[BIGBADWORM]

I know a few of you had your moldings painted. I talked to my girlfriends, best friends' Dad, who owns a body shop. I asked him about the moldings and he said he didn't want to do them because he said in a yr or so, or when someone dings them, it will peel off and start looking like crap.
He told me he gets guys with Civics in all the time wanting their moldings and mirrors painted, but he turns them down because he said they're not made to be painted. How long has everyone had there's painted for?
I was thinking of maybe the SVT moldings. I know they don't come in my color, but they're a different material, right? Think I could get them in primered? Or if worse came to worse, could just get them im any color and have him sand and paint them, if in fact theyre different than the stock ones. I want the 2 doors and back strip. I'm asking if anyone knows cause obviously I can't go, or call a dealership right now.

 

[Chick]

They can be painted and I've had mine done for almost 5 months now. No problems whatsoever. If they are done right, which I know mine were, then they should last a long time.

 

[Twofocused]

I was going to have mine done but I decided to try and so them myself. I was quoted 180-250 for just the sides. I figure that for 20 in paint the worse i can do is screw them up. At x-mas when i have the car in a heated garage Im going to give it a try.

 

[fokuzsport]

nice george.. i want to get mine down.. i dont like the ruff black. i want them the same color as the car..

 

[mikesusz]

starting with the SVT/S2 moldings: good

i'd say starting out with the SVT/S2 (color-matched) moldings is a good idea if you want to paint them. they're probably made of a different type of plastic, and already coated/primed/painted.

also, the painted (side) mouldings seem to have a slightly different profile - they're more rounded on the corners and therefore more conducive to being color matched (the black mouldings create a shadow line that looks fine since the mouldings are black anyway, might not look good if you want a clean monochrome)

yes, they will scratch off as your doors get dinged, a bit of insurance would be to put a few good coats of clear on it, but either way be prepared to touch them up unless you park way out in the back of the lot everywhere you go.

 

[avengerc4]

yah I talked with a painter jsut the other day (another good one) and they sai that first off even if u wanted to paint them u'd have to get new ones (if u got wax onem or used blackout or whatnot) cause paint won't stick to them...then they said they could paint em but it would chip and crack if u hit it or whatnot...u also have to do it at room temp or the paint won't stick yet again and if u get the new moldings the tape and shit won't stick to the car if its cold...oh well I say keep u'r damn 260 bucks which is what I was quoted..

 

[BIGBADWORM]

First of all HAPPY THANKSGIVING to everyone!!!! I appreciate the help here. I think I might just go with the SVT moldings (if I can get them) and have my gf's, bf's Dad paint them up for me. I want it done right. Just gotta find out how much they want for the 2 moldings and back hatch strip. Have a good one everyone.

 

[Solaris]

my molding came painted and they seem fine

 

[microtonal]

If anyone finds SVT/ZX3 style color matched side molding for sale from a distributor or dealer, please let us know what they cost.

thanks,

 

[wilfred]

hi, first you moldings can be painted and this is how,

first wash them with warm water and soap
then scuff them with a white scotch brite pad and a blending paste, then rinse it of
then you need 2 to 3 coats of a good hi-build primer
then sand it with a 400 paper , then with a 600 paper
then apply a coat of sealer, then the base and clear
easy!

the primer I use is Sherwin Williams Spectra primer/sealer

It's a urethane primer, with ure-flex (flexible), available in 7 colors
and you can mix them together to bet the color you want so if you have a chip, at least it's the same color as the paint , and you can convert it in to a sealer,

 

[Chick]

Mine were done for $70. Yes, I understand that if they get dinged the paint will peel but they look great. I have actually hit them with the edge of the truck door and checked to make sure that I didn't do anything and I couldn't find a single ding or scratch. And I didn't realize that you couldn't get them painted if they had wax on them. It doesn't matter cause I never had waxed it yet.

 

[lanting90]

what about just takin the side moldings off-i did that 2 my old 97 cavalier, and it didnt look 2 bad-there only held there w/ 3m double sidded tape right??also, can i paint my factory side skirts 2 match my car, cuz there the plastic black shit???

 

[Chick]

On mine there was 3M double-sided tape and little plugs. Some people on here say that of them have just tape or just the plugs.

 

[wilfred]

if you take them of , there will be holes in the doors and quaters

 

[Chick]

Yeah I forgot to mention the little holes, too.

 

[mikesusz]

well, i've heard that some models don't have holes, just tape. but the more important thing is, there is a slight body line that makes a ridge where the trim mounts, this might look weird with the moulding removed. wait-

http://www.fordvehicles.com/images/2003/EN/photo/cars/fcs_pgextpop9.jpg

i knew i saw one on fordvehicles.com. kinda looks like there's a slight indent where the trim was supposed to go.

 

[Chick]

Yeah, there is a ridge. It looks pretty weird with the moldings off.

 

[avengerc4]

that line is a reflection off the side of the road...I don't see an indentation?????

 

[Chick]

No there is one. It's not a reflection!

 

[Twofocused]

Painting moldings isnt rocket science. Landing spaceships on Mars or talking to people on the space station is.

Im going to paint my molding at xmas. Here is the procedure Im useing.

1. Clean with wax and greese remover.
2. Scrub them with an scotch brite pad.
3. Clean again with wax and greese remover.
4. Clean with tack cloth.
5. Spray adhesive promotor and 2-4 coats of primer filler, sanding between each.
6. Clean with tack cloth.
7. Spray 2-3 coats topcoat.
8. Spray 2-3 coats clear.
9. Color sand.

Im going to the auto paint store and buying whatever paint system they recommend.
3.