Decal Removal

[robovan]

Hey,

can anyone suggest a good place to get the factory decals removed from my L300 in Van? How much do you estimate it will cost? Will I be happy with the results? Or is this not a good idea....

cheers!

Rob

[403delica]

You can use what's called a trim eraser.... There about ten dollars and look like a grinder wheel made of rubber... Attach it to the drill and giver! This is what the body shop will use and we have great success with them

[403delica]

Mine is made by Wurth if that helps

[robovan]

And this will not damage the car?

[403delica]

No it a similar material to those white erasers... We use them to remove decals when a badge less look was wanted... If you have an air drill and a compressor there good ( ekectrical gets hot/runs out of juice) I'll try to find a link

[403delica]

Here they are!

[jessef]

it may or may not work

if it's factory decal (like yours in the pic) and it's been baked in the sun over the years, it's quite possible the color underneath the decal will not match up perfectly to the paint that has been exposed to the elements for the past 15 years.

I've gone from more decals than you can blink at down to a few on Turtle.

It took me about a solid 20-25 agonizing by-hand hours ontop of the $300 I spent at two shops to get them 'professionally' removed using different methods including the drill w/eraser and the pad with the little soft nubs as well.

My advice. Leave it.

When I began, it looked so simple as a few people said oh just use a heat gun or eraser/buffer and it will come off easy. No problem.

Wasn't the case and I would never do it again even if someone paid me for it. I definitely would not take it to a shop and they all said the same thing "we do not guarantee it will come off and if it does, we are not responsible for any damage to the paint or burn impressions from the buffer".

[psilosin]

Taking bitchin' factory decals off a JDM is like clipping a birds wings or declawing a cat. Don't do it!

[403delica]

Good point Jfarsang... if you have lots of time and lots of cut polishing skills then maybe try but don't have high expectations.

[robovan]

Well...your van looks pretty darn good in the after picture!

I went through some old posts about detailing and called a shop that was recommended on the forum. They quoted a reasonable price for the job (incl. polish&wax to remove ghosting) and were positive about the expected results.

In my case the decals are made up of a bunch of smaller decals which I assume will be easier to remove.

I would forget about it if it was a charmonix model, but some of the graphics are already peeling and looks terrible... Looks are important

cheers,

R

[glenn]

Keep us posted on the results. I'm looking to buy a Jasper or Chamonix - but I can't stand the decals. They look like they were designed by an adolescent teen boy in the 90's. . . . now, if only something could be done about the upholstery.

Oh, and I'm sorry to everyone I just offended.

[robovan]

Hey you got something against my generation...?

Agreed Deli graphics leave a lot to be desired...

[yojimbo]

My 94 L300 jasper decals are awesome, they really light up in direct sun.

[FalcoColumbarius]

My 94 L300 jasper decals are awesome, they really light up in direct sun.

Same with my '92 Chamonix decals. Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea but I really dig them none the less! I also wear the whites of her boots on the outside, too ~ I have no qualms about showing off my Yokos.

Rob, I guess you just have to do what is right for yourself, but keep us posted as to what you decide and how you do it, eh?

Cheers!
Falco.