Paint stripping advice needed. Hand painted lettering.

[mr. cob]

Howdy All,

As most folks know I have my Freightliner, for sale, a couple years ago I had "Semi-Sane" lettered on the sides of the sleeper, it's not stick on vinyl but real hand painted lettering.  At the time I thought I would never be buying another truck so I had this painted rather then the vinyl which goes bad in a few years.

Anyway, now that I want to sell the truck I am thinking it would be better to remove that lettering as some folks may not like it or want to deal with taking it off, so I an asking the group for suggestions on how I can do this at home rather then take it someplace and have it done.  The man who did the lettering and he is a professional said to just spray so "EZ-OFF" oven cleaner on the truck, let it sit for about 15 minutes and then just wipe the old paint off with a clean rag.  He assured me that if you didn't let it sit to long in the hot sun that this would NOT hurt the underlying paint.  Sounds down right scary to me I do not want to end up painting the truck before I sell it.  So I am open to advice and suggestions before I give this a try.  Thanks for any information you can share.

Dave

[rickeieio]

I've had exactly two experiences with oven cleaner and paint, both inflicted by my dear old dad.  It didn't remove the paint, but it changed the color.  Best used in ovens........

I would try a little enamel reducer on a soft cloth, in an out of the way place on the truck.  It it doesn't harm the old paint, go after the letters.

[mr. cob]

3 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

I've had exactly two experiences with oven cleaner and paint, both inflicted by my dear old dad.  It didn't remove the paint, but it changed the color.  Best used in ovens........

I would try a little enamel reducer on a soft cloth, in an out of the way place on the truck.  It it doesn't harm the old paint, go after the letters.

Howdy rickeieio,

I am holding off doing ANYTHING until I get a few replies, also going to check with a local body shop and see what they suggest.

Dave

[Steve from SoCal]

If it is sign paint, lacquer thinner or acetone should remove it and, not hurt the base paint.    

 

Steve 

[mr. cob]

2 minutes ago, Steve from SoCal said:

If it is sign paint, lacquer thinner or acetone should remove it and, not hurt the base paint.    

 

Steve 

Howdy Steve,

I forgot to ask Patrick, what type of paint he used.  I'll find out that will help to identify what should be used to remove it.

Dave

[AZStang]

I’ve removed pinstripes with oven cleaner. Works very well. Like your painter said, only leave it on until the lettering dissolves. I sprayed the oven cleaner in a jar and applied to the pin stripes with a cue tip but you could use a small brush. 

[mr. cob]

5 minutes ago, AZStang said:

I’ve removed pinstripes with oven cleaner. Works very well. Like your painter said, only leave it on until the lettering dissolves. I sprayed the oven cleaner in a jar and applied to the pin stripes with a cue tip but you could use a small brush. 

Howdy AZStang,

Thanks for your reply, Monday when the local body shop is open I'll ask the painter there what he thinks, by then I'll know what type of paint Patrick used when he did the lettering.

Dave

[AZStang]

Yeah, I was pretty skeptical too. Just start with a small spot and see how it goes. Once you perfect the process on a small area, you can repeat on the rest. 

Love your Pete project by the way! Need more pictures though!

Shawn

[mr. cob]

15 minutes ago, AZStang said:

Yeah, I was pretty skeptical too. Just start with a small spot and see how it goes. Once you perfect the process on a small area, you can repeat on the rest. 

Love your Pete project by the way! Need more pictures though!

Shawn

Howdy Shawn,

I have up dated the gallery where the build is detailed, posted the better photos to the thread I have on the Smart Car, deck build.  The shop that is doing the work is swamped with work, but I was assured I'd have the truck in time to make it to the WCR so now I am kinda going nuts waiting for it.  I was hoping to get in a shake down run before heading out on the first long trip of the summer but its looking like going to the WCR is going to be the shake down run.  Wish me luck.

I am going to talk to the local body shop guy next Monday, get his opinion, go to the store buy me a spray can of EZ-Off and very carefully work on a small part of the lettering and see how it goes, if it works I'll post photos, if it don't I guess shed some tears then open my wallet.

Dave

[Lance A Lott]

There's got to be a spot you can test on that won't show. Maybe under the hood or remove a door panel. Even the area near the hinges might work. Under the door would never be noticed even if you had to repaint it.

[jenandjon]

I think I would leave it. Adds to the character of the truck. Plus the next person wouldn't have to come up with a name. It already has one. I you are dead set on removing it take it to a body shop. I have tried to remove paint from vehicles several ways and failed miserably.

[Lance A Lott]

30 minutes ago, jenandjon said:

I think I would leave it. Adds to the character of the truck. Plus the next person wouldn't have to come up with a name. It already has one. I you are dead set on removing it take it to a body shop. I have tried to remove paint from vehicles several ways and failed miserably.

I have to agree, unless you want to reuse the name on your new truck leave it. You could find out how much to have removed at the body shop and then be prepared to either lower the sale price if that is all that's standing in the way of a deal, or to remove it your self. The name on the truck might just be what sells it, between two similar trucks.

[jenandjon]

I thought it was bad luck to reuse the same name. Unless you add a 2. Like semi-sane2 on the new truck. I know in boating its bad luck. Its a process to change a boat name. The name it came with is the one they generally keep. But thats boats and purely superstition.

Sorry, I got off track there. I just have been thinking a lot about names trying to come up with one for my truck.

[Lance A Lott]

Don't tell my wife that, she has had two horses with the same name. Of course now that I think about it we did have trouble with the vet papers they had new blood test results on a horse that had been dead several years.  She had to add a name to differentiate between the two.

You could easily use the Roman numeral II in the name and it would look really nice.

[mr. cob]

Howdy All,

Thanks for all the replies, I really do appreciate them.  I got a hold of Patrick, the man who did the lettering he said he used "1 shot enamel" he said this was the standard paint used by sign painters.

I guess the main reason I am thinking about removing the name from the truck is that I have had it listed for sale over 5 months now and have not had one serious person ask about it, have had probably 5-6 people call but they just want to talk about licensing requirements and such no real interest. 

Based on what I have seen in other trucks having gone to 4 national rallies I would rank my Freightliner, in with at least the average I would consider it above average truck when it comes to over all condition compared to what I have seen.  It's not a Volvo, and it isn't setup to carry a Smart Car, other then that with all the documented repairs and up grades I think its priced reasonably but its just not generating any interest.

So I thought maybe the lettering on the truck was putting people off, they either didn't like the name, most folks are more then "semi-sane" or they didn't want to deal with removing the lettering.  Thus my asking for advise on how to remove it.

I have decided to name the Pete, Semi-Sane II, I have had a local vinyl sign maker work up what I think is a nice looking set of lettering, this is a bad photo of what he thinks it would look like on the truck.

If I decide to go with this lettering, only the name will go on the truck, the not for hire lettering shown at the bottom of the sleeper will not be done.

So I don't know what to do, leave the name on the Freightliner, take it off, drop the price or just advertise it more, to be honest I haven't really put a lot of effort into selling the truck based on what I have observed here on this forum I didn't think it would take that long.  Now with the cost of diesel fuel going UP again toys like ours are going to be even more of a luxury item then they already are.

Dave

[Steveoreno]

I may be late to the party here but I will give my opinion. I have been in the sign biz for over 30 years. Not much is done with 1 shot anymore as it actually takes skill to lay down.  Its been the go to paint for signs and vehicle lettering  for ever and the only change has been taking the lead out of the paint 15 years or more since babies were eating truck doors.  Removing letering off boats and vehicles with EZ OFF has been done that way for as long as I remember.  As always start slow and watch whats going on and it wont hurt to do in multiple steps/coats.  If you are really worried have the sign guy do it for you.  On a secondary note good 3M vinyl should last 10 + years. Lastly anything you put on will not fade/ oxidized and degrade under the lettering of any type thus leaving a ghost.  Had a 78 Trans Am that was a couple years old that on the door the previous owner named Debbie Sue.  I removed it the 1st day I owned it but it still ghosted and all my buddies caught it and called it Debbie Sue. Thankfully my wife of 34 years blew the motor up and I got rid of her....The car that is. 

[mr. cob]

Howdy Steveoreno,

Thank you for your detail filled reply now I just need to make up my mind as to what to do. Patrick told me this would work I guess I just needed to hear it from others as it struck me as a bit extreme.

Dave

[maveric]

As Steve said above, the ghosting will still be there. My truck is a retired FexEx truck, and you can still see the logo on the door if you catch it in the right light. Even running a polisher over it did not get rid of it. It may be better to just leave it on there.

[mr. cob]

3 hours ago, maveric said:

As Steve said above, the ghosting will still be there. My truck is a retired FexEx truck, and you can still see the logo on the door if you catch it in the right light. Even running a polisher over it did not get rid of it. It may be better to just leave it on there.

Howdy Chris,

I have noticed that when at the right angle, in the right light a person can just barely make out the original lettering that was on the Freightliner, when it was in commercial service but this is so slight even if you try to see it you can't, just sometimes when everything is just right or wrong as the case may be.

Dave

[alan0043]

Hi Dave,

I can't help you with the paint. But I'm surprised that your truck has not sold by now. What web sites is your truck listed on ? This is just an idea. Have you tried Racing Junk . com ? You can place an ad there for free. What is where I was able to sell my first truck on.

Best of luck with your old and new truck,
Al

[mr. cob]

5 hours ago, alan0043 said:

Hi Dave,

I can't help you with the paint. But I'm surprised that your truck has not sold by now. What web sites is your truck listed on ? This is just an idea. Have you tried Racing Junk . com ? You can place an ad there for free. What is where I was able to sell my first truck on.

Best of luck with your old and new truck,
Al

Howdy Al,

I really don't know where to post it, I have it listed here on this list, I have it posted over on facebook under my wife's account, I have a hard time just reading facebook and won't get an account their of my own, I had it listed with Race Junk, used one of their paid ads that has expired.

I havn't put it in any of the major truck sites as its not commercial and would take a lot to return it to commercial service I "assumed" it would be of no interest to the folks who use those outlets.  I havn't tried Craigs List, lot of flakes and tire kickers there that really have no interest other then wasting your time.  Being as I am a "Cob" dealing with people sometimes poses a problem not very conducive to selling something.  Thanks for your well wishes.

Dave

[Lance A Lott]

You could try eBay, not an auction though, and Craig's list, auto trader, I think there are a couple of rv selling sites. If you search like a buyer you will find where they are listed.  Found this one I searched for RV hauler for sale https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=7&ved=2ahUKEwi5373jj73bAhUM658KHaUqCOgQFjAGegQIBBAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rvclearinghouse.com%2Flistings%2Fbrowse%2Ftoters-and-trucks%2F17&usg=AOvVaw2xgfMva_8Ixq2abp2U9IS4

[mr. cob]

3 minutes ago, Lance A Lott said:

You could try eBay, not an auction though, and Craig's list, auto trader, I think there are a couple of rv selling sites. If you search like a buyer you will find where they are listed.

Howdy Lance,

Thanks for the suggestions, my computer search skills rank right along side of my professional public speaking ability.  That a person who spends the amount of time in front of a computer that I do is so inept at utilizing it is embarrassing. Back when I was first looking to buying an HDT, it was a member of this list that found the Freightliner, on consignment at a truck shop down in Oregon, he sent me the information, I drove down , looked at and bought the truck.  I have given some thought to doing the consignment thing but think that "I" would give the buyer a better deal then they would get at a truck shop.

Dave

[Lance A Lott]

My computer skills are limited as well. My wife says that I am a excellent computer shopper. Actually I think "addicted" was the term she used but I am sure she was joking!  I think that if you do a search like you wanted to buy a rv hauler or even a 5ver that you will find some sights to post your truck on, good luck.    Lance

[mr. cob]

2 minutes ago, Lance A Lott said:

My computer skills are limited as well. My wife says that I am a excellent computer shopper. Actually I think "addicted" was the term she used but I am sure she was joking!  I think that if you do a search like you wanted to buy a rv hauler or even a 5ver that you will find some sights to post your truck on, good luck.    Lance

Howdy Lance,

That is very good advice, that I will act on. 

I'll be on the road most of the summer and my plans now have me gone after my summer trip from late August until late November so I really won't be home should someone want to look at the truck, my wife will home most of the time but she doesn't drive the truck so I am a bit suspect of test drives when I am not there.  Just one of my first world problems.

Dave