If the car's already painted, best to leave it that way. Mine was painted by a previous owner and needed to be repainted so I stripped the hood just to get a look at the stainless. It was a big job. The flat areas aren't so bad, but when you get to corners and recesses, it gets tough. Also, if the stainless was sanded prior to primering, you may have deep scratches that may be difficult or impossible to remove. Steve VIN 2650