I recently decided that I hated the down tube and chain guard decals on my green 1972 Raleigh Sports. They're just so... seventies - in my mind, they don't fit in with the idea of a classic English 3 Speed. So, I removed* them, with the idea of either replacing them with older style decals, or just leaving the area blank.

In their place, now, is darker green paint (presumably what all of the paint looked like originally) in the shape of the decals I so despised.

Other than repainting the frame or covering them up with stickers, any suggestions for how to completely remove the memory of these dreaded decals?

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* Removal method: heating and scraping weren't getting me anywhere. So... I took to wetting the area with a damp cloth and lightly sanding with 800 grit automotive sandpaper. After the decals were gone, I used rubbing compound followed by polishing compound.

Leave the bike out in the sun for several years until the dark areas fade to match the rest of the paint.

Did they clear green raleighs? They are glossy...

That has the benefit of not requiring a lot of effort, but is a mite time consuming.

If mine was glossy at some point, it isn't any more.

Try some polishing compound or rubbing compound to bring the shine back. Be careful with rubbing compound, as it is pretty aggressive on the paint.

And follow it up with some wax.

The dull paint doesn't bother me much - mostly is those decals. I can imagine some marketing meeting Raleigh had in the early seventies... "Well, old man, it would be far too dear to change the design of the Sports, but what if we try decals with those hip new typefaces all the kids are in to these days?" "Yes indeed! Just the thing. Well done, old bean!"

Pics?
Come on,stop teasing

well. I found out by accident that acetone will strip bike paint. I was removing some fugly decals and used acetone. The paint melted then sort of blended. Needless to say, my decal spots are mostly uniform looking. Other then the dull spots from the scratch repair, that it is. Turtle wax helps.

Hmmm... try the color fixing turtle wax?

The section that was under the decals wasn't exposed to light and sun. Nothing you can do about it now. The paint is sun faded.

You've done a public service by slightly increasing the rarity of bikes of the same year and model that still have intact decals. That's why the world isn't crammed full of all-original antiques. Same with baseball cards. Kids leave home and their parents throw them away, making the very few cards that don't get thrown away rare and valuable.

Don't remind me Jon! Argh. All my '62/63 Dodgers cards. MOM, how could you? !!!

I would source some original style replacement decals and reposition them with great care.

It isn't anything terribly special. This isn't mine - mine is green, there is more rust, the paint isn't shiny, and the decals on the downtube and the chainguard have been replaced by dark green areas that looks like those selfsame decals.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312891...n/photostream/

I'm actually thinking of rattle-can painting it this winter. Picture matte darke blue-grey with a few decals of a silhouette of the Raleigh heron. The great blue heron if you will...

Oh please don't rattle can it! If you must repaint, invest in a decent professional paint job. It will be an expensive solution, but this is why I recommended just replacing the decals.

...you found this offensive ? #noaccountingfortasteIguess

That font reminds me of the ACME used in bugsbunny Roadrunner bennyhill cartoons.

Most offensive!

As a matter of fact, I made the observation just this morning that it reminded me of the cheaply made cartoons of the 70s. To me it does not connote quality.

...it's a Raleigh Sports from the 70's. Let's try to maintain some perspective, please.

Its a bike from the seventies. Possibly you could just get a bike from one of the less offensive decades.

Or, since the deed is done, you can paint something on and around the areas, such as pin striping, custom lettering, or some such artistically incorporating the color difference. This may require more effort and skill than removal did.

Throw some of these on there
https://www.google.com/search?q=Coln...tm%3B780%3B567

Don't you promote those evil flipper tactics here, RB !