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csmiffy , hi mate, happy new year. Yeah it's always hard to know from a paint / surface prep what has gone on before you arrived. There are different ways to approach a surface in regards to paint...

Just be a bit careful with paint stripper, in these days of fast / instant results some are very aggressive ( like Rushy after 6 Waikato's ) they may etch into the steel and be plain brutal on alloy...

You can use a solvent. Firstly it helps if you know weather the paint is enamel or lacquer and it could be either if it's come from a can.
The solvent I would use as a signwriter would be Universal...