The only solvent that can quickly remove automotive clearcoat is dichloromethane (aka methylene chloride) but it is extremely toxic and dangerous.  It also has the tendency to remove all the resins it comes into contact with: varnishes, paints, glues, etc.  The use of mechanical means is much safer and allows you to better control the result.

Massimo

Trained Squirrels are an option. I hear they come in pairs and work by the hour.
 

I had to strip one covered in silkspan.  The silkspan was put on with dope.  I was able of get a corner of the finish raised then I wiped thinner into the crease and slowly pealed it off.  Might work on a fuselage.  If the clear is not too thin and too brittle, it might just work, but I doubt it.  Squirrels are faster.

Ken

Matt,
Maybe touch base with a couple autobody shops and get recommendations from them since they deal with this stuff all the time. If you are stripping off covering like Ken said get a corner up then use regular thinner and a little heat from a heat gun to work the covering off.

Best,   DennisT

I haven’t tried it. I’m afraid of what it might do to the wood unless I hear otherwise

   If you are just wanting to remove clear, baby sit a small sample and see how long it takes to penetrate just the clear , and just into the base colors. Leave yourself just enough paint to sand down to the bare wood. My guess is it would only take about an hour to find out. Apply some, let it sit a bit, then poke around at it with a plastic spreader and if it softens, scrape that off right away.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

I haven’t tried it. I’m afraid of what it might do to the wood unless I hear otherwise

No problem with wood, no organic solvents change the resistance characteristics. But as previously mentioned, if it does not contain dichloromethane you will have little success, especially if the transparent layer is abundant.

Massimo

P.S.: the most common chemical product which modifies the mechanical characteristics of wood is ammonia (like many basic compounds) which solubilizes lignin.

Thanks Brett and Massimo! Went to the store and got some paint stripper today with the good chemicals in it. Did a test on the bottom of the stab and it went very well!

  You're welcome!
 
   https://stunthanger.com/smf/paint-and-finishing/removing-auto-clear/

  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

This thread is a little old but I just found I had the same problem.  I've avoided using the automotive clear coats for several reasons,  the most important having lived for years in an apartment building without a proper spray gun and the rather dangerous nature of 'death paint', especially in that setting.  Well now in the new house I decided it was time and not spending weeks sanding and rubbing dope sounded great!  So i bought the whole spray outfit,  special respirator, etc. and a gallon of Nason clear coat/activator.  I had two new ships ready to coat in preparation for the coming team trials.  I shot them both through a foggy eye protection only to discover they both had BAD orange peel.  Looked like the texture of a non-skid shower floor.  This stuff laughed at my attempts to wipe it down with acetone or lacquer thinner.  Sanding was useless.  I stuck them both behind the coach where I couldn't see them and checked my blood pressure-yep need to take a pill.
Long story short I stumbled upon Kleen Strip Premium Stripper while looking for something else at Walmart.  It says non-methylene Chloride formula.  Sounded a little safer than the death paint was.  I shot the airplane with the stuff.  It went from orange peel to cottage cheese in about ten minutes.  Then it was dry almost immediately.  This I sanded on today and removed about half the problem.  I'll shoot it again however many times I need to until I get down to something I can handle with acetone and sandpaper.  At least this stuff seems to have saved my pork behind.

Dave

The jury is out whether I'll use this stuff again.  I'll have to master the spray gun(s) I bought and do a lot of test spraying before I point the nozzle at a new airplane again...

I've read and re-read most of the comments on the auto forums with most all the pros saying this is mostly a problem of gun settings and methods and they mostly suggest not to thin the stuff lest you have other problems.  Most say to back off the paint adjustment and up the pressure some.  I dunno.  I found the new pressure gauge and adjustment knob I attached to the base of the gun seems to do nothing.  I had to try and regulate the pressure at the compressor.  The vids I watched suggested 30 psi so that's what I did.  If I were to thin the stuff-with what?  They talk about reducer but little explanation.  I didn't see any offered from the product maker.  The stuff is already water thin or so it appears..........back to the remover.......

Dave

Thanks Dan.  I'll talk to Mark and see what he's doing.

Dave