Don't worry about brake fluid - just use some oven cleaner! Works much quicker, and much easier to clean off. Last time I used it to strip a friends car, it was about 2 mins of application, and all the paint was gone!
Also, relax about your build - part of the fun of building models is resolving issues like little broken parts, or missing bits etc.
I had a BMW with no decals. A load of fun to paint the propellors freehand.
It's all part of modelling. Relax, and fix the problems as you go...