The 1992 Firebird I own has an aftermarket adhesive type of window tinting on it that is scratched off in several places. The tint is also on the hatch glass over the rear defog matrix. Since this tint is in bad condition I would like to remove the tint (not to mention it has purple hue from the inside that I dislike).

Has anyone out there tried to remove their tiniting (scrape off with razor or use a chemical decal remover)? If you did, how did it work? Also, will it pull the defog grid off? Seems this is possible since it's obviously scratching off on it's own but not sure if that is just where the tint is weak and the rest will be hard to get off.

Thanks,
Larry

 

After I posted this I found at least one solution. Here's a link to instructions for those who are interested. Also, anyone who has used this process let me know how well it worked. I'll leave an update when I try this in the next week or 2.

tint removal instructions

 

I have looked all over the internet for a solution to this problem. After beating myself to death trying to find the "correct" way of doing it, I just said "what the hell- screw the defroster. I don't drive my car in cold climate anyways". So heres what I did....

Get some ammonia based window cleaner. Wait til its a hot day outside (over 80) and spray the window soaking it with cleaner. Roll up all the windows and let it bake in the sun for a few hours. Go back and re-apply cleaner again and let it sit for another hour or so.

Now comes the fun part....

Get a box of razor blades. Make sure to use brand new blades...
Start on one side of the rear window and work the edge loose all the way from top to bottom, focusing on getting the whole edge on that side started....

Now get your cleaner out again and start spraying it under the film you just peeled back. As you spray pull the film down in a uniform fashion so that it comes off in a sheet. Keep spraying the cleaner under the film as you pull it off. It will take some time, but it'll come off fairly easy.

Afterwards you will have some adhesive left on the glass..... Use some lighter fluid on a rag and wipe it off. Go back and clean and it'll look good as new from the outside. You will only take off the inside of the defroster lines...

Good luck. Don't forget to post before and after pics :lala:

 

Oh yes I remember taking the tint off my windows that was a real PITA ill never put tinted windows on any of my cars again

 

I just got done doing this myself. It was a PITA. It took me 3 weeks to get it all off. I scraped through quite a few lines, which can be fixe but is also a PITA, but oh the difference! Looks so much better than that old, peeling, cut, bubbling, purple crap that was on there before. I still have a few places needing touched up. I used that window tint remover from walmart and soaked portion of the window, let it sit, sprayed again and took flat edged razor and scraped off. It was a pita cause my tint was so old and it was almost as if it was part of the window itself.

 

Some tint shops now have a way to "steam" it off with a machine.
If the price is right, it sounds like a reasonable way to get it done.

~castrol

 

while i've never done it myself my cousin had to do it one time when he got pulled over. the cop put some little meter on his window and it was 6%, probably faded after time, so the cop got him a razor blade and about an hour and a half later he had it peeled off. he said it was the most annoying thing he ever did, said it sucked so bad. i have taken some window decals off before and i will tell u that was a PITA it's just long annoying work, but can be done.

 

Cops can't make u take it off at the scene.. all they can do is write you a fix it ticket and let the courts deal with it.. If a cop handed me a razor blade and told me to take the **** off right now, i would basically tell him to **** off because all he can do is write me a fix it ticket

 

That sounds like a good idea. I would take my whole hatch off for this. Cant imagine getting in the car and doing that for a hour at that angle. Ehh take off the whole hatch. Just get help cause that is a heavy sob!

 

ok well other than the fact that that is what happened ok

 

Uhm, yea they can give you a razor blade and make you take it off on the spot, they deem the car undrivable with that dark of tint, and if you want to drive from that spot, tint must come off, but you can always have it towed...

i think its , but...