Used bodywork restoration

Hi:



I recently got a used bodywork set. I really like the design (I'm told this is from an ex Tim Taylor car), but the fiberglass has seen better days. I’d like to restore it into something that looks good at speed. I'm not looking to make it showroom condition or turn it into a $1000 project.



I’d like to get advice on the whole restoration process. For instance, how do you remove the old paint? The last time I sanded a bodywork I might have used too coarse sandpaper, you could see deep the swirls from the orbital sander.

Further, where should I stop with the sanding? I'm attaching a close up picture that shows there's a primer and gel coat (I think) under the paint. While removing the decals, in some areas the paint came out in big flakes, leaving the primer bare.

So does this means the primer stuck on very well and I should keep it, or does this mean that while the primer is holding on very well, its surface it not good enough to hold paint?

In other words, should I sand down to the primer, or down to the gel coat (or even to the fiberglass).



Once the sanding step is over I will post further questions about the fiberglass repairs.











Thanks,

JS