Jacking instruction decal removal

[Dereck S.]

A friend gave me a C2 jack compartment board that was broken it two. The one piece still has an original jacking instruction decal dated 5-3-66 PART NO. 3904975. Any way to remove this original decal without damage? Any product that softens the glue but does not damage the decal? I don't want to experiment and damage it.

[Bob R.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

That's a tough one. I would think steam would be a good way to loosen the glue. That old paper will get damaged very easily.

[Martin N.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

DERECK-

Depending on how brittle the adhesive is you might want to try a hair dryer, heat the metal (not the decal) from the underside and see if it softens the adhesive. Good luck and keep us posted.

Marty

[Rick S.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

Martin,
I am not sure what you mean about metal, the jack board is fiberboard with carpet on the top side. I do agree that heat or maybe steam as suggested by Bob might work. My experience, after trying to re-glue curling edges on my 67, is that the labels are very thin and fragile. Dereck, my thoughts are that the labels will not transfer to a new board.


Rick

[Dereck S.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

Thanks guys, I like the idea of trying to soften or disolve the glue. Steam sounds like one good approach. Collecting postage stamps as a kid we used to place the portion of the envelop with the stamp on it in a dish of water. This softened/disolved the glue. The stamp slid right off. We then let it dry on a napkin. The glue must have been water soluble. If the glue on the jack decal is water soluble this approach may also work. However, the ink on the decal may also be water soluble. I think I may try this approach. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

Dereck,

Some years ago the jack decal on my 67 fell off by itself due to moisture.

The car sat out in the rain and the jack compartment got water into it. By the time I realized it, the jack and everything in the compartment was full of rust. After I corrected this by punching a hole in the compartment plugs, one day I found the jack decal at the bottom of the compartment.
So I put it in the glove compartment in the Owner Manual bag with the other stuff.

Years later when I got into the restoration mode, I covered the decal with clear mylar and then pasted it back on the jack board with clear stickyback. This was after I took the warp out of the original board, boy was it bad.

Here's what it looks like today:



Only lost one point last time for the plastic protection of the decals. You can barely see the protection in the picture.

So I think any moisture will dissolve that glue on jack decal.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

Rick,

The guys on each of the car on the assembly line probably took turns in putting on the jack board labels between yours and my car

[Rick S.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

Jerry,
It certainly doesn't look like the same guy did the job.
Hey, I am in your neck of the woods, Pleasanton. Visiting my son who had surgery yesterday. Unfortunately, no time for side trips.
Rick

[Gerard F.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

I guess one of us had the left handed guy

[Robert R.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

Jerry and Rick,

You might have these differences in decal placement due to one being a St Louis built and one being an AO Smith car.
Just a thought.
Bob

[Mike M.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

I believe all the labels were attached to the boards and then the boards installed in STL trim line. Body builder would then have been irrelevent.
HaND

[Edward S.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

I went to a arts & crafts store and bought a hot air gun, which can get much hotter than a hair dryer. I use it all the time for removing decals - I just work one corner free, pull that corner away from what ever it's glued to and then direct the air to where the decal meets the board and slowly keep pulling the decal downward. Just keep the gun far enough to keep from burning the decal. Good luck.

[John H.]

Re: Jacking instruction decal removal

I believe all the labels were attached to the boards and then the boards installed in STL trim line. Body builder would then have been irrelevent.
HaND

Correct - there was no interior trim below the bottom of the door windows on bodies as shipped from A.O. Smith; all interior soft trim from there down was installed at St. Louis.