View Poll Results: Should I remove the door molding?
Yes, get rid of it.
49
83.05%
No, leave it.
10
16.95%
Voters: 59. You may not vote on this poll
debating about doing the !molding on my z28
04-12-2007, 10:29 AM
#1
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debating about doing the !molding on my z28 I'm somewhat undecided about the whole !molding thing, sometimes it seems to look really nice, and clean the car up well, but other times it doesn't seem like a big deal at all. My car needs something, ANYTHING right now, just feeling kind of "blah" about it, so I'm thinking about taking the molding off over the weekend.
The car isn't daily driven. When I do use it, it is in a parking lot and it's hard to avoid other cars. My point is, I don't know how concerned I can really be about door dings. Anyways, another up for taking it off, is that my molding paint is a little chipped in places. Don't know why, bought the car this way.
Anyways here are some pics of the car as it sits now (somewhat dirty, thanks to the sand and dirt still on the roads from winter!), sorry if they're huge. Let me know what you have to suggest, thanks.
The car isn't daily driven. When I do use it, it is in a parking lot and it's hard to avoid other cars. My point is, I don't know how concerned I can really be about door dings. Anyways, another up for taking it off, is that my molding paint is a little chipped in places. Don't know why, bought the car this way.
Anyways here are some pics of the car as it sits now (somewhat dirty, thanks to the sand and dirt still on the roads from winter!), sorry if they're huge. Let me know what you have to suggest, thanks.
Last edited by 99 LS1; 04-12-2007 at 10:34 AM.
04-12-2007, 10:35 AM
#3
I had a pewter 99 and removed it. Looks much cleaner without it. It was the first appearance mod I did on my 98 I just bought.
Just get the hottest blowing hairdryer you can find and heat it up real good, should pull right off. Then use it and your thumbs to roll off the old adhesive. Once it's gone, googone the side getting all the old residue off and then use rubbing alcohol to get that off. Then use a quickwax or quick detailer over that. Should work well, but takes a couple hours to do.
As far as other budget appearance stuff, you could paint the spokes of the rims black, remove the badges and eventually get new ones if you want, cut the springs 1/2 a coil or so to lower it a bit, do the whistler mod to the headlights, buy a tailpanel off of a black car, trade someone their lt1 tail lights for yours, etc.
Just get the hottest blowing hairdryer you can find and heat it up real good, should pull right off. Then use it and your thumbs to roll off the old adhesive. Once it's gone, googone the side getting all the old residue off and then use rubbing alcohol to get that off. Then use a quickwax or quick detailer over that. Should work well, but takes a couple hours to do.
As far as other budget appearance stuff, you could paint the spokes of the rims black, remove the badges and eventually get new ones if you want, cut the springs 1/2 a coil or so to lower it a bit, do the whistler mod to the headlights, buy a tailpanel off of a black car, trade someone their lt1 tail lights for yours, etc.
Last edited by Photochop; 04-12-2007 at 10:42 AM.
04-12-2007, 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by 02EBZO6
I had a pewter 99 and removed it. Looks much cleaner without it. It was the first appearance mod I did on my 98 I just bought.
Just get the hottest blowing hairdryer you can find and heat it up real good, should pull right off. Then use it and your thumbs to roll off the old adhesive. Once it's gone, googone the side getting all the old residue off and then use rubbing alcohol to get that off. Then use a quickwax or quick detailer over that. Should work well, but takes a couple hours to do.
As far as other budget appearance stuff, you could paint the spokes of the rims black, remove the badges and eventually get new ones if you want, cut the springs 1/2 a coil or so to lower it a bit, do the whistler mod to the headlights, buy a tailpanel off of a black car, trade someone their lt1 tail lights for yours, etc.
Just get the hottest blowing hairdryer you can find and heat it up real good, should pull right off. Then use it and your thumbs to roll off the old adhesive. Once it's gone, googone the side getting all the old residue off and then use rubbing alcohol to get that off. Then use a quickwax or quick detailer over that. Should work well, but takes a couple hours to do.
As far as other budget appearance stuff, you could paint the spokes of the rims black, remove the badges and eventually get new ones if you want, cut the springs 1/2 a coil or so to lower it a bit, do the whistler mod to the headlights, buy a tailpanel off of a black car, trade someone their lt1 tail lights for yours, etc.
I'm gonna leave the wheels as they are, and I'm not really looking for new ones at the moment. Espically to paint them myself, don't think I'd try it! I'm trying to find a black rear panel (if not, I'm going to get it painted, I seriously can't do that stuff myself) and am looking for a pair of stock headlights, so I can try the whistler mod and not worry about screwing up the only ones I have, unless I could find a really really idiot-proof tutorial, I'm not touching them. I'm getting clear corners soon, and as for the lt1 tail lights, not sure if I like them. And the badges, eh I'll leave them but I was considering debadging the car. Trying to save for some more performance parts so I'm leaning towards the freebie appearance stuff right now, but we'll see what happens. Thanks for the input.
04-12-2007, 11:40 AM
#7
If it were me.. I'd smoke the corners.. do the Whistler mod, Berger style panel, !moulding, keep the badges and get an SLP Bowtie grille.
My advice.. dont be scared to do the mods yourself. Especially if its not your DD.. go for it. Whats the worst that can happen?? Have to buy a replacement? Used parts are getting easier to find for these cars every day.
My advice.. dont be scared to do the mods yourself. Especially if its not your DD.. go for it. Whats the worst that can happen?? Have to buy a replacement? Used parts are getting easier to find for these cars every day.
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04-12-2007, 11:41 AM
#8
Aren't the doors fiberglass anyway? Why wory about dings. Most car and SUV doors sit up a little higher, they don't hit the molding anyway. I'm planning on taking mine off soon.
04-12-2007, 01:33 PM
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Think it would be safe to do on a '96? My drivers door looks bad as it is, because of door dings above and below the molding, but I don't want to mess up the pass. side paint.
04-12-2007, 01:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Corvettekid82
If it were me.. I'd smoke the corners.. do the Whistler mod, Berger style panel, !moulding, keep the badges and get an SLP Bowtie grille.
My advice.. dont be scared to do the mods yourself. Especially if its not your DD.. go for it. Whats the worst that can happen?? Have to buy a replacement? Used parts are getting easier to find for these cars every day.
My advice.. dont be scared to do the mods yourself. Especially if its not your DD.. go for it. Whats the worst that can happen?? Have to buy a replacement? Used parts are getting easier to find for these cars every day.
That's true about trying it myself, I guess it's worth a shot. I just like to have the replacement on hand in case I do screw up, that way it can't turn into a project that lasts 2 months when it should have been 2 days! I'm still undecided about the grill too, I need to keep my plate and like the SLP one, but going by the whole "match your wheels to the grill" thing, I just don't want like 4 different colors going on. One thing at a time.
Quick question about taking off the molding though, do you need to use fishing line to take it off? I was looking at it before and not even pushing hard, the last piece of it by the rear wheel slides a little. I'll search for it, but just wondering if someone had last minute tips. There shouldn't be a change in the paint, right, like fading?
04-12-2007, 02:22 PM
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^ That sucks...hate when you notice those things when it's too late! My car hasnt been repainted but I guess we'll find out the end result in a couple. Off topic but I like your painted grill 
04-12-2007, 02:50 PM
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I only did it because mine was had a huge mashed up piece from when I hit something. Otherwise, I would have left it on to offer a little protection in parking lots, since I don't think it looks all that different.
