How to: remove painted pinstripes

fit4kris · #1 (**permalink**) 05-15-2007, 10:37 PM

OK...I have read and read about removing PAINTED PINSTRIPES from cars. I am going to "try" a method this week in a small non obvious spot. But, I would like to know what our paint is...Maybe stupid to ask but I am not too savvy in paint. So, is there a clearcoat? (goofy quesiton I know but want to be sure) what is the paint? Laquer or enamel?

I am starting to do some more stuff to the car and the painted pinstripes are killing me...So, I would rather part ways with my pinstripes that the dealer so sweetly did for me prior to me picking up the car.

So a super secret spot will be done this week! Wish me luck.

Kris

2hot6ft2 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-16-2007, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fit4kris

OK...I have read and read about removing PAINTED PINSTRIPES from cars. I am going to "try" a method this week in a small non obvious spot. But, I would like to know what our paint is...Maybe stupid to ask but I am not too savvy in paint. So, is there a clearcoat? (goofy quesiton I know but want to be sure) what is the paint? Laquer or enamel?

I am starting to do some more stuff to the car and the painted pinstripes are killing me...So, I would rather part ways with my pinstripes that the dealer so sweetly did for me prior to me picking up the car.

So a super secret spot will be done this week! Wish me luck.

Kris

Unless you specifically had the pin stripping "painted" on it's not painted but pin stripping tape. There are several products out for removing labels and stuff like "Goo Gone" that will remove it without damaging the paint.

fit4kris · #3 (**permalink**) 05-16-2007, 05:14 PM

Made a little page with the process to remove painted pinstripes. Pinstripe That is the link I made and good luck!

Kris

fit4kris · #4 (**permalink**) 05-16-2007, 05:19 PM

Unfortunately, I wish you were right in this case. As luck has it, people find the vinyl pinstripes too cheap whereas I "suppose" painted pinstripes are making the car more appealing to people with higher tastes

Whatever the case, I had painted pinstripes from the dealer. Note: HAD! When I called the dealer, they put me in touch with their guy who does the striping on all of their new cars. The guy told me since the car was red and a month old, there would be a ghost stripe highly visible. I was floored as when I saw the car, it was in their garage as they have a huge stock of cars...So it was a little dark. When the transaction was complete, it was dark outside. So I didn't really notice the stripes. Then they got to be old real quick. In my post here: How to: remove painted pinstripes Maybe other FitFreaks can do the same with their painted on pinstripes.

Believe me. I prayed they were vinyl when I looked at them. Even when I try to peel the edge with my fingernail. But to my surprise, they were painted as it is the "style' now.

Oh well.

Hope the above helps others. Mods/Admins...Feel free to merge the two threads if you need to as this post was vague in the title. The other shows the How To. Thanks.

kris

2hot6ft2 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-16-2007, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fit4kris

Unfortunately, I wish you were right in this case. As luck has it, people find the vinyl pinstripes too cheap whereas I "suppose" painted pinstripes are making the car more appealing to people with higher tastes

Whatever the case, I had painted pinstripes from the dealer. Note: HAD! When I called the dealer, they put me in touch with their guy who does the striping on all of their new cars. The guy told me since the car was red and a month old, there would be a ghost stripe highly visible. I was floored as when I saw the car, it was in their garage as they have a huge stock of cars...So it was a little dark. When the transaction was complete, it was dark outside. So I didn't really notice the stripes. Then they got to be old real quick. In my post here: How to: remove painted pinstripes Maybe other FitFreaks can do the same with their painted on pinstripes.

Believe me. I prayed they were vinyl when I looked at them. Even when I try to peel the edge with my fingernail. But to my surprise, they were painted as it is the "style' now.

Oh well.

Hope the above helps others. Mods/Admins...Feel free to merge the two threads if you need to as this post was vague in the title. The other shows the How To. Thanks.

kris

Bummer, I almost had them paint mine on. I didn't want them on it in the first place but it came in a trade with most of it done. Most as in they didn't complete the job the right front fender had none. Good luck.

jeffquach · #6 (**permalink**) 07-13-2007, 01:26 AM

man i tried this yesterday and it worked great. hated the pinstripes that were on my car. so easy!

VQ35HR · #7 (**permalink**) 09-05-2007, 10:34 PM

I did this on my ep3. I used some sort of 3m eraser wheel, it worked great but just don't let the eraser wheel become an egg shape or else the panels can become very not straight.

customfitted · #8 (**permalink**) 09-09-2007, 02:56 PM

be careful with those things..they can also burn some paint.

vtec just kicked in yo · #9 (**permalink**) 05-29-2008, 09:37 PM

I insisted the dealer remove the pinstripes off my Fit before I'd purchase the car. I don't understand why they still put those things on a modern car like this. I guess if you're 65 years old you think they looks snappy along with some white-wall tires but WTF they seem extremely dated to me. Never liked them. I don't know how they did it but they got them off in 15 minutes and the paint looked perfect like they were never there in the first place so it can be done.

kancerr · #10 (**permalink**) 05-29-2008, 09:44 PM

i have the sticky kind of pinstripes, and since i recently took off the tacky door protectors thing they put on my door jams, they have peeled a little, thinking of taking it off also...whats a safe way to remove them? also whats a safe way to get silicone or whatever they used on the door jams off...

dagul · #11 (**permalink**) 05-29-2008, 09:48 PM

Didn't realize I just google searched your how-to... ... ....

vtec just kicked in yo · #12 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kancerr

i have the sticky kind of pinstripes, and since i recently took off the tacky door protectors thing they put on my door jams, they have peeled a little, thinking of taking it off also...whats a safe way to remove them? also whats a safe way to get silicone or whatever they used on the door jams off...

The tacky door protector things actually serve a very useful purpose, unlike pinstripes. I was actually kind of impressed that the car came with them. I agree the car looks cleaner without them, but I'd rather protect the doors.

kancerr · #13 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 05:56 PM

yeah i know they serve a purpose but the dealership that installed mine did a horrible job on a few of them. they put silicone at just the top and bottom about an inch worth of each strip...they started falling off and flapping around when i drive and that is embarassing as hell driving a brand new shiny car around with things falling off and flapping around! lol.

plus i dont park my car close to ANYTHING. i park far away from all stores, around no cars. most people are too lazy to walk that far and never park next to me. ive parked next to a car may be twice in the past year because i HAD to. i will never bang my doors :] and everybody knows im obsessive compulsive so they respect my car too and dont ding it up ;]

but yeah if you park your car close to things they serve a purpose to protect from dings.

if they did a good job of putting them on, i probably would have let them be. but i could have hired a few 6 year olds to put them on and they would have done a better job...