Tint removal or lexan replacement?

[sleeping_beast]

Hi,

The previous owner of my Targa did a terrible job at tinting the rear window. Without really knowing what I was doing, I removed the pellicule as much as possible. There was a first layer that came off really easy and I totally removed it. There is a second layer that seems very difficult to remove. Obviously, I'll need many hours of scrubbing with a razor blade.

I now understand that what I did might have been the wrong thing to do. It seems that the tinting pellicule has two layers. I learned that these layers should be removed simultaneously (using steam or ammonia) or the remaining layer will be very difficult to remove. I blew it.

As I mentioned, I'll need many hours of scrubbing with a razor blade to remove the remaining layer (unless someone has a better proposal). One alternative that could be interesting, is to take advantage of the situation to replace the rear window with a lexan version, as lexan replacement is usually nice for weight reduction. Is such a rear lexan window available for the Targa?

Thanks,

Alain

[304065]

Not recommended for a street car--lexan scratches easily, no defrost, flexes a bunch (race cars have aluminum blow-out tabs affixed to the body around the perimeter, and many have two aluminum straps across the back to keep it from blowing out when you spin).

[rick conrath]

I went through the same thing.....but paid the window guy to remove the rear window to make the removal process easier. I had two layers to contend with. He used solvent (I think acetone) and a heat gun...not necessarily in that order though. Be careful with the razor blades that you do not damage the defrost filaments. Plastic scrapers might be better.
Rick
'78 930

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

I removed the tint from the inside of my windows with a heat gun--the kind you use to loosen paint, though of course I didn't need _that_ much temp. I hot hair dryer might work just as well. Just get under a corner of it somewhere and as it begins to loosen, keep "painting" it with the heat in a progressive pattern as you continue to lift it.

Stephan

[arcsine]

I feel your pain. I just removed the tining from all my windows and I hope I never have to do it again. For me, in some cases I found a heat gun blowing on the outside of the window loosened the tint enough to have it release without leaving too much goo behind. I will also second Ricks warning about razor blades and the defrost filaments, be very careful.

[Eric Coffey]

The most popular method of film removal seems to be spraying ammonia on the tint, then covering (taping) it with a black trash bag, and letting the car sit in the sun for a while. I haven't used that method, but supposedly the tint will just peel right off. I, like some of you, peeled the film off successfully, but was left with the glue residue. I used a product called "C64" Tint Glue Remover, and PPG "Acryli-Clean" (along with a few rags and razor blades) with pretty good results.

[Hetmann]

I used laquer thinner with pretty good results. Messy but it worked. Good Luck!