Removed decals?? Any regrets?

[dylanear]

I'm thinking of removing the red "Scamp" lettering and striping.

A: I'm just not the kind of guy to go around with any brands prominently displayed on my clothing. I don't put stickers of any kind on my cars, I like clean simple design.

B: A few of the letters on the drivers side are scratched up and look a little unkept.

Looks easy enough to remove. Will there be a difference to the paint color, less faded underneith etc?

Has anyone done this and then found the trailer to look too plain? I may put some simple black, black metalic or silver stripes on there at some point.

[rabbit]

Original or factory appearance suggests good condition. We all know that's BS and decals last longer than some more important things but when you start ripping out on a trailer that's considerably better than a mulch pile you may find that when it's time to say goodbye, prospective buyers think your taste and improvements are not quite what they're looking for unless the price is a fixer-upper price. Decals also reference the rep and cred of the builder and some folks like that.

jack

[floyd]

Originally Posted by dylanear

I'm thinking of removing the red "Scamp" lettering and striping.

A: I'm just not the kind of guy to go around with any brands prominently displayed on my clothing. I don't put stickers of any kind on my cars, I like clean simple design.

B: A few of the letters on the drivers side are scratched up and look a little unkept.

Looks easy enough to remove. Will there be a difference to the paint color, less faded underneith etc?

Has anyone done this and then found the trailer to look too plain? I may put some simple black, black metalic or silver stripes on there at some point.

Your trailer is 10 years old so there will be a certain shine difference under the tape.
You could use a good wax to minimumize the effect, or use a mild scotchbrite to even it out. you can also buy the Scamp Tape without the logo by the foot or roll, in two different colors. you could do a stencil like the one below,made from a milk carton. (Your own design of course!)
Or buy aftermarket graphics or stencils.
Get a big Marshmallow and set it on your table and see if you like the look!

[dylanear]

Originally Posted by floyd

Your trailer is 10 years old so there will be a certain shine difference under the tape.
You could use a good wax to minimumize the effect, or use a mild scotchbrite to even it out. you can also buy the Scamp Tape without the logo by the foot or roll, in two different colors. you could do a stencil like the one below,made from a milk carton. (Your own design of course!)
Or buy aftermarket graphics or stencils.
Get a big Marshmallow and set it on your table and see if you like the look!

Worse comes to worse, are replacements expensive or hard to apply?

Even if I leave them on the "Scamp" on one side needs replacing, it's OK, but contributes to a slightly warn look when you look at my trailer up close. It's generally a great looking trailer, but if you look close you see they wear and corrosion on some details.

[dylanear]

Originally Posted by dylanear

Worse comes to worse, are replacements expensive or hard to apply?

Even if I leave them on the "Scamp" on one side needs replacing, it's OK, but contributes to a slightly warn look when you look at my trailer up close. It's generally a great looking trailer, but if you look close you see they wear and corrosion on some details.

They are on the Scamp parts list for $15 a "Scamp" decal and the stripes by the foot.

Think I'll start by removing the damaged logo and seeing how that goes. If I don't like that direction I'll just get a replacement and hope it's not a big hassle to get the replacement on straight.

[RVnNC]

Easy to apply and easy to apply straight are not the same thing.

Easiest way is to take the trailer to a vinyl sign shop and let them do it.
First take a look at some of their work around town to insure it's not
on crooked or full of air bubbles.

Not all vinyl installers are equally talented and skilled so check out their
work before they work on your camper.

[Mike Magee]

My old Burro came to me without decals, and I always wished it had at least some stripes or something, to dress it up. But no, it didn't matter that much whether it said "Burro" or not. Just that plain white was blah.

One of the nicest looking eggs I've seen was a Perris Pacer all gold with two accent stripes around the middle. Who needs brand names on the outside when you have that!

[psyber_guy]

Decals are not hard to apply. First you mix up a solution of water and a dab of dish soap and then add a 1/2 oz of rubbing alcohol (pros trick) put it in a squirt bottle. Spray the area you want to install the decal, remove the backing paper, apply the decal where you want it to go, you can move it around quite easily. When you get it where you want it take a decal tool (a credit card works) and start in the center and push the water out from under the decal. It also pushes out any air bubbles. If the decal has a front paper you carefully remove it. then stand back and admire your new decal.

[james kent]

With the name there......." Nice Scamp"!
without the name there............"Nice [place other name brand here]"!

That said, it's ultimately your choice. I don't nornally wear clothing with name brands showing either but I'm proud to show the name on our Boler.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by dylanear

Worse comes to worse, are replacements expensive or hard to apply?

Even if I leave them on the "Scamp" on one side needs replacing, it's OK, but contributes to a slightly warn look when you look at my trailer up close. It's generally a great looking trailer, but if you look close you see they wear and corrosion on some details.

They are relatively easy to apply,compared to say broad hood stripes on a car.
To remove, use a heat gun carefully or a hair drier. warm the vinyl and use a PLASTIC scraper where needed. Then clean the residue by first using non gritty waterless hand cleaner followed by isopropyl alcohol.
The RED bottle of HEET is a cheap source of good isopropyl alcohol.
There are plenty of application videos online, but you will need a couple of straight pins, A gallon of warm water with a drop or two of car wash soap, and a couple of soft body filler applicators ( or some of those free applicators sent to you by the credit card companies)

[Donna D.]

I'd rather be one of one, than one of many. I recently saw pictures of a "Casita only" gathering.... looked like a bunch of eggs in a crate. I'd rather look like this!

[Casita Greg]

Just my personal taste, but I find myself drawn to simplicity of design and appearance. I know some people like driving around being an inadvertant billboard for some manufacturers, but I like the clean lines of no decals. The first night was at All-American RV after picking up the trailer. After parking the trailer, I popped the top on a cold one and the first order of business was to go around the trailer peeling off every last decal on it. Nice clean lines now. If I'm not being paid to advertise a product, I don't feel obligated to drive around like a rolling billboard. All the decals went into the RV park dumpster, along with that crappy spare tire cover. They are also very easy to peel off when they're fresh. Leave them on a few years and it becomes a real PITA, not to mention having to work real hard to erase the "ghost image" from sun fade where the decals originally were.

[dylanear]

Yep, I too generally side with simplicity of design. And if I deviate from that, it's not towards a company logo, but more unique design elements. Silver or dark metallic stripes my get tried out.

But not now. I got to worry about getting packed and to New Mexico, then I can make that top shelf margarita and remove the decals and give the egg it's first (by me) bath and polish. It's due for a polish now, it'll need that bath pretty bad by the end of the trip down there!

Someday paint? Dark silver (gunmetal) lower and bright silver upper?

[Sandra Lair]

We removed the decals from our Scamp, had it repainted & added a blue & yellow decal down the sides. No regrets!! We love the way it looks. So that people would know what we have, we added lettering to the gravel guard that says "1982 Scamp."

[jimtesla]

only decal is the blue reflective police tape on the belly band

[dylanear]

Originally Posted by jimtesla

only decal is the blue reflective police tape on the belly band

I dig the silver and now you got me thinking of ways to integrate the "wasteband" into some stripes.

[Mike Morrison]

We removed our decals and much prefer the look. No regrets at all. We have since added a few of our own decals, not because we thought the look was too plain, but to personalize our trailer.

[Tim Wood]

I just got done a couple of weeks ago removing the stripping on my 13' Scamp. So far I have left just the Scamp decal on, but may remove it also. I also think less is better.

[Shaidah]

We removed the faded cracked brown and orange stripes of our 81 Bigfoot, along with the mallard decals on the side and the salmon on the front. We left the Bigfoot dude on there, but no where does our trailer say Bigfoot on it. There was a very visible difference in colour under the decals. We spray painted blue and yellow stripes where the old stripes were and put up our own decals that we ordered online.

The first decal didn't go so well and got bubbles in. By the last one, we got the hang of it. Make sure your surface is very smooth. The smallest bump shows up.

[jen b]

My Burro's decals have come off for paint prep and painting, but I'm going to put a new set back on just because I really like the angry donkey.