...FWIW, i've noticed that prolonged (24+ hrs) OA baths can leave a haze/cloud film on some old paint finishes, but have also noticed that the same old paints are not affected when naval jelly is worked across it for 20-30 minutes. (these are the two ways I get to bare metal)

I've never bothered being precise with how naval jelly gets applied, and I am only precise when using the "rust converter" products: these are the ones that chemically transform rust into something inert and black, and they will mess up any paint finish they land on.