Chrome Removal

[nate]

Whats the best way to remove the chrome from the windows without fu*kin it up?

I want to spray them black then re-fit them.

Who rekons it looks better with chrome/black?

[KRiSi]

I'll be keeping my eye on this thread with great interest. I have chrome round my windows and I ******* hate it

Black is best, if any members can advise on how to get rid then please post !!

You can buy de-chrome kits but I'm not sure whats included or how it works.

Any members got one of these kits for sale? Well 2, I'm guessing Nate will want one as well

[RCWells]

I shadowlined my previous black 325is. PITA to remove and reinstall but the paint is easy. Remove the chrome and scuff it very very well with whatever sandpaper you can find. The rougher the better to begin with. Stage it down to a smoother finish once most/all of the chrome finish is removed. This may take a while and lots of elbow grease, but prep is everything. (some say you can buy dechroming stuff, but I did not).

Then you need to spray with SEM paint, # 39143. It is trim paint. You can find it online or in most auto parts stores. No need for a primer, just make sure you get a good coating on all surfaces.

Reinstall your trim. There are many good writeups on r3vlimited.com if you want to check them out. Do a search on shadowline, trim paint, etc. and you can find lots of good tips.

Jordan actually did a good writeup on trim parts and removal of them. You may need to order some grommets and such for the side pieces and he has part #s listed as well.

[Andy_magic]

I'm gonna be watching this thread too, my motor is gagging for shadowline trim but I'm a tight sod and will be doing it myself.

I have a complete spare set of chrome trim to pratice on though.

[nate]

Makin them black will make the car look that little bit more modern, but i want to do it cheap!

What does PITA mean dude?

Is there an easy or 'textbook way to take these things off or do you just rip the fuc*ers off!

[Andy_magic]

Pain In The Ass - lol

[RCWells]

Nah, don't rip the @#$%ers off, you gotta be careful removing the trim or it WILL get expensive. I am not a body guy or have any experience in that, and I did it myself w/out assistance. You just gotta be careful as it will bend/break.

The SEM paint is about $4-5/can. I think just to be on the safe side, get 6 cans to be sure of good coverage. If you have some left over, that's okay, chances are you may need it for touch up down the road.

PITA= pain in the ass (or arse as some of you guys might say)

Again, you can check out r3vlimited.com for some good writeups on trim removal. It is just too much for me to quickly type here.

Here is a link that may help ya:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/Tech/Windowtrim.htm

[nate]

Cheers dude this will be next weeks project

PS Good site!

[RCWells]

Yeah, I still gotta do this on my current whip. I have been putting it off because it is such a pita. It is so worth it though in the end. DON'T get in a hurry. Set aside plenty of time to do it right and NOT damage anything.

Go ahead and order whatever grommets you will need and paint and have it ready. Would prolly help to have a bud assist you too. A few beers and pizza will usually be sufficient payment for a pal .

Give adequate drying time as well. Maybe even a day or two before you reinstall the trim. Several coats is best.

Oh, and one more thing. Bavarian Auto has a new kit for removing trim that is made of plastic. It costs about $20 but is prolly worth it's weight so as not to damage your paint while removing the trim. I am going to invest in that kit before I begin my project. It's called "puller kit" part #ST 9007.
Their site:
http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp

[johnono]

i did this on my 2dr

u need

2 FAT width rolls of masking tape
4 or so copies of the local advertiser / newspaper
a scotch brite pad (like a brillo without the soap)
fine grade wet and dry
paint of your own choosing
etch primer if u want to be flash
stanley blade
thinners
towl


The last 3 are only if it goes wrong, you can first inhale the thinners, by smothering yourself with it on the towl, and then slash your wrists with the stanley (meant as a joke, no offence intended)

ok, tape as close as poss around both edges of the trim, then paper allong the tape and tack it on, as if u were to do some panel spraying

use the fine grit, without water to scuff the chrome, u dont need to remove it, just Ԛ´keyԚ´ the surface with fine grooves to give the paint a surface to adhere to

then take the thinners and using the scotch pad, scrub the trim clean of dust from rubbing down, the repeat with the thinners on the cloth

surface is clean, but dont touch it

Etch primer if u have it, works great on metals
Then if u want to be really xtra u can rub the surface down again with wet fine W/D paper(1200 or finer)

then dry surface (only if u did the last step)

And then bit the bullet and spray the fucker really light coats, or u will get drips and pitting (when the paint bubbles from the propellant)

about 6 coats will sort it and as long as u have maked it well there will be no dripping onto the body or windows

[Andy_magic]

Cheers mate, I've got a bit of bodywork to do on mine so I'm going to put together a shopping list and hit a paint shop and get all the etch primers and stuff in one hit.

I'll take the trim off my donor and paint that up.

[johnono]

sweet mate but go easy on it coz it does split very easily , an dget a polymer based paint so it flexs instead of cracking

[nate]

[quote="johnono"]

ok, tape as close as poss around both edges of the trim, then paper allong the tape and tack it on, as if u were to do some panel spraying

U serious?

Did this work or was it a messy job?

Got any pics of this J.O.B

[RCWells]

Trust me on the paint man. SEM brand paint. Order or buy locally, but either way, use the SEM trim paint. It is as close to the factory paint as you will find and the finish is perfect. Ask around over at r3v, there are many that have done this same job, and all have used the SEM with awesome results, including myself. You can "try" other paints, it IS your money and time, but you won't find anything as good as the SEM.

[johnono]

ok, tape as close as poss around both edges of the trim, then paper allong the tape and tack it on, as if u were to do some panel spraying

U serious?

Did this work or was it a messy job?

Got any pics of this J.O.B

dude, beleive it or not its the quickest way to do it, bar just spaying directly on the car

tape first to give u a nice 5 cm border around the trim, then tape pages of newspaper along the border u just put up, and make sure there are NO gaps or dodgely stick bits of paper

well simple, even a monkey could do it

[nate]

hmmm,

it seems pretty tricky to pull apart,spray etc reading that link theres a lot to consider doing it properly. But on the other hand its got to look the biz

Johnono is yours def a clean proper job?

Knowing me i'll fu*k it up! But either way its got to be done.

SEM lol what does that stand for?!!

[RCWells]

Nothing that I know of, it's just the brand name. SEM brand, trim paint.

Link: http://www.goodspeedmotoring.com/?page= ... im%20Paint

Part# 39143

Shop around, prices vary.

[KRiSi]

Have to say, sounds much easier to leave trim on and spend the time masking up and prepping.

Is there an easy way to do round the front and rear windows?
The sides look like they'll be quite easy but the windscreen and rear windows, now that's gonna be a b*tch.

[KRiSi]

Anyone know of a UK based supplier for the SEM paint?

Can't seem to find one?

[johnono]

i did it to mine , took a whole day awhole daysԚ´effort that lasted 5 years and then sold her

tapin up takes ages if u want an exellent result, the spraying is as good as your patience will allow, if u bulldoze in and flood it in 2 coats itԚ´ll fuk up, but if u do a light one then burn a and do it like that all day
even if it is shit u wont care coz uԚ´ll be too mashed anyway

[dazleeds]

after a big fat spl*** anyway im with you johnono fook it im doing it your way only have the top gutter trim to do rest is black from factory
wicked gonna go skin 1 up to celebrate

[johnono]

bruvaa

[dazleeds]

just chillin bruvv
you got them brakes dne yet???

[johnono]

yeeaah baby! they are up and runnin!
and saved me a bob or 2 aswell sortin out at home

havent gottԚ´n a digi cam yet, but ill do an instalment on the photo page when i have finnished the roll, so by christmas

[nate]

Jus been doin my chome removal today

Scratched up the chrome masked it all off (no scuff on the paint) then cleaned the chrome re masked and covered the whole car wit paper so no f ups.

It took me all day, aint even finished painted yet, should be fin tomorrow (for the bm cruise tomorrow baby!)

I didnt bother with primer jus sprayed it in the end f it it ill be ok (hope)
cant wait for the end result.

PREP,PREP, PREP

safe people

[johnono]

nice one son

[Andy_magic]

I pulled all the trim off my donor the other day, ready for a good rubbing down session (oooer) only to find the rear quarter window is bonded onto/into the ali/chrome channel... Stress or what

I'm going to have to carefully rub it down without scratching the existing black surround part and paint....

Getting the main roof channel off was pretty straight forward, slide the trim clip formwards where it joins the body coloured fillet panel then starting at the front of the car by the wing pop the trim off its runner and then swing the whole trim upwards, it just comes off.

The lower front chrome was quite hard to get off the door, lucky both doors are rough on the donor, they are even rougher now - lol Got to work out a way of getting them off the other car wihtout marking the door.

[nate]

Good luck andy