67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

[Michael G.]

I have an original cover that, when installed, surrounds the bottom half of the 67 steering column (the collapsible webbing part).

The cover has been painted blue, but it is supposed to be unpainted. The cover's natural color is black, and I think it is made of a 60s version of low density polyethylene-type plastic.

A couple questions:
1. What product is this cover made of?
2. Have any of you removed paint successfully from a product like this without damaging it, and how did you do it?

Obviously, I want to remove the paint without damaging the cover, making its surface sticky, distorting it, changing the color of the cover, etc.

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

Michael, I would experiment on a small area with 3M Adhesive Remover. It may take several applications.

I was also thinking Captain Lee's Paint Stripper, made for fiberglass, but I don't think it would be safe for the plastic.

Your other option.....would be to find a local junk yard with old Jeeps. I've been told they used the same plastic covers on their columns.

Rich

[Stephen L.]

Re: 67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

Try some paint stripper in a small area INSIDE the cover. (I assume you have the cover out of the car). Let it sit for a few hours. If there is no visible damage you should be good to go on the external surface. DON'T use a scraper. A tooth brush may help.....

[Keith B.]

Re: 67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

1967 Corvairs used the same plastic cover

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

Stephen, good idea. After your post I just remebered.... Capt Lee's comes with a plastic spray bottle to apply it so it may be fine on that cover.

Rich

[Donald H.]

Re: 67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

You may want to try dot 3 brake fluid. I've never tried it, but saw a car restoration show where they stripped a plastic grill with brake fluid.

[Michael G.]

Re: 67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

Why anyone would paint this cover that surrounds the bottom half of a 67 standard or tele steering column is a mystery.

I really appreciate all of the ideas expressed above to help me. I started out with a low risk way to remove paint from a plastic surface--warm water as a lubricant and a very gentle fingernail or two. Turns out that the paint did not stick very well to this nonporous 60s vinyl-type material. I kept the surface lubricated and softly scratched away at the paint. It slowly flaked off and took some time, but it eventually disappeared. I avoided the uncertainty of using any chemicals that would have worked more quickly, but could have distorted the surface of the cover. Turned out to be a totally easy job.

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

Why anyone would paint this cover that surrounds the bottom half of a 67 standard or tele steering column is a mystery.

I really appreciate all of the ideas expressed above to help me. I started out with a low risk way to remove paint from a plastic surface--warm water as a lubricant and a very gentle fingernail or two. Turns out that the paint did not stick very well to this nonporous 60s vinyl-type material. I kept the surface lubricated and softly scratched away at the paint. It slowly flaked off and took some time, but it eventually disappeared. I avoided the uncertainty of using any chemicals that would have worked more quickly, but could have distorted the surface of the cover. Turned out to be a totally easy job.

Michael, Good....
Sometimes the jobs thought to be hard, turn out easy. Usually the jobs thought to be easy, turn out to be nightmares. You've won this round.

So just as a follow up now that it's ready for installation, the cover is held in place by 2 small heat sealed "welds" if you want the "typical" approach. Otherwise you can simply use some black tape over the seams and just roll the seams upward to face the sky for a inconspicuous appearance.

Here's one I did recently on a '67. After squeezing the tube seams to the mast jacket, I used a soldering gun at low heat to "weld" it together at each end. You can see the small blobs/spots near each end. (ref note: IIRC those 4 bolts holding the column to the underdash bracket were reversed, which were corrected after these photos)



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[Michael G.]

Re: 67 Steering Column Cover Question About Paint Removal Solvent or Process

Rich, thanks very much for the photos and the explanation about how to keep the cover secure on the column. I am going to go with the lower-tech solution of black electrical tape for now.

I could just see myself inadvertently damaging the cover by applying excessive heat after all of the effort I expended to chase a decent cover down. I did not purchase a different cover that had some part of it melted, probably due to inattention to proper heat levels. Not sure how many times this thin vinyl / plastic can be "welded" without something happening to it that you didn't want.