How to remove that pesky pinstriping!

[nametakennow]

I finally took the time to get rid of those pinstripes today, so I figured I'd share my observations with everyone, as I know many of you are considering doing the same things to your cars. This is not in any specific section because this process should work on any car in the universe, so long as it has cheap vinyl pinstriping attached with glue.

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible if this method does not work for you and/or causes damage to your paint. It worked for me great, so I don't see any reason for either of the above, but just in case, there is the disclaimer.

Anyway, let's get to business.

First, find a hair dryer and a long extension chord and place your car in a comfortable working area, you're probably going to want a chair.

Plug everything in.

Turn the hairdryer on low, because you don't need the high setting, it's the same heat anyway, but whatever you want is cool.

Now, using the hairdryer, heat the area around the pinstripe for a several seconds.

Hopefully you have fingernails, because you're going to wish you hadn't trimmed them recently if you have done so, because getting that stripe up is pretty difficult from time to time.

Slowly, gently, pull the pinstripe while keeping the hairdryer slightly ahead of the area that is coming up, so as to heat the next couple of inches as you go.

In order to limit breakage of the stripe as much as possible, pull VERY slowly and only a maximum of an inch and a half before moving your finger(s) back down to the lowest point that you can grab. Pulling from an inch or so up and "bumping" the bottom with another finger is the quickest, safest method I found.

Believe it or not, pulling both stripes (assuming it is a dual stripe setup, as mine was) at once is actually much safer, as the strength of the vinyl is doubled because you don't really have to pull any harder to get both up rather than one.

Anyway, continue doing this, if the vinyl breaks, simply restart the process at the point of breakage.

Do this body-panel by body-panel until all the striping is off. Depending on the size of the car and your proficiency at removal, this should take an hour to an hour and a half to complete.

Celebrate your victory over the stripe!

You're not done, however...

Get a clean rag and wet it. Then add your favourite car soap to it and start scrubbing the glue off! This process, however, is only a quicker alternative to actually washing the car, which would probably be a better idea, but would, of course, take longer.

This part of the process, while notably less tedious, takes a lot more effort.

More scrubbing...

Eventually, you should have enough of the glue off to make the car presentable until you get a chance to actually wash and wax it (as the area of paint that was covered by striping had no wax, this would definitely be a good idea).

Yay! You're done, and your car looks 1,000,000,000 times better... to you... and a select few friends who can actually tell any difference.

Before:

After:

[574-240sx]

I need to remove the pin stripe on my maxima. I keep getting razed by my friends about it. I will do this when I get time. Nick

[nametakennow]

Boy, my car needs a bath... oh well... soon...

I hope it works just as well for you! Count on a good 2-2.5 hours total though!

[SeVa-S13]

Installing vinyl graphics, both simple lettering/striping and full color digital stuff, is my job and if you don't have access to specific adhesive remover, a little bit of gasoline should make the residue removing process a bit quicker. Just be sure to not let is sit on your paint, cuz it will eat through the clear coat and whatnot if let alone too long.

That's pretty much how we do it professionally most of the time so a good write up to follow.

Good luck.

[nametakennow]

I'd heard about the gasoline method, as well as the Goo-Gone method,and I decided it was worth the extra effort and annoyance to get the glue off by soap and water to avoid the risk of screwing up my paint. A friend of mine has a chrome and plastic adornment to the lower area of his Silverado, we'll be trying the same process on that, as it is not bolted on. If that works, than this method can apply to badging too (which I had heard was true anyway). Thanks!

[j-z]

actually theres a better method than that. go to your local body shop supply store and ask them for a pinstripe remover wheel. its a rubber eraser wheel about 3 1/2''-4'' in diameter. usually you put this in an air tool with a 1/4'' shank( i totally forget what its called, but the ones used for porting and polishing heads). if you dont have air you can put it in the end of a drill. then you just go over the stripe until it comes off. its a really simple and effective way to remove stripe. thats why body shops use it, to make money. note* this only works on vinyl striping. and the cost of one wheel is about $11-$14 and they last for a while. dont be scared to use it on nice paint cause it doesnt hurt it one bit. unelss its peeling and flaking off. just sharing whats worked best for me and the shops ive worked for. edit* not only does this wheel work on vinyl stripe but it also removes that nasty 3m double sided tape type of stuff too.

[nightstepper]

i just used a razor blade to remove the stripes on my 240.

[[Zero-S]]

WTF;) good job man. Do you think a heat gun would do a better job than a blowdryer?

And razor blade = messed up paint. You may not be able to see it now, but it will happen.

[l2andom]

i used to detail cars, and removing pinstripes and stickers and stuff was part of it. A heat gun or blowdryer and those little PLASTIC razor things work good. Or do what seva-s13 said

[nametakennow]

I've heard a heat gun makes the vinyl "fall off." My only concern there would be bubbling the paint. Be careful and it should turn out great.

After washing her, my friend and I did a touch-up job on the wax (top half of door, rear and front fenders, and hood, cause it's chipped to hell... previous owner did a lot of highway) and the car looks 1000 times better than it already did. I'm gonna finish the waxing tomorrow and take some more pics for you guys.

We also tried the hairdryer on his Silverado. It took the lower-area badging-type adornment right iff. His glue was a bit more of a pain, but it came up with some good old fashioned picking. followed by a good scrub. He's gonna finish that tomorrow. Thus, this process should work on anything attached by any sort of lame *** glue without side-effects, just put some elbow-grease into it.

[l2andom]

I've heard a heat gun makes the vinyl "fall off." My only concern there would be bubbling the paint. Be careful and it should turn out great.

yeah, as long as you dont spend too much time sitting in one spot, the heatgun should work fine. I've done it tons of times and i've never had problems with it.

[nightstepper]

i used a razor blade, and then proceeded to shave my *ss!! Screw the paint! It gives the car character when its all *ucked up looking, noone wants a pussified looking keep under a car cover locked away in the garage looking car. Atleast i dont, personally i could car less of what my car looks like. thats why when i get pissed off, i just kick it. Ahh, kick kick kick!!!! Blaaaa!! Durf!

[Nathan]

Atleast i dont, personally i could car less of what my car looks like. thats why when i get pissed off, i just kick it. Ahh, kick kick kick!!!! Blaaaa!! Durf!

Sadly, whether you are joking or not, I tend to actually do this. My hood now sports knuckle dents, one fender felt the wrath of my ratchet extension while trying to put my bumper back on, and my bumper support got the hell bashed out of it with a crowbar due to some annoying problem I've forgotten about. Its hard to be nice to the car when she doesn't do a damned thing right.

[nightstepper]

Oh, its so true!

[jesda_guy]

I removed mine with a credit card and a bottle of Goo Gone. And hours of patience. In the end it wasnt worth it.

[Duckmeister]

Good stuff

This is also the same way to get pesky raunchy guady Vinyl Stickers off your car (pinstripe is vinyl)

[j-z]

if anybody tried what i suggested you would have dont it 30 times quicker without ****ing anything up. i can take both sides of stripe off of one car in about 10-15 mins without any worry of digging in the paint of using a razor blade (which is a bad idea if you care about the paint on your car). all you gotta do when done is clean up all the rubber **** that came off the wheel while doing it.

[andrave]

I have an 89 with pinstriping and a stupid dealer decal on the back and I'd like to remove it all but its been there since 92 at least (bill of sale came with the car from then from this dealer) and I'm afraid the paint will be a different color under the striping... thoughts?

[TurboKA37]

im in the same boat as andrave. im thinking about removing my pinstripe and dealer decal tomarrow but mine is a 95'. im wondering how much if any color difference when i take them off

[nametakennow]

It will be different, even my '01 you can tell a slight difference, but you have to be right up on it to do so. It all depends on the condition of your paint. If it's been meticulously kept up, you should be fine, but if it's weathered its fair share of storms, then there's going to be a difference.

[TurboKA37]

i guess ill have to take a little bit off one of the ends and see how much of a difference there is.

[skydragoness]

i used to detail cars, and removing pinstripes and stickers and stuff was part of it. A heat gun or blowdryer and those little PLASTIC razor things work good. Or do what seva-s13 said

plastic razors, and blowdryer does the trick.

3M makes a phenomonal adhesive remover, got to get that shiznit at the body shop, it was great for my evil parking permit.