OT: (Very) Removing collision paint from a car

[Dale]

Ok, I once again consult the Oracle which is C&F Message Board members. I always get good advice.

One of my daughters has a car which is olive green. She had an unfortunate encounter with a automatic gate, the arm of which came down on her car and deposited white paint on top of the car's olive green paint and also, surprisingly, on the back window.

What is the best method/material for removing this extraneous paint without doing (much) damage to the finish?

Dale

[Brian Lee]

Hi Dale,

I've worked at a couple of jobs detailing cars and planes both, and can tell you how to remove paint overspray, curb marks from tires and even bird bits and feathers from a bird strike on the wing of a Cessna 172! (EEEEWWWW!)

To remove a paint scuff, some things you can try might include:

A good quality polishing compound. If that doesn't take it all off, you can go to the next more abrasive product: rubbing compound.

Sometimes fingernail polish remover, or straight acetone can also work miracles.

Don't use gasoline, but on some surfaces products like WD-40 can work as well.

The trick is to use the least abrasive materials first, and work your way down the list as is required. You may also look for products like Goo-B-Gone, or those Bug/Tar/Sap remover in the local auto parts store.

Hope some of this might help.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bri~

[Zubivka]

If it's to remove evidence, best is to paint the gate day-glo red.

[Jetboy]

You could try cellulose thinners, quickly and with a slightly abrasive cloth. Any dulling of the underlying paint resulting from this can be polished up with something like T-Cut (is this a UK name?) whatever, a proprietory cutting polish will bring up the shine. Be careful with the thinners, you dont want to be too liberal with it or you will start to take of the car's own paint.

Alternatively, try a blow torch. This usually takes paint off. You may need to see a body refinisher afterwards though!

Jetboy
Weston Whistles UK

[Loren]

Dale,

Three questions:

1. How large is the area of paint transfer?

2. Is there damage to the underlying metal (dented, etc.)

3. Is the paint under or around the area of paint transfer damaged - meanins is the paint chipped or cracked at all?

Loren

[Dale]

Dale,

Three questions:

1. How large is the area of paint transfer?

2. Is there damage to the underlying metal (dented, etc.)

3. Is the paint under or around the area of paint transfer damaged - meanins is the paint chipped or cracked at all?

Loren

Thanks:
1. There are three areas. 1 is on glass and the other 2 are (bad) paint on (original) paint. The two on paint--one is about the area of a 3X5 index card and the other a bit larger. The paint that is on the back window is a larger area, maybe 3 inches by 7 inches. Interestingly, if I rub my thumbnail on the paint-on-paint areas, I can scrape a bit of the paint off, but it would take ages. The paint that is on the glass is the most stubborn and resistant to thumbnail scraping behavior.

2. There doesn't appear to be any damage. No denting.

3. The extraneous paint is dense enough that I can't really tell if there is any damage to the underlying (original) paint on the car.

[spittin_in_the_wind]

One of my daughters has a car which is olive green.
Dale

Good man, Dale!

It wouldn't also happen to be a Dodge Dart, would it?

Robin

[Jetboy]

Cellulose thinners will definately work on the glass without any damage to the glass.

Get some fine wet and dry sandpaper, smooth over the edges of the white paint, some olive green spray paint in a can and cover it over.!
(This isn't helping much is it! )

Jetboy

[GaryKelly]

You can't hide from forensic science. I've seen it on TV.

[Jerry Freeman]

Another useful bit of information would be ...

Does the paint have a shiny, clear glaze coating (a two part finish), or is it the type where there's only one layer of paint that's the same material all the way through? (You may have to ask a dealer or body shop about this to be sure.) If it's one material all the way through, you can safely use fine abrasive "wet or dry" paper (maybe starting with #400) to carefully remove the unwanted paint down to the original finish and then use polishing compounds to restore the shine to the original finish. But you have to be careful only to remove the unwanted paint and not sand into the original paint, and you can't use this method on glass.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[joeln]

For the glass use fine steel wool or a flat razor scraper. Neither of these will scratch the glass.

[Paul]

Dale we run into this all the time. The product we use is

3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner (Product number 051135-08984

It comes in a rectangular red and white can. It takes paint like that off instantly without damaging the car's finish. It actually has tons of uses besides that. If you can't find it anywhere let me know and I'll send you a can UPS. I have a whole case in the Parts dept.

Best,
Paul

[Jerry Freeman]

Paul,

Does this stuff take off adhesive left over from duct tape, etc.? If it works for that without removing paint, I have use for it in my own business. I've been using acetone, but that dissolves plastics, etc. and I can't use it for some things.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Paul]

Jerry, I am told that it will remove duct tape residue. On the front of the can it states that it is specifically states that it is for removal of:

adhesive
silicone
wax
grease
tar
oil

It may be applied directly to cool painted automotive surfaces to remove excess adhesive and other foreign material. On areas where adhesive is dried and old it says to soak it area and wipe/repeat. This has been my experience with it.

It's great stuff. On thinking about it I'll bet you would have a lot of use for it in your re-furbishing business.

Best
-Paul

[Jerry Freeman]

Paul, that's great. I will get some.

Now, do you know of a product that will get my handyman to show up for work? (Beer doesn't count.)

Best wishes,
Jerry