I went to my local Ford Dealer yesterday to see if there are any products available to bring the stripe back to life. The parts manager told me the stripe on the hood is a genuine Ford part but it can't be restored due to the mettalic nature of the stripe. All I could do is peel it off and put a new one on. (Not Deirable) The other option he suggestet was to go to a body shop and have them gently sand it with microfine sand paper then clear coat it.
I'm not very knowledgeable in the area, so if this is really a stupid question, please give me some slack.
Why not peel the old one off and replace with a new one?
John H
"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."
"John H" wrote
Think of what happens to duct tape after it's been attached to something for longer than 1 month in the heat and rain and sun and cold and wind. Then think about trying to remove it???? Yechh. Well removing original stripes is worse, and they've been on there for YEARS!
Adrian, I think that you could remove the old sripes and replace them. - or not. Your car is only 2-3 years old so I think there is a possibility. You never said how big the stripes are on the car.
Here's what I would suggest. First, check locally for someone who does vinyl stripes. If you cannot find them in the yellow pages, check some body shops and see who they use. If you find someone then ask them if they could take the stripes off for you.
If by some chance you were feeling brave I think that you could remove them yourself. A heat gun should soften them enough, (using care not to blister your paint the heat gun by using the low setting and just warming the stripe well but not melting it) would refresh the adhesive enough to make the stripe removable. If the heat gun scares you, then a blow dryer on high would definitely be safer. You can get a bit loose with a fingernail, then heat just as you pull. It will be a pain in the ass, but it should come off. If the stripe goes onto urethane bumpers and such, it may be a problem.
Once you got the vinyl off you could use good old fashioned lighter fluid on a coarse terry cloth towell to remove the adhesive. Of course DO NOT USE BOTH AT ONCE or it would catch fire and burn you and your car to the ground. The lighter fluid will not hurt your paint at all and is less expensive than goo-gone and that sort of thing. Sometimes if you can just get a little piece started, you can jst drip lighter fluid onto the underside of the peeled edge so that it contacts the adhesive and it will pull up. Slowly, and you have to find that balance of drip it on, let it soak a few seconds and then pull and repeat. It's a slow process but it works. Practice on labels you have on items in your home, the label on your cigarett lighter, the price tag on the bottom of that vase.. anything with a hard surface. Wal Mart has lighter fluid pretty cheap in larger containers.
Then follow up with a good wash, polish and wax.
If it were my car, I would take a shot. But then, it wouldn't be MY first rodeo.
Would love to see a photo or two of the stripes you are addressing.
Kate
Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16
The problem will be the clear coat on the hood. More than likely once i peel off the old decal I'll wind up having to repaint the hoos.
Kate, these stripes are big! (Think 302 BOSS!)
How about MAYO??
No just on top of the hood.
No, I'll stay away fronm the lighter fluid for now.
Send me your email and I'll mail you my photos.
No luck there, just some sympathy..
Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16My experience with metallic and even plain vinyl stripes that go bad is that you cannot condidion them back to life. I have tried many different approaches and once the finish is gone, it's a done deal. The best thing I ever found for a temporary dress up was good old fashioned Pledge and lots of it. but it was short lived.
Now, they may ahve come out with something new in recent years.
| | Hey! Spikey Likes IT! | 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok | Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior | Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" | w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16
Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16You're absolutely right. Horses of a different color and all that. Polishing them would be much easier than removing them.
Kate
| >Now, they may ahve come out with something new in recent years. | >
| >
| >| | >| Hey! Spikey Likes IT! | >| 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok | >| Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior | >| Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" | >| w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16 | >
| | Hey! Spikey Likes IT! | 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok | Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior | Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" | w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16
3M makes a couple of products to remove stripes and decals. One is like a giant gum eraser disc, the other is a wheel made of strips of something. Each are designed to attach to a drill and they literally erase the stripe material without damaging the paint. I used the latter of the 2 to remove the stripes off of my Ranger and it worked like a charm. I went back over each area (both sides of the truck, nose to tail) with Meguiar's 3-step system and the result was perfect. Check your local parts house that deals with paint/body items and I'll bet you'll find it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Okie Tom - TS #62
1998 GT Coupe 5-spd. 2001 Ranger XLTGood to know Tom, thanks! isn't modern technology amazing :)
Kate
| | 3M makes a couple of products to remove stripes and decals. One is | like a giant gum eraser disc, the other is a wheel made of strips of | something. Each are designed to attach to a drill and they literally | erase the stripe material without damaging the paint. I used the | latter of the 2 to remove the stripes off of my Ranger and it worked | like a charm. I went back over each area (both sides of the truck, | nose to tail) with Meguiar's 3-step system and the result was perfect. | Check your local parts house that deals with paint/body items and I'll | bet you'll find it. | | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | Okie Tom - TS #62 | | 1998 GT Coupe 5-spd. | 2001 Ranger XLT |
No prob Katester.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Okie Tom - TS #62
1998 GT Coupe 5-spd. 2001 Ranger XLTYou goofball!
| >Kate | >
| No prob Katester. | | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | Okie Tom - TS #62 | | 1998 GT Coupe 5-spd. | 2001 Ranger XLT |
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