I have chrome inserts (seen below). Some dumbass chick bumped
me a while back and it dented up the letter "O" in COBRA.

What's the best method for removing them without damaging the
paint? I'm thinking heat and some dental floss.



The car was bone stock in this pic.

 

I would agree that heat is probably going to be your best bet. If you try to use any tools your going to risk scuffing up your bumper.

Try using a blow dryer first. If its not hot enough, you might have to use a heat gun but be careful a heat gun can boil paint in no time.

 

That's what I was thinking...blow dryer and some dental floss. The backside
of the inserts is a 3M foamy-type adhesive tape. I'm guessing that the stainless
steel insert itself will come off without a problem, but I'll be left with the tape
stuck all over the place. I might need a solvent to remove that. Ideas?

 

I have always used goo be gone. Even though I hate the smell it always seems to work. Also if it is really stubbon a bug/tar remover will work great as well. Personally I would try the goo be gone first. If it doesnt work then try the bug/tar remover. It works excellent on tar from my experience so 3M adhesive should be no problem.

 

Yeah Unit, use a heat gun and some dental floss. It'll probably be hot and a little tough to get the floss into those weird angles for the letters at first so watch out.

If that doesnt work LIGHTLY use your finger nail to pry a bit of the letter off BEFORE you use a heat gun! (That way you dont burn yourself and try to kick my *** later lol)

Some sort of solvent thats safe to use over a clear coat (Like Goo Gone) will work to get the residue off.

 

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it...can't drive around with beatup inserts.
I'm contemplating not replacing them. Of course, that's dependent upon how
the paint looks. I think I want to go with the sleeper look...if that's possible
for a KB/nitrous/solid axle '03 Cobra?

 

Hell no its not, esp w/ your lead foot Mr Street Racing Director

I'd replace 'em. I think with your wheels the chrome looks great.

 

Hit it with either goo gone or some kinda penetrating oil if you're cheap, every day until it starts getting loose. Just squirt it in there, wipe up the drips, and drive away. After a while it'll soften the tape adhesive, and you'll be able to pull 'em out easily without damaging anything.

 

Bryan, that Meguiar's Scratch X stuff works really well on things like that too. I had sticky stuff that solidified on my rear windshield a few weeks ago. I tried using industrial strength laquer thinner to get it off, and it hardly touched it. Then I tried the scratch x stuff that I had bought for buffing my TA, and all i had to do was wipe it on, and rub it off. Hardly any effort at all. Just another option for you. The bottle looks like this:

 

Another chime in for Goo Gone, that stuff works miracles