Best way to get old lettering off the hull?

Heat gun and patience. After that, some adhesive remover:

Goo Gone
Oops
WD40
3M adhesive remover (expensive, last choice)

Someone on here has shown a "wheel" type of power too for taking vinyl stripes off that looks like it would work great for MC #s too.

PJDiesel said:

Heat gun and patience. After that, some adhesive remover:

Goo Gone
Oops
WD40
3M adhesive remover (expensive, last choice)

Click to expand...

Hum.....dont have a heat gun. Think a hair dryer might work?

201_Libby said:

Hum.....dont have a heat gun. Think a hair dryer might work?

Click to expand...

It may. To tell you the truth, sitting it out in the direct sunlight could be half the battle in itself.

I also have the 3M "eraser" wheel, it is nice, but not worth the $$ for just removing some numbering.

My heat gun is around 750*, hairdryer will probably be closer to 200* but may still do the trick if you hold it up close.

201_Libby said:

Hum.....dont have a heat gun. Think a hair dryer might work?

Click to expand...

Yea, that might be enough heat to do it, since you don't want to burn it off, you just need to heat them enough to soften the adhesive, then take the residue adhesive off with some goo-gone or mineral spirits..

I used a chipping hammer...LOL No seriously, I just peeled mine off with my fingers. If you can get a corner or an edge up your good to go, patience is the key.

Go 4 BROKE said:

I used a chipping hammer...LOL No seriously, I just peeled mine off with my fingers. If you can get a corner or an edge up your good to go, patience is the key.

Click to expand...

I took some off a 1977 boat that were on for over 20 years just peeling and using googone

i still see mind the sun bleached them in to glass

just me p22 said:

The wheel

Click to expand...

Yep That's what I was thinkin of

What's that thing called?
It is supposed to work well for such, right?
Thanks again!!

RSCHAP1 said:

Yep That's what I was thinkin of

What's that thing called?
It is supposed to work well for such, right?
Thanks again!!

Click to expand...

Commonly called an "Eraser" wheel.

Around $30.00 from auto body supply stores. The one pictured up there is different than mine, the one I have is off white in color and not rounded off on the edges.

I was able peel most of mine with my fingers and a single edge razor blade. I used te razor blade to raise a corner up high enough to hold of them.

Well I got them all off. Actually not as hard as I originally figured. Warmed up a little with the hairdryer and they came right off.

201_Libby said:

Well I got them all off. Actually not as hard as I originally figured. Warmed up a little with the hairdryer and they came right off.

Click to expand...

That's it! I also put on new #s saturday morning. Pulled out into the 90 degree sun for 30 minutes and they peeled right off. Cleaned up, waxed and stuck the new letters. Let the sunshine do the work.