I have a customer who bought a full set of Trans Am decals from Classic Industries. I laid out the back half of the car and began to install. The gold pinstripes are masked with clear premask and are Avery HP. I tried to remove the premask and the stripes were stuck to them like they have been premasked for YEARS. I picked at the edges and finally got the premask to separate from the stripes. Holy adhesive left behind batman!!! I contacted Classic and after many days of missed calls (they do not have voicemail) their resolution was to use lighter fluid to wipe down the decals to remove the adhesive...ON THE WHOLE F'N car!!! Are you F'N nuts????? Anyone else have this problem???
Posted by shon lenzo (Member # 1364) on :
No, but sometimes hand cleaner (without grit) works great for removing adhesive. You know, the hand cleaner used by painters and mechanics.
Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :
My point is that I shouldn't have to remove adhesive residue from premask! Are they kidding? I have seen what clear premask does to a decal when it sits for a long time...it leaves adhesive behind!
Posted by Tony McDonald (Member # 1158) on :
Hate to turn down work, but have said "no" to installs several times to people who buy graphic off the internet. Had a customer price decals from me for her new camaro. I guess she didn't like my price, so she bought some off the internet. They came to her folded for shipping with creases, and not in very good shape, so I told her no, and why. A couple days later, a shop up the road calls asking if I would help them put decals on a new camaro....turns out, it was the same vehicle. Don't know if she ever did get them put on.
Biggest problem I have with it is that if I didn't make them the first time, how do I make another if it gets screwed up? or have the right vinyl color, template, etc....
Posted by Tony McDonald (Member # 1158) on :
Not sure if it will help on clear premask, but if you wet the paper mask it will help it release easier.
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
And like you said..."They've been premasked for years".
Judging by the numbers of Trans Am's still in circulation (and needing graphics), I'd guess this is a set they've had laying on the shelf for years, and you're the lucky buyer.
From past experience, Rapid Prep's Rapid Remover works pretty well, and doesn't require a tremendous amount of elbow grease.
Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :
Fortunately for me, the customer bought them from a reputable parts dealer so I am only out my time and shop space so far. Unfortunately for the company, my customer happens to be the County Sheriff and this is his personal car, so he has already made it quite clear to them that if I am not satisfied, they will have a problem that needs fixing (he is not the type to back down or accept excuses.) I didn't try the paper masked decals and I know, Tony, if I did have an issue, I'd just wet them down. Thanks for the tip Dale! Might resort to that.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
NOS(new old stock)is great find for the classic car owners........BUT SUCKS FOR VINYL STICKERS))))) these big companies need to add EXPIRATION DATES or USE BY........certain time period.
Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :
Agreed OP! I looked for any production dates on them...nothing.
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
We have started to refuse to install other people's vinyl. You never know what problems you will have, where they got it, is it High performance or crap vinyl, etc. So now we tell customers if we didn't produce it, we don't install it. We have made a few exceptions for customers we know but they guy off the street that wants you to install his stuff he bought on the internet, "Nope".
Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :
If it was a junk brand (still not a fan of Avery) or not from a reputable parts company, I don't install. But geez! Who is going to take a week to pattern a car and cut stripes for a job that you know the customer can't/wont' pay for the invested time. AND this is CLASSIC INDUSTRIES!!!
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
Nikki,
If a customer comes to me and asks us to apply decals they bought, I charge for the installation accordingly, I have one to do for a body shop on Monday ( ugh) but hey I'm in business to make money. Anyway, I would say your responsibility ends when the decals are applied. If there is a problem with the decals, then the customer should be responsible for rendering a solution to that problem. If more of your time is needed and he decides to hire you, charge accordingly. Clear application tape seems to be the culprit. I have a love / hate relationship with that stuff.
Good luck, would love to see the trans am when done Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
I'm still betting it's old, and that's why you're having these problems.
I wouldn't be surprised, though, to see some of these vendors having stuff like this done "over there"....with inferior grade products.
I know I'm only one voice; but I can't say I've had any problems with Avery vinyl for years. I guess I use the A6 (hp intermediate) for most things; but it's worked fine, and holds up quite well. In this day and age, with businesses coming and going on a daily basis, I don't see the point of spending big bucks for high performance, when the business may be gone next month. If it's an established customer, that's a different story.
[ August 23, 2014, 09:58 AM: Message edited by: Dale Feicke ]
Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
I too have found the rapid products (even all 3 combined if I had to!) did the trick on removing any of that overcast grit.
It's definitely ancient stock. I use to apply sections at a time to test it out. I've got anxiety just remembering all those fancy big kits I use to install, holding my breath the whole time. LOL
I do not miss applying those decals. Not one bit...
Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :
I only have two pieces on, so I only have the hour it took to lay out the back half into it. I can't even peel the stripes from the premask (which was my first indicator that something was amiss.) I guess I could pattern the kit (with time I don't have now) and setup new striping out of my own material.It is just a pain having the car take up space in my shop. And the sheriff is a great customer, referring many, many agencies my way besides all of the county's work. I do work for his brother and his aunt and uncle are really good friends of the family, so I am kind of taking this as a personal issue with Classic. Hopefully there will be answers soon. If it comes down to it, I guess I can continue with the stripes if they refund his purchase price, pay for a gallon of Rapid Remover and half of the shop rate.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)