I am purchasing a radio that has a plastic front on it and the case is metal. It appears that someone has painted the front a metallic gold. How do I do about removing the paint?

Automotive break fluid usually works. Test on the back side of the plastic first.

Have you considered the dishwasher? Would need to be cable tied onto the rack dishwasher on high, wife out somewhere. My other suggestion would be extra cut auto polish.

Hi Taller, the paint may be able to be softened by applying a liquid that reacts with the paint BUT NOT the plastic (or bakelite).
It may be that the least reactive fluids like turpentine or kerosene may lift the paint off the plastic without harm.
A more aggressive fluid like brake fluid may soften both the plastic and the paint so yes try on a inside patch and get ready to wash off fast with the hose!

I always have a Bunnings bottle of turps, kero, meths, stripper, Windex (yes that is a savage cleaner), oven cleaner, whatever that covers just about all the paint bases and if one does not get it another will.
Bakelite is a much more stable material being thermoset and you can try "paint strippers" usually without harm
.
Any polish just scratches the hell out of a surface cause that's what polishing is and crudely you may use a "cut and polish" to simultaneously remove over spray or thin paint and remove the bloom underneath from the paint leaching, again like Wa2 says try it on an inside surface before the outside bit.

That's my practical fred experience, the chemists on this site could probably be more accurate about what solvents do what to paints and surfaces.

My dishwasher IS the Wife so i'm out of luck there!
Fred.

Yeah Fred I actually used the dishwasher to clean a Breville pick me up. Cleaned the paint off real well. It wasn't meant to lol. My mates pick me up was a gleaming silver lol.

I am waiting with baited breath, are we going to find out the result.

Havent got the radio yet jimb lol. dishwasher is first though lol

Beware with car polish. This often contains Bi carb as the abrasive & it gets into to pores of the Bakelite & goes white. it also contains Silicone, which is water repellent. You then have a hell on earth job of getting it out. If you use alkali to get the silicone off it attacks the Bakelite & removes the lustre.

Let us not panic. We need to find out what the paint is? Some of it has awful trouble bonding to plastic. Water based Acrylic paint is one, however, it is attacked by methylated spirits & oil based paint is not. Turpenes can attack some plastic.

Oxy torch looking good.

Been there done that but only on wood & metal. I have oxy: Expensive but for some jobs necessary.

Plastic is Acrylic and if the paint is Gold? I bet its Enamel ??? If so it does not stick to plastic because its a oil base so hot water will get it off again ...soak it it water

One of the best ways to remove paint from Bakelite and metal surfaces on radios is Brasso. It will not damage the Bakelite, but will polish it beautifully. You will need to treat the whole case for uniform appearance of course. BE VERY CAREFUL if using it on metal grills etc though, as very often they have a thin electroplated coating that will disappear almost as soon as the Brasso hits them. For metal, it can only be used where the surface finish is actually the base metal itself, not a paint or an electroplated finish. Test on a very inconspicuous corner if in doubt!
After cleaning with the Brasso, a final polish with Mr Sheen or similar wax will give a beautiful luster and protect the surface