Alright so before I bought my dakota it was given a redneck paint job. My truck came with the dark green/tan paint scheme from the factory and they didn't redo the tan (thank god) but on the bed behind the rear wheel well where the tan continues they painted over it in green. No primmer or anything. From the almost two years I've owned it the green on tan is not really peeling but flaking off from my tires throwing up road debris. I washed and waxed my truck between last night and this morning and the tan looks amazing. Is there any way I can try to get the green paint off the tan so I can save this 20 year old paint. I don't think they put a clear coat over the paint they threw on it.

I also removed the factory trim from the wheel wells and after the wash and wax the paint underneath it looks brand new. It looks like factory paint aswell so I'm guessing they've been on the truck since it left the factory. Wish the whole truck looked as good as the fenders. Will set up a photo bucket acc to add pics.

A handicapped vet up the street from me has a 87 rclb dakota. He has asked me to keep an eye out for the trim that goes around the wheel wells so thinking about cleaning the trim up giving it a coat of paint and giving it to him for christmas.

 

In two words, 'probably not.' If you use a paint stripper, it's going to lift the underlying paint, or at the very least ruin it. If you try to sand the redneck paint, you'll probably damage the underlying paint before you can get all the offending stuff off.

Two alternatives, first you can sand the areas smooth and have a 'scratch & shine' paint & body shop (Maaco, or even Earl Scheib) repaint the areas. A regular body shop would do it, but might charge an arm and a leg.

Or, you can sand the areas yourself, and get some matching paint in rattle cans and do the painting yourself. Many body shop supply stores can sell you the paint in aerosol paint cans. Great for small areas, but if the paint needs to be blended, best to leave that for the pros.

BTW, you don't need photobucket to post pics. http://postimage.org/ or http://myfiero.com/imagehost.php both work well for forum posting

 

If it's flaking take a damn pressure washer to it and blow that **** off aha! If you get to close you may damage the old paint.

 

I've hit the truck with a pressure washer a few times after mudding and the only flaking is mud that has baked on in the florida sun for a few weeks. Any chance I can wet sand the green off the tan and maybe just have to buff/re clear coat the tan?

My dad paints residential and commercial homea and ware houses for a living. Hes out of state working on a contract for a series of apartment complexs with a buddys crew right now. If I had the time I'd strip the truck to bare metal and bondo up all the dings in the bed and prime it. Hes handy with all kinds of sprayers I'm sure if we rigged up a paint booth hanging plastic in the garage he could get a way better paint job on it. Although for the price of good automotive paint it would probably make more sense having it proffesionally done. (I have trust issues with shops though) just tired of looking at all the runs and pitting in my paint when putting in the hours of cleaning it.

 

http://postimg.org/image/r3fdjitvv/

 

http://postimg.org/image/ia93gwm3n/

 

If it comes down to it ill use paint stripper to get all the flaking green off let it damage the tan and just use a bedliner application in its place. Will look better than it does now and stand up better to the road debris and such.

 

Wet sand it. I'm not sure of the grit its pretty fine though.
If they just painted over the existing with no prep it should wet sand off. Go easy and you'll only scuff up the clear coat on the tan you want to save. and a good buffing compound with an electric buffer will fix that.