Removing black strips

[dru]

Just wondering how to go about removing the black strips along the windows and the gutter on the roof without breaking them?

Don't wanna pull them off and break them if there is an easy way to go about it lol

Thanks.

[bourbon]

window ones you wont break BUT you will bend them = bad. they are made of realy flexible alluminium. why do you want to remove them?

roof ones have caps at each end i think they have a screw under that. not sure what else holds em on though.

[dru]

I gotta remove them to spray my doors - I dont want to break em or bend em so I can't re-use them! They are already in perfect knick.

[DrSilver]

The door ones are very easy to remove. Make sure you remove the door mirrors first for the front door. Also, may be remove the interior door panel so you can see where the clips are and lift gently where the clips are...the moulding should just pop out without bending---make sure you remove the two clips at both ends before even attempting to remove them.

The roof one is very hard to remove. First undo the screw that holder the end of the spoiler and gently move it so you can access the screw that holds the black trim next to the rear windscreen. Pull the trim out gently(it slides out of the mould on the roof).

Use a flat metal scraping knife and go under the roof moulding from front to back...Dont ever try to lift it with your your hand at any time..you will damage the moulding. There are no screws holding them, they are glued with double sided tape and a few clips as well as urethane(windscreeen glue). You ll have to get double sided tape with the same thickness when glueing them back on. the clips come out fine. you`ll also have to buy urethane glue as well.

good luck! i would just buy new roof mouldings if i were you--saves a lot of stress!

[dru]

Yeah, well I am contemplating just respraying the car back to the faded colour it is at the moment because I might have plans for a new car. Not sure yet though.

Thanks tons for the info! Will be very helpful!

[dru]

Well I attacked them today and got them off WITHOUT bending them...also, got my nice unchipped/cracked (very rare condition lol) a-pillar moulds off in less then 5 seconds :P i was laughing cause i thought i was gonna break em!

Thanks for everyones help thus far!

[DrSilver]

good stuff! the A pillar is quite straight forward. The trick is to slide them out. They are quite tricky to put back on!

[dru]

ah ****, dont tell me that! lol....we will see how I go I suppose...most the fiddly stuff is removed, now I just need to take out the door handles and locks....oh and the plastic strips along the side of the door (in the middle).

[dru]

Now, one more thing. How do I take the rear window washer up from up top off? I cant get underneath it cause of the panel...any other ideas?

[DrSilver]

um....I ve never had to remove the rear one but I suppose it would just pop out if you pull it. Try twisting it and pulling out gently. I would go to a car yard and practise on a car there before attempting mine If you are in melbourne, Jolly car yard in dandenong has BG astinas in their wrecking yard.

[DrSilver]

oh, just noticed that youre in sydney!