Rick, you may not have to strip it completely. That’s a ton of work.
As Bob W said, possibly you can sand down the original paint, hit it with primer and topcoat. OMC used some very good paint back in the 50’s that I have used as a good base for many motors. One other tool that you should use in your basic painting setup is Bondo glazing and spot putty. It’s a fine putty that works well to fill out small imperfections during your final primer and sanding stages.
Funny thing however with this old 50’s motors , is that the factory was not painting Ferrari’s. If you look at an original motor you will see paint drips, blemishes, paint overspray, and missed non painted areas, especially on powerheads.
So I guess not being absolutely perfect, is actually more original! The choice is yours.
Bob D
