Removing side molding

**Y2KPewterSS** · 11-17-2006, 10:41 AM

Before:

After:

Items needed:
Hair dryer(or something to heat up the glue)
Fishing line(I just used my thumb to roll back the old glue)
3M General purpose adhesive cleaner(see pic below)
Claybar

First thing you do is use the hair dryer to heat up the glue. It only takes a couple minutes per piece to get it loose. Once its loose, you can start peeling back or use the fishing line to run between the molding and the glue to break it free. Both methods have been successful, just up to you which method you choose. Repeat this for all 6 moldings on a Camaro, not exactly sure how many moldings are on the TAs.

Second, is removing the old glue. This is very tedious work. If you roll it all back with your thumbs, you are going to be blistered afterwards. It will take a while to roll it all back but just keep after it. This step isn't rocket science by any means, just manual labor. I have learned a few tricks to offer though. It might be a wise idea to get a friend or two over to help do this. It would cut down on the time it takes and also might avoid the severe blistering its gonna do to your thumbs. The second tip I can't personally vouch for but will offer it up if someone wants to attempt it. Its been suggested that you can use a rubber drill bit(similar to an eraser) and use the drill at an angle on low speeds to remove the glue. I have never attempted this, and if you do it, you are doing so at your own risk.

Final step is the clean up. This is where the 3M adhesive cleaner and claybar come in. There are several other items you can use to remove the residue, people have used WD40, lighter fluid etc. I use the 3M because I had previous experience with it and its proven results to me. Use whatever kind of towel you use to wipe your car down with after polishing/waxing it and the 3M to wipe where the molding was. Most if not all of the old adhesive should be gone after this. I chose to claybar the same area after the using the 3M to make sure all the adhesive was gone.

I was very pleased after doing this mod. It took me about an hour and a half to do all of it for those wondering. If you frequently drive your car and park in a lot of parking lots, I might hesistate to do this mod. I only removed my molding after it became a garage queen.

**screamin chicken** · 11-18-2006, 03:58 AM

It does make the car look alot better, I tried it on my 2000 WS6 and then to my 95 TA.I just let them both sit in the hot sun and started to peel away......

**'96 Z28SS** · 11-19-2006, 06:36 PM

great writeup, thats the same steps i followed. its a great mod!

**davidz28guy** · 11-20-2006, 04:29 AM

the only thing i did was use a screw driver (Very carefully) lifted the edge and pulled the whole thing off, than took a towel and rubbed away the left over goo, it all came off very easily on my 95, only took 20 minutes or so with a friends help

**SiggyZ** · 01-18-2007, 11:41 AM

I'm still debating on whether I want to do this on the Z. Nice writeup though.

**9t8z28** · 01-22-2007, 06:19 AM

I am definnitly going to do this to mine. The moldings don't do anything. Most cars, (if they were to hit their door on yours) would not hit anywhere near the molding but above it. All the chips on my door are above or on the edge.

**camarolvr69** · 01-27-2007, 05:08 PM

my car never came with the molding

**thiscatiskool** · 10-13-2008, 08:28 AM

im having trouble getting the rest of the glue off of one spot, ive tried soap and water, ive did the manual labor and my thumbs are swollen, ive taken a dry rag and whatever else i can find and tried to scrape it off, ive heated it up to almost the point it would have boiled off and it still wont budge, i not on clean up part yet but would the adhesive remover stuff cut through and help get it off???

**Piranhaz** · 10-13-2008, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by 9t8z28

I am definnitly going to do this to mine. The moldings don't do anything. Most cars, (if they were to hit their door on yours) would not hit anywhere near the molding but above it. All the chips on my door are above or on the edge.

**chuckie669** · 10-13-2008, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by thiscatiskool

im having trouble getting the rest of the glue off of one spot, ive tried soap and water, ive did the manual labor and my thumbs are swollen, ive taken a dry rag and whatever else i can find and tried to scrape it off, ive heated it up to almost the point it would have boiled off and it still wont budge, i not on clean up part yet but would the adhesive remover stuff cut through and help get it off???

I used wd-40 to get all the small stuff off. Just make sure you clean real good after and reapply the wax

**DevilDougWS6** · 10-15-2008, 06:27 PM

probably going to do this tomorrow, after i finish putting in my lowering springs.

**j12h** · 10-15-2008, 07:26 PM

Deffinately trying this... About how long will it take? My parents would flip but if i got it done in a day after school theyt wouldnt notice.

**JoshieDoom** · 10-16-2008, 02:00 AM

Originally Posted by j12h

Deffinately trying this... About how long will it take? My parents would flip but if i got it done in a day after school theyt wouldnt notice.

45 minutes unless your car has been painted over the molding. Get the adhesive remover, some fishing line, and bust ass. Aint that big of a deal. And thanks for digging up the dust on this thread.. lol

**doozjamann** · 10-16-2008, 03:53 AM

Nice appearance mod.

What did you do with the old tires you had?

**qwik219d9** · 10-25-2008, 04:11 AM

will the paint under the protecter be newer looking than the surrounding door since the exposed paint has faded and paint under has'nt had a chance to fade?

Thanks

**Piranhaz** · 10-25-2008, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by qwik219d9

will the paint under the protecter be newer looking than the surrounding door since the exposed paint has faded and paint under has'nt had a chance to fade?

Thanks

On an older car I think it would be more noticeable. If the car is less than 10 years old, probably not, but really depends on location. If your car has been getting baked in AZ for 10 years I would think you would see a difference, but clear coats are very good now days. My car was from Florida and I didn't notice any color difference when I removed mine.

**qwik219d9** · 10-27-2008, 02:43 PM

I saw this on images.

then last weekend at the track I saw it in person looked real nice and clean.

I'm having a fender painted and most likely the door will be cleared so I have removed this doors protector.

How I did it was just heat it up w/ the old ladies hair dryer started w/ 80 Lb mono fliament fishing line to get it started then just pulled it off.

the majority of the glue was still on door so I just heated it up and rolled it off w/ my thumb (no sor thumb).

I'm really liking the smooth look.

will post images soon.

Hope this helps you who haven't done this yet.

**victor111262** · 03-30-2009, 10:56 PM

does any one know how to remove the black plastic center piece behind the t-tops outside. mine is all mest up and cant find how to take it out.

**JoshieDoom** · 03-30-2009, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by victor111262

does any one know how to remove the black plastic center piece behind the t-tops outside. mine is all mest up and cant find how to take it out.

Pics of said item?

**victor111262** · 03-31-2009, 03:23 AM

ill take some pics but i mean the black plastic line outside the car on the roof and sides on the middle look at the second pic that black plastic sh@#.