Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes... - NCRS Discussion Boards

Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

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  • Patrick T.
    Expired
    • September 30, 1999
    • 1286

    Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

    I live on a property which has mostly 50' high, mature oak trees covering the entire piece of land. I always keep my 2 Corvettes in the garage but I like to keep the garage doors open during the nice weather. Well, it seems that has it's consequences.

    In the spring, the oak trees have all the new leaves coming out and of course that flowery stuff that falls all over your cars with all the pollen in it. A couple years ago, I realized that tree sap also drops or flies down and gets on my cars in the garage. It's actually fine, wet drops, smaller than the head of a pin and invisible when it lands on your car and dries up.

    Today I washed the '67 outside with soap and water, thoroughly hosed it off with the hose and then drove it back in the garage and hand dried the car with cotton towels. After it was dry, I rubbed my hand over the painted areas of the car and could feel all these tiny, invisible specks of tree sap.

    So anyway, I knew that was coming. A few years ago, I figured out what it was and tried just about everything, including carb cleaner, to remove the sap and nothing seemed to work. I have catalyzed urethane paint so I'm not too worried about messing it up with petroleum solvents like bug removers, etc.

    I was at the end of my list trying how to get this sap off the car. Then I got to thinking...tree sap comes from trees, so why not try turpentine, which is made from trees? Well, I bought a quart can and that was the answer. Pour some on a cotton cloth and go over the whole car once to soften it up. Then go over the whole car again with a new soaked cloth and pick up all the sap and it will dry quick. Then I run my hand over the car and the finish was smooth as silk; all those specks of sap are gone.

    Just thought I would share this experience for you guys that live in the woods. PT
  • Clem Z.
    Expired
    • January 1, 2006
    • 9427

    #2
    Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

    Originally posted by Patrick Tighe (33001)
    I live on a property which has mostly 50' high, mature oak trees covering the entire piece of land. I always keep my 2 Corvettes in the garage but I like to keep the garage doors open during the nice weather. Well, it seems that has it's consequences.

    In the spring, the oak trees have all the new leaves coming out and of course that flowery stuff that falls all over your cars with all the pollen in it. A couple years ago, I realized that tree sap also drops or flies down and gets on my cars in the garage. It's actually fine, wet drops, smaller than the head of a pin and invisible when it lands on your car and dries up.

    Today I washed the '67 outside with soap and water, thoroughly hosed it off with the hose and then drove it back in the garage and hand dried the car with cotton towels. After it was dry, I rubbed my hand over the painted areas of the car and could feel all these tiny, invisible specks of tree sap.

    So anyway, I knew that was coming. A few years ago, I figured out what it was and tried just about everything, including carb cleaner, to remove the sap and nothing seemed to work. I have catalyzed urethane paint so I'm not too worried about messing it up with petroleum solvents like bug removers, etc.

    I was at the end of my list trying how to get this sap off the car. Then I got to thinking...tree sap comes from trees, so why not try turpentine, which is made from trees? Well, I bought a quart can and that was the answer. Pour some on a cotton cloth and go over the whole car once to soften it up. Then go over the whole car again with a new soaked cloth and pick up all the sap and it will dry quick. Then I run my hand over the car and the finish was smooth as silk; all those specks of sap are gone.

    Just thought I would share this experience for you guys that live in the woods. PT
    i fixed that problem as i cut down all the trees on my place and now if i can get the neighbors to cut down theirs i would have no leaves to clean up. after a winter ice storm brought down big limbs just missing my house down came the trees. they were 70 footers and i did not want them coming thru the roof of my house like a friend had happen. there was a bad storm so he and his wife got up out of bed to see what was going on. a large tree came down thru the roof right on top of their bed !!! trees belong out in the woods.

    Comment

    • Steven T.
      Expired
      • February 18, 2010
      • 50

      #3
      Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

      I've used a clay bar before with good results.
      glad you were able to remove the sap.

      Comment

      • Gerard F.
        Extremely Frequent Poster
        • June 30, 2004
        • 3805

        #4
        Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

        PT,

        That's a good tip.

        Take a look at the background in this pic:



        The pitch from pines is the worst.

        I'm going to try the turpentine.
        Attached Files
        Jerry Fuccillo
        1967 327/300 Convertible since 1968

        Comment

        • Rich P.
          Expired
          • January 12, 2009
          • 1361

          #5
          Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

          The best thing to remove tree sap is very warm soapy water.

          Rich

          Comment

          • Patrick T.
            Expired
            • September 30, 1999
            • 1286

            #6
            Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

            Originally posted by Gerard Fuccillo (42179)
            PT,

            That's a good tip.

            Take a look at the background in this pic:



            The pitch from pines is the worst.

            I'm going to try the turpentine.
            Yeah Jerry, I'm agree that pines have much more sap and creosote too. That's why you can't use pine firewood in fireplaces. I'm glad all the trees I have are oak. PT

            Comment

            • Thomas O.
              Expired
              • July 31, 2002
              • 84

              #7
              Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

              Patrick: Wow what a beautiful drive! Wonderful shrubs and young understory growth. It looks like you are on a lake with a nice blacktop road, this is hard to beat. Lucky guy.

              Comment

              • Patrick T.
                Expired
                • September 30, 1999
                • 1286

                #8
                Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

                Originally posted by Rich Pasqualone (49858)
                The best thing to remove tree sap is very warm soapy water.Rich
                Rich, are you saying that the hot water melts the sap and the soap acts as a removal carrier? Sounds logical but I've never tried that. PT

                Comment

                • Patrick T.
                  Expired
                  • September 30, 1999
                  • 1286

                  #9
                  Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

                  Originally posted by Thomas Olson (38487)
                  Patrick: Wow what a beautiful drive! Wonderful shrubs and young understory growth. It looks like you are on a lake with a nice blacktop road, this is hard to beat. Lucky guy.
                  Tom, actually I'm high up in the Catoctin Mountains, next to Camp David in Maryland. PT

                  Comment

                  • Rich P.
                    Expired
                    • January 12, 2009
                    • 1361

                    #10
                    Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

                    Patrick,

                    yes My shop is behind my house and it is boarderd by 75-90 foot trees of all kinds and when I work on cars outside in the spring you get some sap on them. Some are in primer and I have tried thinner and prepsol to no avail. the only thing that removes the sap is hot water and soap. It wipes it right off with no problem.

                    Rich

                    Comment

                    • Steven B.
                      Extremely Frequent Poster
                      • June 30, 1982
                      • 3985

                      #11
                      Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

                      Jerry and Patrick, you have beautful places! I live in a woods in East Texas with 100 foot hardwoods and conifers. I have the sap problem on the cars (non-Corvettes) that set out. I use a clay bar and it works well. (Maybe it is the summer sun that softens the sap ) Does the turpentine soften the paint?

                      Thanks!

                      Steve

                      Comment

                      • Patrick T.
                        Expired
                        • September 30, 1999
                        • 1286

                        #12
                        Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

                        Originally posted by Steven Brohard (5759)
                        Jerry and Patrick, you have beautful places! I live in a woods in East Texas with 100 foot hardwoods and conifers. I have the sap problem on the cars (non-Corvettes) that set out. I use a clay bar and it works well. (Maybe it is the summer sun that softens the sap ) Does the turpentine soften the paint?

                        Thanks!

                        Steve
                        Steve, as I mentioned, I have rock hard catalyzed urethane paint. If you have lacquer or something else I would be very careful about using petroleum based solvents or turpentine to remove the tree sap. Maybe try it in an obscure place first. PT

                        Comment

                        • Pat F.
                          Very Frequent User
                          • April 1, 1981
                          • 853

                          #13
                          Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

                          Now that we have the tree sap under control, what about plastic bags that get sucked under you Corvette and get fried on you Resonator or Mufflers any don't know about it until much late and it is like glue. Any thoughts?

                          Pat Fullam
                          PAT, Central New Jersey and Florida Chapters

                          Comment

                          • Clem Z.
                            Expired
                            • January 1, 2006
                            • 9427

                            #14
                            Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

                            Originally posted by Charlie Fullam (4489)
                            Now that we have the tree sap under control, what about plastic bags that get sucked under you Corvette and get fried on you Resonator or Mufflers any don't know about it until much late and it is like glue. Any thoughts?

                            Pat Fullam
                            even a bigger problem is those plastic bags getting sucked up into the rad on C-5s because they are bottom feeders as far as air to the rad. if your C-5 is running warm check the rad from underneath

                            Comment

                            • Steven B.
                              Extremely Frequent Poster
                              • June 30, 1982
                              • 3985

                              #15
                              Re: Dried Tree Sap on my Corvettes...

                              Originally posted by Charlie Fullam (4489)
                              Now that we have the tree sap under control, what about plastic bags that get sucked under you Corvette and get fried on you Resonator or Mufflers any don't know about it until much late and it is like glue. Any thoughts?

                              Pat Fullam
                              If anyone knows a way to do it let me know. A black plastic construction size trash bag got sucked under and metled on my ceramic coated headers. I would like to get the melted thing off without "reheating" the headers. I feel like Forrest Gump on a bad day.

                              Steve

                              Comment

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