strip targa bar or not?
 

I like the look of my black targa bar and black Fuchs but I've seen some pix of really cool stainless steel bars w/polished Fuchs. I know that '78s came with SS targa bars so I'm wondering if that is what's under my matte black paint. Has anyone stripped their paint off and left it "nude"?

I agree--very cool look. I've thought about doing the same but I don't think it would look as cool unless all the black trim was switched to chrome as well. Maybe at repaint time....

Does your bar have louvers? I know long noses have them but I'm not sure when they went to the solid bars. I have the black bar and black wheels and I have been thinking about going stainless and polished. I agree with JonT that the rest of the black trim should also go, but I was thinking of doing this in stages.

As an aside, why are you using Prince Charles as an avatar?

lol, Richard!

You guys are right though about the chrome trim. I think I'll make the change in stages as well.

My Targa bar was faded and I had to strip it for the refinishing project. After it was stripped I put it back on the car just to see what it looked like. Since my car is GP white I liked the black better than the stainless. Stripping just takes a bit of time with the paint thinner, but you could have the project done in an afternoon.

I love the chrome look on my '78 and since it is back in vogue (see the Passat, etc.) it looks "right" nowadays.

That said, some cars just look right with the blacked-out trim set. If you do decide to retrim, remember that you need to remove the windshield to get that trim strip in. I managed to get one half in without removing the 'shield, but I was a Big Dumb Owner then and was lucky I didn't crack the glass. And let's not even talk about the rear Targa glass!

John

The metal look makes the car look dated, IMHO. Paint it!

Not that there's anything wrong with that! ;)

I prefer to think of it as a "classic look"!:cool:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1068497096.jpg

The red works well. I've got the white body with black bar and white wheels and have been considering if I should go to polished or just repaint to black. The wheels are going to either black or polished. I'm stripping them first and see how they look. Anyone have a picture of a white with polished?

Ed, did your p-car come with the louvered (fluted?) Bar. Classic is the word. Your Targa looks great with the SS bar.

BTW Ed--very nice pile o bricks you got your car parked in front of!

Beautiful car, Ed. It's that picture that made me think about stripping my targa bar and having my wheels polished.

Richard:

From what I can tell, the bright trim came from the factory with a custom exterior color to match a sample. I cannot say whether the louvered Targa bar is original. BTW, the headlight rings are chrome also, I was just goofing around the other day and put on the bra for the heck of it.

That's a gorgeous car Ed. Could you post one without the bin liner stretched over it though...lol.....

i was thinking about painting my bar black. what do you guys think?http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1068579939.jpg