De-chrome
Moderator: martauto
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6potWil6pot
- E30 Zone Addict
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- Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: North London
Welcome to the zone btw, im one the ppl whove actually attempted to dechrome my car myself and depending on how high your expecations are regarding presentation its reasonably easy to dechrome your car. The hardest bit is the rear window which has the chrome trim actually fitted to the window and u gotta take the window out to do it.
U have to be very careful prising off the trim and either have to get yourself a new set of dechrome strips or find someone whos removed them well as they get bent up easily (esp the long rail across the top of the windows).
If you ever see my own car in the metal and i havent sorted out the trimmings you'll see ive done an "average" job of it personally
U have to be very careful prising off the trim and either have to get yourself a new set of dechrome strips or find someone whos removed them well as they get bent up easily (esp the long rail across the top of the windows).
If you ever see my own car in the metal and i havent sorted out the trimmings you'll see ive done an "average" job of it personally
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Lizzie
- Retired Admin.
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I don't know how hard it is; mine came out of the factory dechromed.
I think that some of the guys have tried to do it on here. I don't recall what the results were like.
I think that some of the guys have tried to do it on here. I don't recall what the results were like.
Alpine White II 1990 E30 325i Auto Conv
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SwirlyE30
- E30 Zone Squatter
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Id you dont want to go into all the hassel of taking trim off, you can mask up the trim well enough to get to it. Although if youve got an early model with chrome everywhere, including the rear window it may be difficult, although on the door windows, the trim can be masked up ,just make sure you mask it all up very well, and rub the chrome down everywhere. Also if you want to get a very close to factory look, use somthing called SEM paint, the guys over at http://www.r3vlimited.com/ use it a lot and im sure you can order some for over here in the UK. Basically its a spray that is meant for direct metal application, so no priming etc (just rub it down well) and it comes out very similar to the BMW finish.
http://www.strictlyeta.net/technical/shadowline.html that might help
http://www.strictlyeta.net/technical/shadowline.html that might help
1986 Chevrolet Corvette. 330ftlb torque....V8s rule!
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SwirlyE30
- E30 Zone Squatter
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Im not sure of the part numbers although if you go to either a BMW breakers yard they may have some , or the best bet contact your nearest BMW dealer and they can get pretty much most parts
1986 Chevrolet Corvette. 330ftlb torque....V8s rule!
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6potWil6pot
- E30 Zone Addict
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- Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: North London
Ive heard Dechrome kits are pretty expensive from the $tealers, best to find one yourself and see if you can get someone to carefully remove it from the old car, gotta be ever so careful that you dont bend the strips!
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SwirlyE30
- E30 Zone Squatter
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- Location: Worthing-Brighton South Coast
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Or just mask up the parts and spray them! Get some good paint, rub them down and just make sure you put a lot of paper/cover over the car and you should be fine
Also, this way you can keep touching it up every few months if you feel like it, just to keep it looking brand new!
Also, this way you can keep touching it up every few months if you feel like it, just to keep it looking brand new!
1986 Chevrolet Corvette. 330ftlb torque....V8s rule!
yup, did this on my old 2 dr and i never had a flake, but i scrubed the crome silly, it looked grey by the time i was done, and primed it like a madman, before droppin a whole can over the space of 2 days, looked so good though
Here's a good write up I used to guide me through the shadowline process.
http://r3vlimited.com/Tech/Windowtrim.htm
http://r3vlimited.com/Tech/Windowtrim.htm
2.8L M20 Stroker
Works for me, but I'll cut and paste for you guys, it won't have the pics though.
Ԛ» Tools:
1. Flathead screwdriver (6-8in or so)
2. Phillips head screwdriver (6-8in or so)
3. Needle nose pliers
4. Socket set, various
Ԛ» Procedure:
This entire process is pretty simple overall. If you exercise care and restraint you will be able to remove the trim without damaging it. If you are forceful, and try to just tear it off you will bend it beyond repair. The trim is a very soft aluminum. It bends and cracks easily. This write-up is focused on 2 door e30's (both pop-out and fixed rear side windows) and offers no direct information on 4 door e30's although most of it can be applied with some common sense.
Trim diagram: (click to enlarge)
1.) First thing you are going to want to do is make sure the car is clean and dry. Go ahead and take care of that before you start.
Removed both side mirrors from the car. Inside the car on the other side of the mirrors you will either have blank sill plates, or tweeter pods. Both pry off. Be careful not to damage the plastic tabs that hold them in.
Disconnect the mirror from the door harness. Its a small 4 pin black connector. Should be in plain sight once the sail panel/tweeter pod is removed.
Loosen and remove both 8mm bolts that hold the mirror to the vehicle. Hold the mirror while you do this so it doesn't fall to the ground and damage the paint. Feed the connector through the hole and set the mirror aside. Repeat for the other side of the vehicle.
2.) Now focus on the b-pillar area inside the car (the G area) At the top of the b-pillar is a small coat hook. This sucker is completely useless, and a bitch to remove. Loosen and remove the Phillips screw. Grab a hold of the hood and pull it out. Rest assured it does remove in this manner, its just stubborn.
Remove the cover on the seat belt pivot to reveal the 17mm bolt. Loosen and remove the 17mm bolt. Lay the seat belt down on the floor.
Remove the small quarter sized plug on the b-pillar. Look inside and you will see a 8mm nut. If you look inside the coat hanger hole you will see the same 8mm nut. Loosen and remove them both. Be careful not to drop them. At this point it is helpful to have an assistant outside the car to hold the window so it does not fall onto the ground. While nice, it is not entirely necessary if your car is parked on level ground. Gravity should work to keep it in place.
If you have pop-out rear side glass remove the black cover of the pivot latch on the c-pillar. Loosen and remove the 2 Phillips screws. The window is now free to remove.
if you have fixed rear side glass use a small flathead to slowly work the inner gasket free of the body. This is hard to describe, but you should understand if you look/poke at it.
3.) Now its time to start removing the actual trim.
Start by sliding B towards the front of the car, until it is all the way onto A.
Pry up A down by where the side mirror would be. Us a flathead and cloth if your fingers aren't working for you. Pry it all the way up the a-pillar and lift it off the rain gutter on the roof.
Trim C is actually attached to the painted vent cover on the c-pillar. They must be removed as one. Pull on the painted cover and rock it back and forth. You WILL destroy the clips that hold the cover to the body. Be prepared to replace them.
The part number for these clips is: 51 13 1 870 459 (you will need 6 total)
Estimated cost each is: $0.95 USD
Now separate C from the painted part it is attached to. It is held on by several black clips. Its VERY hard to remove them without destroying them. Remove the foam on the back side to reveal the clip base. Drill or cut out the base of each clip until they release. I *think* 5 will be required per side. Make your own observation on this and order accordingly.
The part number for these clips is: 51 13 1 884 467
Estimated cost each is: $0.55 USD
Trim E is one of the easiest to remove. Use a flathead and a cloth to pry it straight up off the door. Once it is off remove any clips that stayed on the door and place them back on part E. Remove the rubber window seal from trim E.
Trim D is a bit less intuitive. The clips are hidden. Roll the window down and remove the fuzzy inner window gasket (the channel the window slides in) Look inside the void created where the fuzzy inner gasket was. You will see many small clips. Each one with have a rectangular tab sticking out. Push the tab away from the trim with a flathead and it will release the trim. Repeat as many times as needed until the trim comes off.
You are bound to break several of these clips. I know I did. I stole some spares off a junkyard car, but if you want to order new ones...
The part number for these clips is: 51 32 1 874 017
Estimated cost each is: ?
Trim F is held on with the same clips as trim D. They are also located in the void where the fuzzy inner gasket was. Use the same technique to remove them.
Repeat all the above for the opposite side. One would assume you are taking it off to paint them. So go find a write-up for that ;)
Ԛ» Tools:
1. Flathead screwdriver (6-8in or so)
2. Phillips head screwdriver (6-8in or so)
3. Needle nose pliers
4. Socket set, various
Ԛ» Procedure:
This entire process is pretty simple overall. If you exercise care and restraint you will be able to remove the trim without damaging it. If you are forceful, and try to just tear it off you will bend it beyond repair. The trim is a very soft aluminum. It bends and cracks easily. This write-up is focused on 2 door e30's (both pop-out and fixed rear side windows) and offers no direct information on 4 door e30's although most of it can be applied with some common sense.
Trim diagram: (click to enlarge)
1.) First thing you are going to want to do is make sure the car is clean and dry. Go ahead and take care of that before you start.
Removed both side mirrors from the car. Inside the car on the other side of the mirrors you will either have blank sill plates, or tweeter pods. Both pry off. Be careful not to damage the plastic tabs that hold them in.
Disconnect the mirror from the door harness. Its a small 4 pin black connector. Should be in plain sight once the sail panel/tweeter pod is removed.
Loosen and remove both 8mm bolts that hold the mirror to the vehicle. Hold the mirror while you do this so it doesn't fall to the ground and damage the paint. Feed the connector through the hole and set the mirror aside. Repeat for the other side of the vehicle.
2.) Now focus on the b-pillar area inside the car (the G area) At the top of the b-pillar is a small coat hook. This sucker is completely useless, and a bitch to remove. Loosen and remove the Phillips screw. Grab a hold of the hood and pull it out. Rest assured it does remove in this manner, its just stubborn.
Remove the cover on the seat belt pivot to reveal the 17mm bolt. Loosen and remove the 17mm bolt. Lay the seat belt down on the floor.
Remove the small quarter sized plug on the b-pillar. Look inside and you will see a 8mm nut. If you look inside the coat hanger hole you will see the same 8mm nut. Loosen and remove them both. Be careful not to drop them. At this point it is helpful to have an assistant outside the car to hold the window so it does not fall onto the ground. While nice, it is not entirely necessary if your car is parked on level ground. Gravity should work to keep it in place.
If you have pop-out rear side glass remove the black cover of the pivot latch on the c-pillar. Loosen and remove the 2 Phillips screws. The window is now free to remove.
if you have fixed rear side glass use a small flathead to slowly work the inner gasket free of the body. This is hard to describe, but you should understand if you look/poke at it.
3.) Now its time to start removing the actual trim.
Start by sliding B towards the front of the car, until it is all the way onto A.
Pry up A down by where the side mirror would be. Us a flathead and cloth if your fingers aren't working for you. Pry it all the way up the a-pillar and lift it off the rain gutter on the roof.
Trim C is actually attached to the painted vent cover on the c-pillar. They must be removed as one. Pull on the painted cover and rock it back and forth. You WILL destroy the clips that hold the cover to the body. Be prepared to replace them.
The part number for these clips is: 51 13 1 870 459 (you will need 6 total)
Estimated cost each is: $0.95 USD
Now separate C from the painted part it is attached to. It is held on by several black clips. Its VERY hard to remove them without destroying them. Remove the foam on the back side to reveal the clip base. Drill or cut out the base of each clip until they release. I *think* 5 will be required per side. Make your own observation on this and order accordingly.
The part number for these clips is: 51 13 1 884 467
Estimated cost each is: $0.55 USD
Trim E is one of the easiest to remove. Use a flathead and a cloth to pry it straight up off the door. Once it is off remove any clips that stayed on the door and place them back on part E. Remove the rubber window seal from trim E.
Trim D is a bit less intuitive. The clips are hidden. Roll the window down and remove the fuzzy inner window gasket (the channel the window slides in) Look inside the void created where the fuzzy inner gasket was. You will see many small clips. Each one with have a rectangular tab sticking out. Push the tab away from the trim with a flathead and it will release the trim. Repeat as many times as needed until the trim comes off.
You are bound to break several of these clips. I know I did. I stole some spares off a junkyard car, but if you want to order new ones...
The part number for these clips is: 51 32 1 874 017
Estimated cost each is: ?
Trim F is held on with the same clips as trim D. They are also located in the void where the fuzzy inner gasket was. Use the same technique to remove them.
Repeat all the above for the opposite side. One would assume you are taking it off to paint them. So go find a write-up for that ;)
2.8L M20 Stroker
I've seen another solution for this problem here in Latvia - instead of painting the chrome parts you can apply sticker to it - smth like oracal or stuff like that. The guy did it himself and the result was goos 
The only problem ir the crome around the windscreen and the rear window.
P.S. You may say it's a rice but it still looks nice if done properly and carefully, actually it's hard to recongise that it's not ar factory shadow-line
The only problem ir the crome around the windscreen and the rear window.P.S. You may say it's a rice but it still looks nice if done properly and carefully, actually it's hard to recongise that it's not ar factory shadow-line
I've just changed the front and rear window crome trim on my 1986 project car to the newer black strips. i got the trim from the breakers , its just the beading for the windscreen seal and just pulls out , the front screen is one peice it starts and stops at the bottom of the screen in the middle and the rear is a two piece the ends are at both bottom corners the whole job took about an hour. i hope this helps
john
john