with the oil from your fingers and any other airborne junk that may land on it. Just remember not to touch the surface again with your bare hands, once you have cleaned it down, and you should have no problems with the paint finish.
There are special additives you can buy for painting the plastics and fibreglass, which allow it to "flex", any good auto paint shop should be able to point you in the right direction.

Cheers

Mike

[grannyknot]

[/quote]

You're kidding when you say 80 grit sandpaper. -- right? 
[/quote]

Well only partially, there is more than a 1/16th of an inch of paint on these panels.
Someone sprayed with a heavy hand.

[Bearcat91]

Cant you blast them? soda blast or something like that?