Removing Pinstriping?

Is there an easy/inexpensive way to remove tape pinstriping? It's on the polymer panels, so I'm not sure if there are any solvents that wouldn't cause damage.

I bought a used 2002 SL2 (my third Saturn), and though the striping is in good shape, I'd rather it not be there.

Thanks!

--Nan

Reply to
nblomgren
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i dont know bout on the saturn, but on my z71 chevy, i used a hair dryer, and put a lil heat on it, and pulled it off. worked for me, BUT AGAIN, i am not sure hw well it will work on saturn bdy panels

Reply to
Charles H.

A hair dryer would work fine. You really barely need to get it hot. If the stripe is in good shape and not all cracked up and old, You may not need to do anything except start at one end and pull it off slowly. If your patient its possible to get it off in one steady pull. If there is glue left on the car just use some alcohol and a cloth and it will come right off.

One thing to, if (but i doubt it since the car is newer)any of the panels have been painted make sure that its not up to the stripe or clearcoated over, because you could start pulling off the stripe then next thing you know off comes your paint.

Reply to
A.Johnson

Thanks! How did you get rid of the residual glue? A friend has suggested WD40.

--Nan

Reply to
nblomgren

I hadn't thought of a hairdryer, but it makes. Warms the striping up so the adhesive softens.

I've asked this of the other post in this thread: How did you get rid of the residual stickiness?

Thank you!

--Nan

Reply to
nblomgren

Aren't the polymer panels colored now instead of painted? In other words, they tint the plastic before they mold it into a door. I thought I remember reading that they were starting that a few years back.

Reply to
Ratbert

I had to have the original pinstripes removed and new ones put on when I bought my used 94 SL2. My Saturn dealership damaged my original stripes and tried to replace them, but did a sucky job. If you do use alcohol to remove the residue, DONT get any on the tail lights or it may soak in and discolor it! (I have heard that Goop will safely remove residue.) This happened to me when I got my car back from Saturn and they left the residue from the old stripes all over the place. So Saturn sent me then to an outside body shop. The idiots at this "professional" body shop used a heat gun and must have held it in one place for too long because they had trouble pulling the old pinstripes off. This resulted in small areas where the paint bubbled from excessive heat. I since have fixed most of it and you cant see the damage anymore. Just hought Id give a heads up.

marx404

Reply to
marx404

I removed the factory pinstripe from my '94 SC2 right when it was new, and from my '92 SC after it was 10 years old. Both did NOT want to come off, and it was a very time-consuming job. I could not get more than an inch pulled off before the vinyl broke, no matter how carefully I tried. When completed, I used one of the generic adhesive removers to get the residue off. Any store will have several varieties.

Lane [ l a n e @ p a i r . c o m ]

Reply to
Lane

Lane is right, 3M has an adhesive remover you can get at any parts store, just spray on, let sit for 2-5 min and wipe off.

When I got a fg hood from TN to CA, the packing tape left that glue crap on the hood. Enter Adhesive remover, and it just flaked off with no worries.

Robert

99' SC2
Reply to
Robert

Reply to
Robert

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