My tips are ruined... should I say anything?

[Motorhead350]

A few months back someone hit my rear bumper at a light. I had the rear bumper repainted, but they painted my exhaust tips a little. I went back and said they got paint on my tips and they told me the paint would burn off. Four months later the paint is still on and now the tips look horrible.

The only reason I am hesitating to confront these people is because they have kept my 65 Chevy in storage all winter and still to this day for free. I didn't even have to pay for the tow from my place.

I think I should just suck it up, but would you speak up?

The price for a new set of tips probably isn't even half the amount I would owe for 6 months of storage in a garage... :o

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

paint will come off metal, you just need the right product. It might buff off with an aggressive buffing compound, or if not a chemical paint stripper should take it off (do not get it on your bumper cover!)

What kind of body shop does not even take the cover off to paint it?

[Motorhead350]

Wouldn't that ruin the finish that was on the tips originally?

[knine]

A little overspray comes off with a little thinner. Been there, done that. good as new.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

what, pray tell, finish is on the tips?

and yeah lacquer thinner might be worth trying. A real 2k paint should be insoluble to lacquer thinner but since the paint is just overspray lacquer thinner may take it off

[Motorhead350]

Sounds like we have the paint removal covered, but will the tips look the same from front to back by the time the paint is taken care of?

[DOOM]

Just clean em up real good Dom.

[xopher]

Since they're stainless, can you hit them with some steel wool? There's nothing that I haven't been able to get off with a rough washcloth.

[Jolly Roger]

Since they're stainless, can you hit them with some steel wool? There's nothing that I haven't been able to get off with a rough washcloth.

Whatever you do,
DON'T use steel wool.
(and don't ask how I khow).:(

[cvpiftw]

Dom, im okish at polishing things, just a suggestion if the others dont work. Ill see what i can do but no promises before ya go buy new tips if it doesnt come off. Thats about all i can offer ya. Sorry bro.

[ImpalaSlayer]

its stainless steel man. you can pretty much try to get it off with anyhting, althought i wouldnt recomend sand paper unless its pretty fine

[Marauderjack]

Paint remover....good as new!!:beer:

Just DON'T get any on your newly painted bumper!!:shake:

[CKMustangCobra]

DO NOT USE ANY ABRASIVES....

Get a rag with some paint thinner and wipe it until it comes clean. You can try Goo-Gone as well.

[Krytin]

A good SS cleaner/polish should take off the paint and keep it shiney!

[LIGHTNIN1]

Should be almost as easy as tar removal with right product. I wouldn't trust these guys with any more repairs. This time it is something easy to fix.Next time?

[Dragcity]

Use Fast Evap laquer thinner. Do the entire tip. That's what I use on mine all the time. (psst. there is no 'finish' to remove, they are polished stainless)

I think Wallyworld sells laquer thinner cheap.....

[BAD MERC]

If laquer thinner is not enough - use Acetone.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

another afternoon spent polishin your tip eh

[Baaad GN]

If those products don't work there is always sand blasting!

[Motorhead350]

another afternoon spent polishin your tip eh

Somehow I think mine has had more use than yours. :D

[cvpiftw]

Yeah..... doms gets stuck into many frontends.

[omarauder]

If laquer thinner is not enough - use Acetone.


and if that's not enough - use MEK (methyl ethyl ketone). Just be careful with this stuff - don't get any on your bumper or breath in the fumes.....

[ImpalaSlayer]

and if that's not enough - use MEK (methyl ethyl ketone). Just be careful with this stuff - don't get any on your bumper or breath in the fumes.....


mek is wicked! the smell is horrible! highly recomend using a resporator of some sort if this is used

[RF Overlord]

(psst. there is no 'finish' to remove, they are polished stainless)Correct.

Dom, as the others have said above^^^, your tips are not ruined. Laquer thinner, acetone, 0000 steel wool, and a bit of elbow grease will shine them right back up again.

DON'T use anything coarser than 0000...ask me how I know.

[guccijayda]

if you want to get your hands on some gasoline do it, its one of the best cleaning agents and it will come right off your tips. Remember not to get it on your paint, and wash it off when you are done. Dont use hard abrasives like he said it will leave marks.... some soft steel wool in the mentioned grade is fine. If you don't want to get your hands on gasoline you can try other removers users here recommend.

After you got the paint off, USE NEVR-Dull to shine and polish your tips. I find it to be one of the best in the category.

[Dragcity]

Gasoline will not remove paint from the tips. Good on tar though.

[Joe Walsh]

if you want to get your hands on some gasoline do it, its one of the best cleaning agents and it will come right off your tips. Remember not to get it on your paint, and wash it off when you are done. Dont use hard abrasives like he said it will leave marks.... some soft steel wool in the mentioned grade is fine.
If you don't want to get your hands on gasoline you can try other removers users here recommend.



Gasoline will not remove paint from the tips. Good on tar though.

You are right!

Try Kerosene.

;)

[Motorhead350]

I didn't expect this much help.

Thanks everyone!

[Bluerauder]

I think I should just suck it up, but would you speak up?... :o
No. It has been 4 months ... the time to speak up has long past. You shoulda spoke up within 2-3 days of the incident. You bought into the "it'll burn off" comment - it won't and it didn't. IMHO you should just "suck it up" at this point and chalk it up as a lesson learned. If you decide to use steel wool on the stainless steel polished tips, you will have learned another lesson and won't do that again. This is all called "getting experience". ;)