old letter ghosting

[signed off]

HI all, what do you use to remove the ghosting of an old name on a trailer ( smooth sided) It is not glue. do you buff it out, use a special product or just wait till the sun fades it like the rest of the trailer
thanks in advance for suggestions

 

[Billct2]

Depends.
Sometimes we'll try a mild buffing but there's always the chance it'll look worse and they only way to make it right is to buff out the whole thing.
So the best solution is to give the client the option of having it professionally detailed or living with the ghost.

 

[Gino]

Usually, it's quite the opposite of ghosting. Rather the rest of the surface has faded from the sun and elements and has dulled and oxidized, while where the lettering was.... it was well protected from these things, thus now having a much nicer surface. You hafta try to bring the rest of the surface back to what that is of the missing letters. This can be accomplished by either taking it to a professional detailing shop, as mentioned..... or making sure all your new lettering completely covers the old lettering.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Then tell them to wash and wax the cars regularly. Then you won't have as much of these issues. Of course 7-10 years doesn't matter how much you wax or wash.

 

[d fleming]

Not a cure all by any means but eagle one car wash is about the nicest stuff I've found for getting as much "milk" off a trailer with just the wash prior to detailing. Good stuff.

 

[Mosh]

What Geno said....I don't do anything, I just letter over it. If a customer is that picky they shouldn't have bought a used trailer....

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Does nothing or repaints surface here

 

[Jackpine]

letter over it

Show and explain to the customer the surface. Then clean the surface and letter over it.

 

[OldPaint]

after so many years...its worse with high pigment colors(red, blue, green)and no amount of washing, buffing will make the 2 look the same.....like craig said.....paint it or live with the ghosts..

 

[tadisch treehouse]

Has anybody tried SpeedPress.com they sell a ghost remover wash ?

 

[OldPaint]

Has anybody tried SpeedPress.com they sell a ghost remover wash ?

some just cant believe there is no magic fix.....READ:
after so many years...its worse with high pigment colors(red, blue, green)and no amount of washing, buffing will make the 2 look the same.....like craig said.....paint it or live with the ghosts..

 

[jfiscus]

There is a product called "Ghost Off" for this, the cowboy sells it I think. (probably others)
I have used it with pretty decent success on older trailers to remove the oxidization/ ghosting.
You have to use it more concentrated than is stated and you have to really scrub the trailer.
Just spraying it on and washing it off does not work.

 

[signed off]

thanks to all for the input, will spit, shine and polish and apply. It is, what it is (3rd company name going on it that I can make out from the ghosting)

 

[lgroth]

Ghost Off??

Fellers sells a product called "Ghost Off", $12 a quart/ $29 a gallon. Never used it but see it in their catalog all the time, I keep thinking next time I need to get rid of ghost letters it's maybe worth trying at that price??? I Found the Mfgrs website: http://www.crystaltek.us.com/crystaltek-ghost-off.htm

 

[DirtyD]

Ghost off in my experience only good on old faded Polycarbonate to wash away some of the yellowed fade to blend in with the non faded part that the vinyl was on..