Dang side trim!

[Sean]

So, I decided to set out to get my side trim painted today. I didn't want to have to deal with removing it, so I did a bunch of taping off, and got to work.

Well, I've painted both sides with a couples coats alreayd and wet sanded in between quite a lot.

But, it's looking like the front two piece of trim will ALWAYS be off from that rear one! Most of you know what I mean. For some reason, the front two pieces of side trim, tend to either dry out, fade or something - basically they have a texture to them and the paint dulls. The rear remains shiny and smooth.

No matter how much paint I get on the trim, it's looking like it will remain off. So, when it's all said and done, they will be the same color - but in the correct lighting, the front pieces will still look off from teh rear due to the texture that I CANNOT get rid of no matter how much sanding I do.

Looking closely, the fronts look like they are all dried out and cracking. The rears and smooth and shiny.

Sanding isn't making a difference.

So - what can I do? Should I sand even more? Or, is that a waste? Is there anyway to get rid of the texture, or should I just live with it?

Part of me thinkins the fronts pieces are just absorbing my SEM trim paint...is that likely?

Yea...so, comments and ideas welcome asap. I have to pull off all my tape tomorrow and get other stuff done - so...yea heh

[Sean]

Anyone? Can I rough up the rear trim so it's not as shiny? i just want this stuff to look the same! Grr lol

[Simon S]

When I first got my car, I wanted a ‘dipped in paint’ look. (and so it was done)

Over time, I grew to hate the look of painted door moldings. (cheap-looking. half-assed. lack of contrast. etc.)

So I removed the side/door moldings and took [most of] the paint off with paint stripper.



The pieces required sanding to complete clean-up process.
(started with ~120 grit and proceeded to 400 grit)



Understand that when using sandpaper on rubber, the paper will ‘load’ up quickly.. but the rubber is easily ‘unloaded’ from the grit of the paper by quickly and lightly sliding it across something like carpet or denim.




During the sanding process, I was intending/expecting to have to paint pieces in order to give them a ‘like new’ appearance.

As they cleaned up with sanding, I realized that my sanding had effectively removed whatever gray oxidized layer that had formed prior to painting. The pieces were now a fresh black color, but haze from sanding remained.

An attempt to try 600 grit was made, but the satin luster that I was after didn’t appear.



At this point, I sighed and proceeded to begin paint prep.

When I wiped the first piece with acetone for grease/oil removal, I discovered that acetone ‘ate into’ or dissolved enough of the sandpaper-textured rubber to give it a nice satin luster.

(no flash):


(flash used and accentuates [satin] luster difference):


First moisten a clean shop towel with acetone. As you first wipe it back and forth across the rubber, it will slide with ease. As the acetone evaporates, the towel will start to gain a ‘sticky’ feeling as it moves on the piece. After a few attempts you’ll discover that the trick is to stop swiping just before it gets too sticky. It is an easy feel to gain.



I’m way happy with my cheaply refurbished side moldings. They look like new and there's no paint or 'shit' on them.




before and after:


.

[Sean]

Oh wow, thats awesome, dude!

I never thought that sanding them down would make them look new. Mine are painted now, and it looks really good. Eventually I'll tear them off and get them all good. I was going to buy new - but what you did seemed to work great!

So, you ended with 600 grit? Would it work to end with something like 1000 or 1500? Or, is that too high?

[Simon S]

yeah, I was delighted and amazed with results after the acetone

600 grit use on all ?
well, yes, I did. (more influence of OCD than anything)
The pass with 600 grit was a quick one.
I suspect that acetone treatment results on/with 400 grit would accomplish similar results.

Use of 1000 or 1500 grit ?
If I were to do it again, I don’t think I’d bother.
I was as concerned about uniformity as you are/were.

.. and the acetone worked magically. When working with it, (cautiously) it was a snap to work/reapply to sections/areas to achieve excellent uniformity.


.

[ldsbeaker]

thanks for the DIY!!

p.s. I have that stupid chrome strip on the trim.... where's yours??

[Simon S]

thanks for the DIY!!

quite welcome.

p.s. I have that stupid chrome strip on the trim.... where's yours??

didn't have to deal w/ any chrome strip..

if i did, i'd head to a bone yard and start messing with a junker's trim for practice/exploration.

.

[87Blue325iC]

quite welcome.

didn't have to deal w/ any chrome strip..

if i did, i head to a bone yard and start messing with a junker's trim for practice/exploration.

.

Some late model E30's, 318iS included, came with all black trim. Check out RealOEM for part numbers. I retro-fitted all black trim to my 'vert.

See thread:
http://www.e30tech.com/forum/viewtop...8792&highlight

PS - Simon S - great write up!!!

[Sean]

Yea, too bad you didn't post sooner, I woulda made them look even better. But, they look pretty good now.

And, I believe he's talking about the chrome on the side-trim. Unfortunately, the rear section from a two door later E30 will not fit on the early e30 rear section (different rear arches) I'd just sand down the chrome and paint them.

[ldsbeaker]

I think I'll do just that. Thanks.

[golde30]

so it looks like, if u already have trim that is black rubber but faded out, you could just sand lightly with 600grit and then wipe it with acetone and call it a day...hmmm. gonna have to try this out!

[Kilomph]

Thanks Simon S.

You should make a post in the DIY section...

[Simon S]

so it looks like, if u already have trim that is black rubber but faded out, you could just sand lightly with 600grit and then wipe it with acetone and call it a day...hmmm. gonna have to try this out!

yes. i suspect this to be true.

Thanks Simon S.

You should make a post in the DIY section...

glad to help contribute back to great knowledge base here.

meh.
a search would turn this post up easy

.

[golde30]

can we get updated pics of yer trim? did it fade out really fast, or does it still look cool?

[nmlss2006]

I second that motion, because I'm trying to decide whether to replace or treat the trim on my '90 iS. How are they holding up?
I also second the sticky, btw. It took me a bit to (re)find this post.