Removing Side Moldings

[Chunkerz]

I am planning to remove the bump strip things on the sides of the fenders/door and I keep reading conflicting things about the strip on the doors. One thread I read said they're just glued on. Another said there's screws holding them on along with glue. Then another says they're held on with rivets and glue. Which is it?

Edit- I forgot to mention that I have a 1988 base 944 in case that matters at all.

[Aussie944S]

The workshop manual has them attached by glue and little rivets on the inside part of door I just checked mine and that's how they are attached. Hope that helps.. also if someone wants to chime in somewhere there is a write up on how to do this removal.

[Chunkerz]

If they're held in with rivets then I think I'll just leave them. I don't want to have to fill holes in the doors. Thanks for the info!

[Gawernator]

They protect you from door dings They don't look bad either, my 83 had them, and I just slightly prefer more the look without them on my 86.

[Aussie944S]

Only held at the ends with a rivet the rest is glued from what it looks

[962porsche]

if your talking about your body side moldings ?
there is no glue or screws ,
on the later cars just one rivets on the door edge and dubble sided tape .
on the early cars no rivets and just dubble side tape .

if you have a rivet drill off the head and then with a eraser wheel remove the dubble sided tape . with luck if you use a heat gun and heat up the molding as you remove it the dubble sided tape will stay on the molding .

the thing to check for is that the car still has it's original finish . if the car had any of it's panels repainted and they did not remove the moldings to paint then there will be a out line of the molding when you remove it .

[grendiers]

Careful if you use a paint scraper, they actually are capable of removing paint!

[Chunkerz]

Originally Posted by Gawernator

They protect you from door dings They don't look bad either, my 83 had them, and I just slightly prefer more the look without them on my 86.

They don't seem like they only protect against little bumps and not giant dings from people who fling their door open as fast/hard as possible.

Originally Posted by Aussie944S

Only held at the ends with a rivet the rest is glued from what it looks

Originally Posted by 962porsche

if your talking about your body side moldings ?
there is no glue or screws ,
on the later cars just one rivets on the door edge and dubble sided tape .
on the early cars no rivets and just dubble side tape .

if you have a rivet drill off the head and then with a eraser wheel remove the dubble sided tape . with luck if you use a heat gun and heat up the molding as you remove it the dubble sided tape will stay on the molding .

the thing to check for is that the car still has it's original finish . if the car had any of it's panels repainted and they did not remove the moldings to paint then there will be a out line of the molding when you remove it .

Do the rivets go through the doors or are they glued to the outside of the doors and the strips kinda snap on or something like that? If they go through the door then the moldings are definitely staying on.


I am fairly certain the car has been poorly repainted. There is over spray in areas that I think the factory would have been more careful about, the stone guards are painted blue instead of black, and it's about 3 different shades of blue.

I'm not too concerned about damaging the paint because I'm going to have it painted anyways.

Originally Posted by grendiers

Careful if you use a paint scraper, they actually are capable of removing paint!

In my research it says I need 3M adhesive remover, a plastic scraper, and patients, so I think I'll try that first. I have two of those things. I just need to learn the other...

[16vCorey]

Originally Posted by Chunkerz

Do the rivets go through the doors or are they glued to the outside of the doors and the strips kinda snap on or something like that? If they go through the door then the moldings are definitely staying on.

They do, but only at the very back edge, where it wraps around. In other words, you can't see the hole at all when the door is closed. Just open your door and you'll see where the molding wraps around there's a rivet there. That's the only one.

[Chunkerz]

I see it now. I guess I can cap the hole with a plastic/rubber plug or something. I thought it went through the side of the door, not the back. Thanks for the help! They're definitely coming off now!

[FrenchToast]

Originally Posted by Chunkerz

They don't seem like they only protect against little bumps and not giant dings from people who fling their door open as fast/hard as possible.

I am fairly certain the car has been poorly repainted. There is over spray in areas that I think the factory would have been more careful about, the stone guards are painted blue instead of black, and it's about 3 different shades of blue.

They do protect fairly well. But, IMO they look kinda slapped on, not really integrated.

Cars ordered new without them have there fair share of dings along the creaseline that runs down the side of the car. The door guards protect this.

The stone guards would've come either body color or clear from the factory (depending on car color), never black. The black stoneguards were only on the 911 series. and (sometimes) on the 924 CGT. Bad repaints are pretty easy to spot. Overspray (or complete paint over) on any of the following: seals (especially those on the base of the mirrors), license plate bracket, bumperettes, lights, etc. Sprayed mirror base seals are typically a tell-tale sign.

Originally Posted by Chunkerz

I see it now. I guess I can cap the hole with a plastic/rubber plug or something. I thought it went through the side of the door, not the back. Thanks for the help! They're definitely coming off now!

Unless it falls out over time, I don't think the factory put a plug in the hole.

Take care!

[ditch68]

I started to take mine off, did one of the little ones behind the door, and I had a hard time getting the adhesive off without damaging the paint underneath, so I gave up. I may have a body shop do it at some point just so I don't screw it up.

I'm not a paint guy...

Jeff

[Chunkerz]

Originally Posted by FrenchToast

They do protect fairly well. But, IMO they look kinda slapped on, not really integrated.

Cars ordered new without them have there fair share of dings along the creaseline that runs down the side of the car. The door guards protect this.

The stone guards would've come either body color or clear from the factory (depending on car color), never black. The black stoneguards were only on the 911 series. and (sometimes) on the 924 CGT. Bad repaints are pretty easy to spot. Overspray (or complete paint over) on any of the following: seals (especially those on the base of the mirrors), license plate bracket, bumperettes, lights, etc. Sprayed mirror base seals are typically a tell-tale sign.



Unless it falls out over time, I don't think the factory put a plug in the hole.

Take care!

The seals at the base of the mirrors and stuff aren't painted, but the stone guards definitely look painted to me. There is also over spray on the plastic bits that surround the headlights. I'd think that the factory would paint the headlight lids, nose panel, hood, and fenders off of the car so stuff like that wouldn't happen.

When the car gets painted I plan to remove the mirrors, fenders, hood, headlight lids, bumpers, nose panel, etc then tow it to the body shop to make sure everything gets painted all over and because I don't trust the body shop taking apart my car. Once it's done I'll bring it home and reassemble it. I don't know why, but I just don't trust people that aren't me with my cars....

Originally Posted by ditch68

I started to take mine off, did one of the little ones behind the door, and I had a hard time getting the adhesive off without damaging the paint underneath, so I gave up. I may have a body shop do it at some point just so I don't screw it up.

I'm not a paint guy...

Jeff

I'm going to see what I can do to get them off. It can't be THAT hard, right? The only thing I'm going to have a body shop do is cut out some rust on the right great quarter panel and weld in a piece to replace it. I plan to do all the prep myself. I wish these cars had removable rear fenders

[ditch68]

I'm the same way about people touching my cars.

No, you will be fine, lots of people have done it. I think my car has had them monkeyed with previously, and I am super picky about the paint being screwed up (more than it already is) because I am too cheap to do a repaint. Or rather, I'd rather spend paint money on go-fast stuff!

Jeff

[Chunkerz]

Well painting my car is kind of a necessity because at the moment it is 3 different colors (maybe 4 or 5 when I find a turbo front left fender and diffuser). I'll need the rear bumper painted when I remove the ugly bumper pads and weld the holes shut. My mirrors are stone chipped like crazy and the right rear quarter panel will need to be painted when the rust is cut out, so while I'm getting those items painted why not treat my car to a full respray? I guess it would be cheaper to have those few items painted, but the paint the body shop uses might not be the exact same color as the paint already on the car and I'd like to have my car be all one matching shade of blue.

[Aussie944S]

I pulled side mouldings of my mates magna using a hair dryer and WD40. Sprayed the WD40 with the little plastic hose tip into the gap where its stuck to the car till it was dripping wet then left it an hour or so came back and heated it up with a hair dryer and well they just fell off. But that was for a cheap jap car when we where 17.

[Chunkerz]

Supposedly the glue on the side moldings is super tough so I don't know if WD-40 will dissolve it. I'll try some 3M adhesive remover first. If that doesn't work I'll whip out my hammer and crowbar

[Aussie944S]

+1 on the 3M, phone my auto detailed friend and its what he uses to get them off he also sad let it soak for a good while and plenty of heat.

[FrenchToast]

Originally Posted by Chunkerz

The seals at the base of the mirrors and stuff aren't painted, but the stone guards definitely look painted to me. There is also over spray on the plastic bits that surround the headlights. I'd think that the factory would paint the headlight lids, nose panel, hood, and fenders off of the car so stuff like that wouldn't happen.

When the car gets painted I plan to remove the mirrors, fenders, hood, headlight lids, bumpers, nose panel, etc then tow it to the body shop to make sure everything gets painted all over and because I don't trust the body shop taking apart my car. Once it's done I'll bring it home and reassemble it. I don't know why, but I just don't trust people that aren't me with my cars....

Yea, if the headlight surrounds are oversprayed it's probably a mediocre repaint.

As from what I can decipher, from the factory the hood was painted off the car. The nose panel and fenders were painted while on the car. Don't remember about the headlight lids, something tells me they were painted off the car though.

Unless you feel it has to be done like the factory, I would have them paint everything that can be off the car, off the car. Less masking (and less chance for bad masking - and overspray) on the body shop end.

Originally Posted by Chunkerz

The only thing I'm going to have a body shop do is cut out some rust on the right great quarter panel and weld in a piece to replace it. I plan to do all the prep myself. I wish these cars had removable rear fenders

Make sure they know what they're doing welding-wise. The rust is likely in an area where a bunch metal is snadwiched or seamed together. Repairing / re-building that properly is important.

Just about no car has removable rear fenders (from the factory). Even most body-on-frame cars don't. They're welded into the roof unit. And on the 944, they're tied into the roof/chassis. Is the rust on the rocker? That's a common place, I can't seem to figure out why though.

Originally Posted by Chunkerz

but the paint the body shop uses might not be the exact same color as the paint already on the car and I'd like to have my car be all one matching shade of blue.

Usually assume the paint won't be a match. Due to fading, probably mixing tolerances, etc. You may be able to find someone who can fade/blend the new paint into the old nicely. Some are really good and they can paint numerous different panels on a car, all at different times (and thus mixing the paint at separate times), and no matter how close you look you can't see the blend at all. You can sometimes see the difference between the new and old paint if you look at them separately, but when you look for the blend you can't see it. Definitely a real art form!

Happy Holidays!

[Chunkerz]

Originally Posted by FrenchToast

Make sure they know what they're doing welding-wise. The rust is likely in an area where a bunch metal is snadwiched or seamed together. Repairing / re-building that properly is important. Is the rust on the rocker? That's a common place, I can't seem to figure out why though.

The rust is right in front of the right rear wheel. It isn't super bad..... yet. I've been meaning to put some naval jelly on there and spraying some rust stopping stuff to prevent it from spreading, but I've been busy with the holidays and finals and haven't had the time



I've read that these side moldings are worth a decent amount of money. Hopefully I can get them off cleanly...