Painting my car and need help removing trim

[jepherz]

I'm in the process of stripping my car to paint, but I can't figure out how to remove the door handles from the exterior, or the black trim pieces that are at the bottom of the glass on each door. Can anyone give me any hints? Pictures are a bonus... I already broke one of the 'thumb' filer pieces on one of the door handles; hopefully I can still buy those!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Specter]

I didnt take off the door handles myself so cant say anything about them. As for the trim pieces, there are these clips under it which attach it to the door, u would have to pull the trim very gently with a flat screw driver or a knife.





If you pull it too hard you will end up with small dings like this on the trim


I hope that helps /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[pot]

jepherz, IOT remove both front/rear window trim here is what I did w/ relatively good results:

1.) cup of coffee and good rest
2.) smoke a ciggarette and calm your nerves
3.) utilizing mini trim tools (use plastic) Matco tools offers it part # MST4489A $26.10 or Harbor Freight $5.00



4.) Gently pry on the middle trim portion (whether its top/bottom/left/right is irrelevant) utilizing the widest/biggest trim tool in the set. The trim is fastened via plastic clips that cling to the lip on the starboard side of the trim. So as you pry, pry "outward."

5.) When you reach the clips x 4, you can slide them out of place, in either a 1mm or 2mm in either direction simultaneously lifting outward as the clip x 4's lip rests on the plastic clip. This works so long as you remove a portion of the trim and or lifted the trim out of the plastic clip

G/l

 

[blacksheep]

Pot - you probably smoked like 20 ciggs, bro! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Jeff - paint that chrome sh*t, will ya? Its a gvr4, not an escalade!

 

[V8EATER]

door handles are easy, I removed them a bunch.

Inside the door jamb, remove the phillips head screw on the outside of the latch. This will release the cap next to the handle. REmove the door panel, and the platic moisture barrier. Reach inside, disconnect the lock arm, and the latch arm. Then, look inside for the white spring loaded clip on the handle assembly. Pull up on it with your right hand (inside the door), while at the same time pulling out on the handle (outside of the door) with your left hand. Rear of handle should pull out of door, and then you can just move the handle around to get the front to release. This is all from memory, so it might be a little off, but that's about the jist of it.

 

[jepherz]

The trim IS black, KC. I figured you'd know this after owning 9 of these

The head I was having a machine shop work on is bad now, Andy. Looking for one cheap that's local...

Thanks for the tips, I'll try them out tonight.

 

[blacksheep]

I meant the ones on the door, asstwat. Since you were painting the car and all..

 

[iceman69510]

The outer belt line moldings are the hardest thing to get off the car. I bent one up so much I had to replace it. I hated those by the time I was done with them.

Then to top it off, my stupid painter didn't even cover it well at that edge because "it will have trim over it anyway".

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

 

[turbowop]

Those things are hard to install also. I put all new ones on my car after it was painted in 2004. It wasn't easy getting all the clips to click into place.