Taking a risk - should I remove the vinyl on the roof?

[tdafforn]

Hi Guys,
My +2 (in the galleries under Si's name) is deep red with a vinly roof..
I know the roof covers a silver metal flake roof..
Question is should I remove the vinyl (I really like the metal flake look)?
Anyone know how the roof would have been prepared in order to fit the vinyl?
Would the fitter have done anything irreversable to the original roof when fitting the vinyl?
What sort of Adhesive do they use?
Any info would be great
Cheers
tim

[Elanintheforest]

Hi Tim
Just a personal thing but I think that the vinyl roof looks HORRIBLE on a Plus 2! Dolomite Sprints and Jag Coupes OK, Plus 2s YUK.
So rip it off, but don't expect a gleaming sparkly roof to greet you. It was covered for a reason, probably because it had gone dull or the flakes had started to oxidise. I would imagine that little in the way of preparation was done...perhaps a light rub over with a fine wet & dry, or even just a spirit wipe.

Use a heat gun / hair dryer just to warm the nasty stuf that you're peeling off. It will soften the glue and minimise any damage to the gelcoat.

A good paint shop will be able to put it back to look original.
Mark

[Jason1]

Tim

I agree I hate vinyl roofs on any car; I have removed boy racer vinyl stickers and graphics from many cars in the past and have found the best way to avoid damaging the underlying paintwork is to soften the glue using hot water.

All you have to do it boil a kettle of water and slowly pour it over a corner of the vinyl, once you get a nice piece to grip hold of keep pouring the hot water and pulling the vinyl up. I have found this easier than a heat gun and you can never blister the paint with hot water. Once all the vinyl is off you will be left with lots of sticky glue on the paint, now the boring bit starts, I have used lighter fluid to get this glue off but it takes time and is tedious

I would try the hot water first before reaching for the heat gun

Hope this helps

Jason

[ianf]

I have no idea how to remove vinyl, however in the mid-70's they were often fitted to cover hailstone damage back in the days when we had real summers!

(Cheaper than a respray for the insurers apparently).

Ian

[reb53]

"I have used lighter fluid to get this glue off but it takes time and is tedious"

Another way to remove the residue from labels and the like is to spray a bit of WD40 or similar on and rub. The oil stops it re-sticking and you don't have the risk of a solvent doing weird things.
This is especially good on plastics which can do strange things with different solvents.

Ralph
71 Sprint

[tdafforn]

I guess if it was put on to cover damage then I could always put replace it...
Anyone know how much it would cost to put a vinyl roof on a +2?
Cheers
Tim

[alaric]

Hi.

If you use heat to remove the vinyl will it distort other parts of the body; this may depend on the condition of the bodywork? If you use an oil like WD40 is there a chance that some will wick into and stay in the fibreglass, especially if it's not in perfect condition?

My advice is to talk to paint shops before you do anything. I opted not to have the silver roof on my +2S 130/5 for no reason other than personal taste. The restoration of the bodywork is nearing completion now. I did discuss a silver roof with Paul Mason at SMS, however, and he had some really good suggestions for getting a good finish, avoiding a fair ground ride appearance making a clean line / boundary with the rest of the bodywork. He quoted an additional cost to me over the cost of using the main body colour all over, as there is additional work invovled.

Sean.