window tint removal

[bimpy]

The rear window on my 74 Ambassador needs re-tinted. The old tint is cracked and appears brittle but adhered very well.
What's the best way to remove?

[Jim & Susan]

The rear window on my '73 doesn't have any type of factory tint on it, but the Vista Views did. I repaired those just this past weekend. These windows had a thin silvery tint on them that had begain to bubble a little. I tried various things to get it to come off, but in the end used a razor blade to scrape it off (be careful, of course). Once it was removed, I used laquer thinner to clean off the left over residue (be careful with that stuff, too, very flamable).

Jim

[bimpy]

Thanks Jim,this doesn't appear to be factory tint as one edge is pulled away.When you pull on it it breaks off in small pieces. Now I'm down to the edge that doesn't want to come loose. From the looks of it I'd say it was installed during the Carter Administration!

[Alumatube]

I agree with Jim - get as much of it as you can off with a razor blade tool. Home Depot and Lowes carry a spray bottle of stuff for removing window tint, and it works well. You can use it on the actual tint and it will eventually soften and remove it (with the help of a razor blade tool), but it is better at removing the remains after you have already gotten as much off as you can. I have seen it around the window treatment aisles, and also at the end of one of the lawn and garden aisles (huh?).

We have some lovely purple tint to remove from the upper parts of some of the front side windows in the 310. Sigh.

Good luck!

Susan

[Excella CM]

Old tint film can often be removed if it re-hydrated. This usually requires that the film still have some physical integrity and that you have some way of keeping a wet towel or newspapers against the surface for a couple of hours.When the film has soaked up water it will peel right off. I use this method to get tint off of rear windows on cars where it is important not to damage the heater element by scraping.

[joie]

Howdy Y'all

Was having the worst time removing the tint of the windows. The first two window tints were applied so poorly the glue so uneven that they peeled off in a couple of pieces. But after that the person applying it got better and heaps of the glue was heavily applied, in several hours only got halfway through one window with goop off and a razor. But a miracle happened today. It is cold here, between 30 and 40F, and we are going away for a month, so it was go out and get the windows done or come back to ugly tinted ones. The windows are so cold, the glue's abilities weakened. I was able to peel of the rest of the tints in less than an hour, the tint peeled off like a cheap sticker.

Wish it was the same for the mastic, the earth will blow up and the only things to survive will be twinkies, cockroaches and mastic

Have a great day

Joie

[QuestionAir]

Hello,
I'm interested in buying 1973 Airstream and the (factory?) window tint/coating on just about all the windows is cracking and flaking. I read on here what to do with the razor blade et al, but what about the double pane pieces the cracking and bubbling is in between the two but they seem sandwiched together? I haven't bought this one yet so I can't take the windows out and see what to do about it. Any thoughts?
Thank you

[vintagemotor]

Park with the window in direct sunlight, tape a black plastic garbage bag to the outside of the window (this will help the sun heat up the glass), spray the inside of the window (where the tint is applied) with a mild soap and water mixture, wait for 15 minutes and spray again, wait another 15 minutes and try to remove the film, keep spraying and heating until the film comes off.
A combination of heat and hydration is what will release the tint film from the glass.

[HiHoAgRV]

I had a '77 with the same windows. Research showed they are a giant pain to disassemble so I just left the blinds lowered!