Anyone ever use a heat gun, to remove molding? Options

[KeithO]

I am going to have to remove my door molding to get my new numbers applied to my car. CMC requires 18" numbers and applying over the contours of the doors and molding is next to impossible (I already ruin one set of numbers). The shop manual talks about using a heat gun. Anyone ever done this? Any pitfalls? Any recommendations for a cheap/effective heat gun?

[Racehead]

I use a cheap ATD heatgun ( about $20-$25 ) on a daily basis. I just use it to heatshrink tubing over electrical connections and stuff. In your case just get the cheapest one you can find. You might even be able to get away with a hairdryer ??

[Teutonic Speedra...]

I want to remove the molding too, and was wondering how much of a PITA it will be. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[John_D.]

I've heard fishing line works.... Never tried it myself though.

[KeithO]

I've heard fishing line works....  Never tried it myself though.

Yeah, I noticed that idea in the GM shop manual last evening when I was looking at how to remove the molding. For body emblems, they recommend heat and then using fishing line to cut through the adhesive. For emblems on near-flat surfaces, I think that this is a great idea. However, I think I could risk scratching the paint and/or leaving adhesive on there if I tried this on the door. Once I get the molding off, it will likely stay off anyway...

[ERVRCG]

fishing line works great, the gun take for ever because the molding absorbs so much heat it take a while to actually pull off the moldoing and then it's permanently destroyed. I would hate to run the risk of burning the paint.

We have taken the SS stickers off with a fishing line and the stickers are still good minus the adhesive.

ERV

[KeithO]

A guy at work let me borrow his heat gun and I also got some fishing line. I never even plugged in the heat gun - fishing line is the way to go.

[NataSS Inc]

I just used a hair dryer and peeled it back. ay residue left on the car I was able to buff out with mequires.

[ssmokn98]

if you're careful you can use a flathead screwdriver, as long as you bias the screwdriver towards the molding...the double-sided tape holding it on is pretty thick. once you get the molding off a little bit you can pull it off with your hands, just have to go back and get the double-sided tape off the car. this is how I took mine off, i figured i had nothing to lose since I was sanding down the car for paint next week anyways. but this method didn't scratch my paint at all.