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Removing old decals


Guest imported_Thriller

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Guest imported_Thriller

The "Buick Wildcat 445" decal on the air cleaner for the '66 Wildcat is in pretty tough shape. I have a replacement decal.

Does anyone have any suggestions for removing the old decal? The paint on the air cleaner lid is pretty good, so I don't want to go crazy with a metal scraper or the like. From looking at the replacement decal, I don't think it would do well to leave bits of the old decal on as the new one either would have trouble sticking and / or it would turn out bumpy.

So far I have started at it with a plastic scraper, but that is pretty painstaking. I'll continue plugging away with that until I either get it done or hear from someone here with a better idea.

Thanks.

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Guest dabecker65@gmail.com

I would suggest pulling out the trusty heat gun and carefully apply heat to soften the old adhesive without bubbling or burning the paint...

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Guest imported_Thriller

Thanks guys...seeing as I don't own a heat gun, I used the hair dryer (so Adam, can we say great minds think alike?). That did a decent job, although there is some residue left behind. I think I'll try with a bit of steel wool tomorrow to see if I can remove it since I don't have any appropriate sandpaper / emery cloth.

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Guest imported_Thriller

Hmmm...perhaps I'll run out to my friendly neighbourhood painting supply store...happily, it isn't far away, I was planning on going out, and with the snow this morning, it won't be a nice day to putter around outside.

Thanks Adam.

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Try WD 40 on that old glue. It takes off the glue from old duct tape, it may do the job for you. I'd suggest experimenting with a small bit on one area or saturating a rag and then just some elbow grease.

JD

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Guest Roadmaster

There is this stuff called "Goo Gone" that is sold at Walgreens I think, and I'm sure a lot of hardware stores etc It removes sticky junk from stickers, glue and a lot of stuff. If any of you have ever used it you would love it. Hope this helps.

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Guest unclefogey

Derek,

You mean you don't have a can of WD-40 in your ice fishing tackle box? The two guys I ice fish with would never be without it. I believe you cannot use live bait in Canada, but immediately after putting a sucker minnow on their hook, they give it a shot of WD-40. I never have warmed up to the idea, but they swear by it. Even the list of uses provided lists spraying lures to kill human scent. And sucker minnows are damn tough.

John.

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Guest imported_Thriller

I've heard of using WD-40, but as a water dispersion compound, I don't believe it putting it in our waterways...they get polluted enough.

On live bait - regulations vary by location...there are places in Manitoba you can't use it, but in other locales you can.

I was hoping to have a finished product to show you guys, but yesterday was the last day of the general fishing season, so I spent it out fishing, and then did the church thing and the World of Wheels show today, so I didn't get to it...sigh.

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Guest imported_Thriller

Well, at least something went OK today. It was a bit cool outside, but I headed out with the solvent, the air cleaner lid, and my oversized carcass, cleaned up the air cleaner lid, then had Suzanne help with installing the new decal...working in a circle isn't all that easy.

Here's the Before shot:

WC_air_cleaner_before6.jpg

And the After shot:

20070404_WC_air_cleaner_after1.jpg

It is far from perfect, but I think it looks a heck of a lot better than it did.

It's a good thing I accomplished something positive today. I started by drilling into the one bolt that broke off when I took the front seat out...I wound up breaking the easy out...sigh. I walked away at that point to do something different, hence the air cleaner lid. I'll try again tomorrow, if for nothing else than to see if I can grab the easy out to get it out. I'm not sure what I'll wind up doing about that then.

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Those darn easy outs are a pain in the butt. The only time I had one work for me was when I successively drilled the bolt till the easy out was working againt very thin edges of the stuck bolt. The last time I had one break off I had a neighbor who had a rotary drill ( an industrial strength dremmel) with a carbide drill bit. That was the only thing that made a dent in the easy out and it ate it up in seconds too. I don't know if a dremmel has the intestinal fortitude to do that job, but if you have one, try it out.

JD

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Guest imported_Thriller

Well, I do have a rotary tool of a different brand...I'll try backing it out first - really just the top end broke off, so there is plenty to grab...I'll try backing it out first - I imagine it should come out.

It is kind of surprising though, as rusty as that car was, that only one out of 8 front seat bolts broke off due to being frozen in. It's the norm for me though working on this car...something always breaks.

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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It is kind of surprising though, as rusty as that car was, that only one out of 8 front seat bolts broke off due to being frozen in. It's the norm for me though working on this car...something always breaks. </div></div>

I know the feeling Derek, Everytime I work on anything underneath my '65 Wildcat I come prepared with my air cutoff saw!!!!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Air Cleaner looks great. That circle of Mylar is tough to get on just right, but it sure brightens up the engine bay!

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