Successfully removed clear bra today

[techweenie]

My GXP had a clear bra on it when I purchased it, but it looked like crap. I decided to throw caution to the wind and pull it off. It took me a couple days working a few hours at a time, but it worked without causing any damage. If you ever decide to remove one, score it into inch wide strips with a razor blade and it will peel right off. Don't try to cut it, you only want a shallow line a tear will follow. When pulling, keep it at a 90 degree angle or less so the glue comes off with it. You'll inevitably have glue in various places, so grab some turtle wax sticker remover and some terry cloths. Make sure you tape off plastic trim and your headlights because the glue remover will damage them. When done, wash it and smile at the results! I didn't figure out the slicing into strips trick until I was almost done, so if I had to do it again I could probably do it in a day.

[1oldman]

nice tip. thanks - BC

[crash93ssei]

Glad to see it was easily removed, I was seriously wondering how it would turn out since it looked so old and dried up.

[techweenie]

The parts that got a lot of sun were dry and sorta brittle which made those parts quite difficult until I figured out the slicing. By then I only had half of the hood left. Now I just gotta do the headlights and it'll look real nice.

[WhiteArrow3800]

Glad to see it was easily removed, I was seriously wondering how it would turn out since it looked so old and dried up.

Agreed. Wasn't sure how easy these clear bras come up, especially after having been on the car for several years. Curious though, is there any evidence left on the paint that the clear bra was even on the car at all?

[techweenie]

There's only one spot on the right corner of the hood where you can tell something was there. It looks like someone repainted that section and didn't clear coat it. Nothing came off with the bra. You literally can't tell anywhere else. The paint isn't any more or less faded and glossiness is identical.

[Evilcowboy420]

just kind of curious because I am a curious person but did you try a heat gun to melt the glue before doing the cutting and tearing of it?

Not questioning your method of doing it and sounds like you got it off relatively easy but just wondered if that would have been an option if someone decides to do it in the future?

[techweenie]

I actually tried that, but if it did soften up the glue I couldn't tell. It just made the vinyl rip easier. You actually want it to remain stiffer and not stretch as much. Cutting into strips greatly reduces the ways it can stretch.