A few upcoming detail jobs (suggestions wanted)

Hi all.

So recently I've decided to stop doing production details and stick with special interest jobs, kind of picking and choosing the jobs that I want to do. I thought I would take a break for a while but right away I get a few calls to do some jobs that I just don't want to pass on. One is a Bentley Continental Coupe that one of my newer clients traded his Aston Martin DB9 in on. He says the Bentley used to be owned by Lebron James. I have yet to see the car as he takes delivery of it later this week but of course I said "Sure I'll do that." Who wouldn't...right?

The other is this truck and trailer that one of my best clients just bought for his "410" Sprint Car team. These guys are part of "The PA Posse" and they run against "The World of Outlaws" at a lot of the more well known race tracks. I love going to the sprint car races and get excited at the thought of transforming this old rig into something that's brilliant. Here are a few photos of what I will be up against.

Here's the Rig, I suspect it's packing a big old 366 C.I.D. Gas engine. Needs some TLC for sure.



Here's the Garage on wheels, fairly oxidized with some rusty frame rails and dull aluminum. I have a vision of the aluminum rails and diamond plate looking near chrome like and some shiny Black paint.



OK so here's where I'd like the suggestions. I know that these trailers are put together with pre painted aluminum panels and the paint on these pre painted sheets of aluminum is rather soft and thin. There is decal adhesive where decals used to be, some of it is rather thick too. I have tried 3M adhesive remover on similar adhesive and all I can say about that stuff is that it really sucks. It does nearly nothing to this type of adhesive however I have a suspicion that it would dissolve the thin soft paint rather efficiently which would be bad. I have in the past, used oily solvents to soften thick adhesive up and then rotary buffed the semi dissolved adhesive off of car paint that it hard with no problems but this stuff i am sure is going to be soft paint.

A heat gun will warp these thin aluminum sheets in a heartbeat. I learned this the hard way in the past so a heat gun is out. Maybe a hair dryer but I don't want a repeat of my past experience with the heat gun on this type of panel. Here's a pic of the panels with the adhesive remaining. How would you guys go about removing it?



This decal might stay, we're not sure yet. The owner says that he may be able to put his car number on it and use it but if he'd want it removed, how would you guys go about it?



Thanks in advance for any suggestions, TD

Thanks Matt. Have you ever heard of "Orange Peel" adhesive remover?

Thanks for the suggestion Shane. I'd hold something that pricey as a last resort. There's got to be something sold in gallons somewhere that is priced reasonably.

Thanks guys, I was looking around on a sign/graphics discussion forum and some of the top mentioned safe adhesive removers were WD-40, Orange Peel, Rapid remover and even orange "Goop" non pumice hand cleaner. At a minimum I think I'll have WD-40 and Goop on hand for this job. Please keep the suggestions coming.

With very little sleep, a belly full of coffee and a helper for the day I'm headed out to get started on this beast in about 20 minutes. Time to Push away from the keyboard as M.P. would say. Have a great weekend AG members. Will post up some photos next week.