Preparing for paint: removing trim

Just a few quickies for anyone who knows

Door handles? Haven't a clue how they come off, but do I have to remove the window to get at them from inside?

Rubber blocks on bumper, and bellows. The rest I think I have under control

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Kurt B
'84 Carrera Cab.
carrera_cabriolet@yahoo.com

Kurt,

Remove interior door panels, from there you can assess the 8mm bolts that secure the handle to the door.

As for the bellows, there are (2) 8mm nuts that connect them to the bumper. There are also (2) of the same type nuts that connect them to the bumper extensions. This is of course per side.

Be sure to wear some safety glasses as there more than likely will be lots of road grime on the inside of the fenders.

The bumper blocks as you call them are secured by nuts on the back side of the bumper. Once you have the bumper removed you should have no problem accessing the nuts.

I assume you have figured out that you must remove the rubber strip to access the bumper to bumper-mount bolts....


Hope this Helps,

Ben in SC

Kurt, no, you don't have to remove the door glass to get the handles off. Just follow the instructions, above.

Also, on the bumpers, I HIGHLY recommend that you remove the bumpers and valances entirely from the car for a repaint! Not a big job! You'll see where the bumper shocks are held to the body by a couple of big nuts, and the rest is all just a bunch of nuts and bolts. Probably take a few hours to get ALL of that stuff off, and your paint job will end up much, much better. You really don't need detailed instructions, just get under there and start unbolting. They can then just paint the stripped down bumpers separately from the car.

Seriously, don't even THINK about not doing this!!!!

Also, cut out the rubber from your front windshield, and lift the window out! You'll have to buy a new seal and pay someone $50 to put the windshield back in, but its WELL worth it. You'll be glad you did. Masking around the windshield seal NEVER comes out great. Down the road, you'll be sorry. Plus, a new seal looks great over fresh paint.

Be sure to lift off the aluminum trim strips on the doors (the ones that run front to back on the doors, by the windows). These just pry up and takes about 2 minutes to remove.

Same with the rubber strip on the rockers. Just remove the end plates and pull off the rubber strips.

Likewise the lighting, its very easy to remove the head and taillight assemblies. You can loosen them up and remove them in a couple minutes when you get to the shop.

The nice think about the 911 is that just about every piece of exterior trim is easily removed at home. The more you are willing to remove, the better your paint job will come out.

Great advice guys! I'll do it. And thanks for the help!

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Kurt B
'84 Carrera Cab.
carrera_cabriolet@yahoo.com

Kurt,

The more stuff you can get off, the better your paint will come out. No matter how hard your paint shop tries to mask stuff, you will probably end up with overspray onto any part that is not the color of your car (ie black/silver trim). Try to get as much off as you can. Its much easier than it looks.

Some other things to take off (that are not listed above) are the mirrors (I think there was just a posting about this), the rocker panels (remove the end caps, pull out the rubber trim, and unbolt), hood crest and trunk badge, "smile" (the rubber thing between the fenders/hood and the bumper on the front, Rubber trim between rear lights and bumper, the black plastic louver piece on the rear decklid, wiper arms and caps, wiper spray nozzles. Take the windshield out if you really want to get agressive!

Don't expect your paint shop to remove those things you think are "obvious" b/c they will generally just mask them for fear of breaking something on removal.

Good Luck.
Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe
nickshu@yahoo.com
PCA -- Rocky Mtn. Region

don't forget the cowl to fender strips. i hate it when those get painted over.