Derice-ening Begins

"whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU" (whiskey-business)
05/18/2016 at 22:30 • Filed to: Project HalfAV10

Now that my responsibilities are winding down a bit for the summer, Project HalfAV10 begins. As some of you may have seen, I got a great deal on this manual, lowish mileage, T5 powered Volvo S40 on account of it being riced to hell and back, and dirtier than an abandoned mud factory. The paint is questionable, it has a poorly done black stripe, and the head and tail lights are tinted with some awful vinyl. So begins the Derice-ening.

This is what my tail lights looked like before tonight. Generally, shitty. There is a 5% smoke film on them, courtesy of Florida Man. With some help from my mom and her hairdryer (that thing pumps the heat out), plus some scrapers and elbow grease, they now look like this.

Theyre not perfect, as a sunbeaten vinyl isn’t all too cooperative, but much better. Now, the headlights were next, but was gettin g dark and I have to drive to work in the morning, so they’ll have to wait. However, the stripe was next on the list. Contrary to what I thought earlier, the stripe is indeed Plasti-Dip. This makes things simpler, but more time consuming. Instead of coming off like it’s supposed to, Florida Man’s failure to give it enough coats makes it come off like this.

If any of you have suggestions on how to better remove this junk, I’d appreciate it greatly. After this and the headlights, next comes interior cleaning and hopefully paint. I don’t know how you all will like these little updates, but I’ll keep them coming unless I’m overwhelmingly told otherwise.

DISCUSSION (16)

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
05/18/2016 at 22:35

Great work, you rescued that poor defenseless Volvo. Never Florida, not even once.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
05/18/2016 at 22:40

Glad to see you saving this S40!

Lucky for you the headlights pop out so darn easily!

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
05/18/2016 at 22:49

If the issue with the stripe is just not enough coats, why not tape it off and add a few more?

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP
05/18/2016 at 23:03

Maybe I didn’t get the idea across right, I want to remove the stripe because it’s old and looks like garbage, and there are too few layers for it to hold together when peeling.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/18/2016 at 23:04

Thanks! See, I looked briefly for nuts holding them on and found none, so I moved on. They come off easily?

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
05/18/2016 at 23:04

I understand you are trying to remove it. I was just suggesting add another layer or 2 to make peeling easier.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
05/18/2016 at 23:05

I do my best where I can, it needs some love but I love it, so I think this will all work out nicely.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP
05/18/2016 at 23:07

Not entirely sure if this will work, but it’s worth a shot! I’m just not sure how well the new will adhere to the old, the old stuff is many years old.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
05/18/2016 at 23:19

Maybe try steaming the stripe. I had to peel a wrap off a highway coach last week and it took me 5 hours to do one side until my coworker came in the next night with a wall paper steamer and we thrashed the rest of the vinyl off in an hour and a half.

Just try it on a corner cause who knows how plasidip will take the heat.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts
05/18/2016 at 23:29

It’s worth a shot, I have to trash the front lip anyway so Ill try it there first. Thanks!

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
05/18/2016 at 23:34

Before trying that, just try leaving it out in the sun fora while to warm up the metal. Might help. Helped with the buses that’s for sure.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
05/19/2016 at 03:14

There is 1 pin for each headlight assembly. Pull it out and then you’ll kinda wiggle the headlight assembly in the bumper until it pops out. Unplug one wire harness and you’re golden. This is also how you change any bulbs too.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B7Krv8…

That's gonna leave a mark! > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU
05/19/2016 at 07:13

You have more guts than I do. If I see a riced-to-hell car I would avoid it assuming it was driven hard and little money spent on mechanicals and things that count. I’m sure that’s not always the case. For you tail lights, is there any reason you can’t treat them as one does headlights and use one of the many refurbishment techniques?

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts
05/19/2016 at 07:58

Definitely worth a try. Thanks!

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
05/19/2016 at 07:59

I saw those pins, thought that was too easy . . . Good go know someone at Volvo thought about serviceability.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > That's gonna leave a mark!
05/19/2016 at 08:01

I did assume the same at first, however I had my mechanic thoroughly inspect the car before purchasing and it all checked out. And the tail lights were the easy part, I just removed the housings, heated the vinyl tint, and peeled it all off in one go. Planning on the same for the headlights.