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FiremarshalBill
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Joined: March 09, 2009
Posts: 232
Location: Pacific Northwest
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 Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:51 pm Post subject: Door Panel Trim Strip Removal? |
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Just curious, but how are the two plastic chrome strips on the inside door panels attached on my '70 vert? My door panels are fine, but the chrome strips are lookin' pretty scratched up. So, how do I get them off for replacement? Any suggestions?
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Firemarshal Bill
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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They aren't plastic, they're aluminum. Remove the door panel and you'll see how they're attached from the backside.
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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bt
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Joined: January 29, 2004
Posts: 441
Location: chicago
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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On a '71 door panel, I thought they were fused to the vinyl(?). I dont think they can be removed and I havent seen them on any replacement door panels.
I think early cars had an actual aluminum strip. |
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NOVA Airhead
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Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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| bt wrote: |
On a '71 door panel, I thought they were fused to the vinyl(?). I dont think they can be removed and I havent seen them on any replacement door panels.
I think early cars had an actual aluminum strip. |
This would be true on a '71. I tried to remove mine on my '71 as they were in good shape but ruined them as they are fused.
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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I bet acetone would weaken the glue bond.
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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FiremarshalBill
Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2009
Posts: 232
Location: Pacific Northwest
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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I haven't taken a panel off to see if the trim is attached through the side of the panel, but I did use a small screw driver in an inconspicous place to see if I could pry it up, and the trim sure "feels" like it is glued or fused to the panel. If they are aluminum, I wonder if a dremel tool and a small polishing wheel could clean them up?
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Firemarshal Bill
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| FiremarshalBill wrote: |
| I haven't taken a panel off to see if the trim is attached through the side of the panel, but I did use a small screw driver in an inconspicous place to see if I could pry it up, and the trim sure "feels" like it is glued or fused to the panel. If they are aluminum, I wonder if a dremel tool and a small polishing wheel could clean them up? |
Yes. Try Dremel attachment 512E. Then, some compound and the small buffing wheel for cleanup.
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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tstracy39
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Joined: May 14, 2008
Posts: 3294
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| The trim strips on my 69 door panel are plasticky stuff that's welded to the vinyl. The only way I can see to remove them is to trim the vinyl off and glue them to new door panels. Since they're plastic(?) you might want to try just painting them with chrome effect paint (Rustoleum is somewhat convincing). If it's a vinyl plastic they're made of, you'll need to prime them with an acyrlic sealer before paint or the paint will never cure. |
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FiremarshalBill
Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2009
Posts: 232
Location: Pacific Northwest
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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I checked tonight and my '70 door panels are like your '69, in that the trim strips are chrome plated plastic and glued to the door panel. Removing them would be very tough unless I cut them off, and whatever I replaced them with would have to be wider to cover up the hole in the door vinyl. I think I might be better off either painting them or replacing the panels and trim separately.
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Firemarshal Bill
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible
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HouseofGhia
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Joined: February 17, 2005
Posts: 855
Location: Salem, or
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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| FiremarshalBill wrote: |
| I checked tonight and my '70 door panels are like your '69, in that the trim strips are chrome plated plastic and glued to the door panel. Removing them would be very tough unless I cut them off, and whatever I replaced them with would have to be wider to cover up the hole in the door vinyl. I think I might be better off either painting them or replacing the panels and trim separately. |
I havent tried this but I thought about removing whats usually left of the chrome and covering the plastic with a thin chrome tape if there is such a thing....I'm going to attempt to locate the tape and redo the strips on some 68 bus panels I'm restoring...
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House of Ghia specializing in Karmann Ghia parts, service, and restorations. www.house-of-ghia.com |
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tstracy39
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Joined: May 14, 2008
Posts: 3294
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:28 am Post subject: |
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| HouseofGhia wrote: |
| FiremarshalBill wrote: |
| I checked tonight and my '70 door panels are like your '69, in that the trim strips are chrome plated plastic and glued to the door panel. Removing them would be very tough unless I cut them off, and whatever I replaced them with would have to be wider to cover up the hole in the door vinyl. I think I might be better off either painting them or replacing the panels and trim separately. |
I havent tried this but I thought about removing whats usually left of the chrome and covering the plastic with a thin chrome tape if there is such a thing....I'm going to attempt to locate the tape and redo the strips on some 68 bus panels I'm restoring... |
I've seen a sheet of adhesive-backed chrome stuff at my local hobbyshop (Hobbytown USA) in the R/C department. Maybe it's possible to get it in a roll or tape form. I'll post some pics of a couple parts I've painted with hardware store "chrome" paint, it's not as bad as you might think. |
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NOVA Airhead
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Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| tstracy39 wrote: |
| HouseofGhia wrote: |
| FiremarshalBill wrote: |
| I checked tonight and my '70 door panels are like your '69, in that the trim strips are chrome plated plastic and glued to the door panel. Removing them would be very tough unless I cut them off, and whatever I replaced them with would have to be wider to cover up the hole in the door vinyl. I think I might be better off either painting them or replacing the panels and trim separately. |
I havent tried this but I thought about removing whats usually left of the chrome and covering the plastic with a thin chrome tape if there is such a thing....I'm going to attempt to locate the tape and redo the strips on some 68 bus panels I'm restoring... |
I've seen a sheet of adhesive-backed chrome stuff at my local hobbyshop (Hobbytown USA) in the R/C department. Maybe it's possible to get it in a roll or tape form. I'll post some pics of a couple parts I've painted with hardware store "chrome" paint, it's not as bad as you might think. |
They sell this stuff at Advance Auto. I tried it. It looked good but eventually fell off. It could be that I did not prep the surface good.
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:06 am Post subject: |
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My mistake  I was thinking these were like the earlier ones that had very sharp fasteners that went through the door panels. I saved a few sets from some 1960's cars that I parts and I do now remember the later panels had the chrome flaking off.
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tstracy39
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Joined: May 14, 2008
Posts: 3294
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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| NOVA Airhead wrote: |
| tstracy39 wrote: |
| HouseofGhia wrote: |
| FiremarshalBill wrote: |
| I checked tonight and my '70 door panels are like your '69, in that the trim strips are chrome plated plastic and glued to the door panel. Removing them would be very tough unless I cut them off, and whatever I replaced them with would have to be wider to cover up the hole in the door vinyl. I think I might be better off either painting them or replacing the panels and trim separately. |
I havent tried this but I thought about removing whats usually left of the chrome and covering the plastic with a thin chrome tape if there is such a thing....I'm going to attempt to locate the tape and redo the strips on some 68 bus panels I'm restoring... |
I've seen a sheet of adhesive-backed chrome stuff at my local hobbyshop (Hobbytown USA) in the R/C department. Maybe it's possible to get it in a roll or tape form. I'll post some pics of a couple parts I've painted with hardware store "chrome" paint, it's not as bad as you might think. |
They sell this stuff at Advance Auto. I tried it. It looked good but eventually fell off. It could be that I did not prep the surface good. |
I'm looking at a roll of aluminum sticky tape that came with some heat shield insulation I bought a while back, worndering if it's the same stuff. Looks fairly shiney and sticks to almost anything. Here's a picture of what the Rustoleum paint looks like
The picture doesn't do it justice. In a few days when it's dry I'll buff it out to a mirror finish, will be a lot shinier. |
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berliner
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Joined: December 27, 2006
Posts: 440
Location: west coast canada
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:01 pm Post subject: trim |
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Not sure how different the old and new styles are,but would it be possible to take old style metal trim and graft it onto later panels?
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scottz
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Joined: April 13, 2008
Posts: 477
Location: Bellingham, WA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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Chrome paint sucks!
It looks like dull aluminum at best, and it rubs off if you touch it.
I tried to clear coat it as well, but that just made it perma-dull.
A bright hi quality silver may look best in some situations. My 2 cents...
If anyone knows of a chrome paint that works well, please post up!! |
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_benjammin
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Joined: January 31, 2009
Posts: 18
Location: SE NC
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| Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:46 am Post subject: |
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| scottz wrote: |
Chrome paint sucks!
It looks like dull aluminum at best, and it rubs off if you touch it.
I tried to clear coat it as well, but that just made it perma-dull.
A bright hi quality silver may look best in some situations. My 2 cents...
If anyone knows of a chrome paint that works well, please post up!! |
I've had some good results using "spray paint for plastic" on picture frames, never used it for my car but I have some ideas.
There are a few different brands. |
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FiremarshalBill
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Joined: March 09, 2009
Posts: 232
Location: Pacific Northwest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:02 am Post subject: |
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Since any kind of painting of these trim strips would involve either tedious hand painting with a brush, or very careful masking them off for spray painting...
I wonder if it might be easier, longer lasting, and look better to simply cover the old plastic strips with some sort of aluminum or stainless trim strips that would fit over, and glue onto, the existing plastic trim strips? There's got to be some type of after market metal trim available. Maybe even an interior or exterior trim from some other application?
Just a thought.
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Firemarshal Bill
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:12 am Post subject: |
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I dealt with someone at one time who made his own door panel trim for his 60's era Ghia using stainless. He had the old, tattered set which his machinist friend used as a pattern for the new set. He then affixed fasteners to the backside that matched the holes in the door. They looked very nice as stainless shines to a nice luster.
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Legacy
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Joined: October 26, 2008
Posts: 219
Location: Charlotte Hall, MD
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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FYI, if anyone is looking to purchase the fake chrome strip material you can get it at http://rodinteriors.com/panel-upholstery. They sell PVC chrome mylar accent molding that is 1/4" wild. Cost is listed as $21.95 for 10 ft of the molding.
Legacy |
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