Im going to guess you used meguiars, just because it is slightly abrasive, but not harmful to paint finishes.

I would have used a fine compound myself...

As for the decals, I bought the origional set of decals from Phoenix Graphix about 10 years ago and appled them myself.

The graphics supplied were OEM spec, however the windshield graphic was outlined, (I got mine second hand) not solid lettering. The quality was so spot on, that I was able to lay the new graphic over the origional and have it match up perfectly (without applying it) All the graphics I have seen on ebay have been kinda crappy. For example, you and I both know that the rear graphic on the decklid is silver metallic with red inlay. The cheep ones you get on ebay will try to pass them off with just the solid silver metallic, and no red inlay. Single color graphics are cheep.

I can't say weather or not the expensive ones on ebay are any good. I haven't bought a set since that one all those years ago.
They still have em here!
http://www.phoenixgraphix.com/gm/1984if.htm

The only thing that was not dead nuts on in the kit, was the lower "Faded Dot" stripe at the bottom. It had the correct pattern, color, but is about 115% of the scale of the origional. I still have the roll of striping sitting on a shelf in my garage. I better not catch you in there looking for it

Have you tried 1500 wet sanding a spot, and rubbing it back out with compound ? Im still betting thats the fastest and safest way out.

quote Originally posted by davikan: Anyone else want to guess?

The suspense is killing me...which one was it???

quote Originally posted by jscott1: The suspense is killing me...which one was it???

Sorry, Mr. Goo Gone, but it's the MEGUIARS! It takes a LOT more rubbing with Goo Gone to get even a bit of red to stain my cloth. With Paint Thinner, even less! PAINT THINNER! I always thought that if you put Paint Thinner on a car's finish, that finish is ruined! Well, not in this case, it turns out.

The aggravating thing is that no matter what I do, this process does leave behind faint "ghost" lines where the pinstriping used to be. I will post new pictures once I've rubbed it all off (even with the Meguiars Paint Cleaner, it's a slow process,) but at this point, I think re-painting will be my ultimate sollution.

I am however happy with my decision to get rid of the pinstripes. Just getting them completely off one mirror housing (except for the ghosting,) and my Indy looks cleaner, "tighter", and cooler in an understated way. I love it.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at the ghost pinstriping. Red paint sitting on top of white paint for 24 years? Yeah, that's probably enough time to seep in permanently.

Unless you paint geniuses have a solution... (????????????????????????????)

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You should try lacquer thinner, it is different then paint thinner. It will take way less time and give you a better result. Also when you done with the Lacquer thinner then use 3M Perfect It II Rubbing Compound to get out whats left of the ghost stripes. Then finish it with a high grade wax and you are done. Any of these products can be bought online or at a local Automotive Paint store. Lacquer Thinner is sold at Wal Mart in the automotive section near the Bondo.

I have to take stripe's like this off at work all the time. We get cars in that have had a panel replaced and the rest of the car has a painted stripe its near impossible to match a painted stripe so I have to take the rest of it off.

quote Originally posted by DeLorean00: You should try lacquer thinner, it is different then paint thinner. It will take way less time and give you a better result. Also when you done with the Lacquer thinner then use 3M Perfect It II Rubbing Compound to get out whats left of the ghost stripes. Then finish it with a high grade wax and you are done. Any of these products can be bought online or at a local Automotive Paint store. Lacquer Thinner is sold at Wal Mart in the automotive section near the Bondo. I have to take stripe's like this off at work all the time. We get cars in that have had a panel replaced and the rest of the car has a painted stripe its near impossible to match a painted stripe so I have to take the rest of it off.

You do this for a living, so I'm sure you're right. But, I have an irrational fear about laquer thinner: there's a little voice inside my head SCREAMING that one drop will eat straight through the paint! So, I suppose it's just as well that I'm almost done, so I'll just finish up using the Meguiar's Paint Cleaner. But as for the suggestion to use 3M Perfect It II Rubbing Compound, thank you: I will go out to get some today.

Here's a picture of the spoiler as of today - you can see the "ghost" stripes:


Thanks again, everyone, for your two cents. I can't tell you how many times I've been clueless about my Fieros, but got a wealth of information off Pennock's to help me.

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Saw this at a show this weekend.
Thought you may find it interesting.

quote Originally posted by CenTexIndy: Saw this at a show this weekend. Thought you may find it interesting.

Cool pic, and cool car! - thank you. But, I think the pinstripes on that old Pontiac have more of a reason to be there than the ones that were on my Indy. Just my personal opinion.

The job of removing the ghost stripes from the Indy is still waiting for my attention. This morning, the leather portions of her seats got pampered with a little Lexol from Mr. Mike. Nothing's wrong with them, and I want to keep it that way! The Vegas summer is coming, and although my Indy lives in my garage, it gets HOT and DRY in there, even out of the sun. Hopefully, the seats will drink up the Lexol and stay supple.

All of which is to say, I haven't completely addressed the pinstripe issue yet...

I agree that they seem to belong more on the older Pontiac. The ones I took a pic of actually had a date of '06 on them....so they are not original either.
I found it very interesting that the design was so close to yours.