Original SideArt under gray paint

[GameDork]

I dragged my Pacman Cab. out today and started sanding on it to prepare it for new paint. When I started I saw the original sideart is still pretty much intact.

Is it worth it to try and save it by light sanding and touching up the graphics and a whole new respray of the yellow?

or....

Just strip it off and proceed as planned with a new complete paint jab?

[paigeoliver]

Pac sideart does not usually survive very well under other paint.

Williams sideart, and silk screened stuff survives paint-overs very well, Pac-Man does not.

Heck, Pac-Man art has a hard time surviving without being painted over. Take a good look at the next Pac or Ms. Pac you encounter. The sideart will almost certainly look terrible.

[GameDork]

so I should just strip it all off?

It just seems so wrong.......I can see Pacman looking at me with those big red eyes..........Its gonna be hard, I just have to think of how good he will look after I repaint him, huh?

[paigeoliver]

Well, what I am saying is that it is not going to be presentable. You will basically have to repaint the whole thing once you get down to the pac art.

[SirPeale]

What you could try is using 3M Safest Stripper, in light coats, a bit at a time, and taking paint off that way.  You will have to repaint, but at least you can use the original art as a template of types.