Swap out front door chrome strips.

T.Hanson · Post by **T.Hanson** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:32 am

Ask first. Must the mirror and opposite chrome filler triangle be removed to remove the chrome strip below the front door windows ?

Removing rears was just pushing straight up on the strips to free the clips. The straight up idea is what might be impeded by the mirror overlap.

socalfiver · Post by **socalfiver** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:40 pm

Remove it. It's just 2 bolts, and that is not worth the risk of bending your trim strip.

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:40 am

To remove the outside mirrors, pry away the tri-angle on the inside of the window at the base of the mirror. Some are easier than others, but do-able. It'll reveal itself. I thought it was trickier, but, that was just my small shade tree shaking it's branch.
Sorry to be late, but, my computer was down for a coupla weeks.
I also found that the chrome outside mirrors have to be ground down where the screw enters the mirror base to fit the '80 & '81.
How do you think they would look on the later E12? I have left & right.

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:16 am

GripGreg wrote:To remove the outside mirrors, pry away the tri-angle on the inside of the window at the base of the mirror. Some are easier than others, but do-able. It'll reveal itself. I thought it was trickier, but, that was just my small shade tree shaking it's branch.
Sorry to be late, but, my computer was down for a coupla weeks.
I also found that the chrome outside mirrors have to be ground down where the screw enters the mirror base to fit the '80 & '81.
How do you think they would look on the later E12? I have left & right.

I'm normally not much on Chrome, but I do like the early mirrors and I think it would look fine. Don't be surprised if you have to do a little more than you think to mount them, when I put black mirrors on my 79 it took a little doing. New mounting holes and I think I had to modify the black rubber mounting pad. But that was somewhere around '95 and the details are fuzzy.

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:31 am

Thanx, Mike. Mabey I shoulda kept the whole tri-angle set-up.
Ohh, but, metal was involved, too. At least I have a choice, to paint orrrr.

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:38 am

Sorry for the weird spelling. Maybe I just figured it out!

Eddie in TO · Post by **Eddie in TO** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 2:50 pm

I'm running a bit late...as usual...
Yes, you are need to remove the mirrors in order to remove the chrome strip.

T.Hanson · Post by **T.Hanson** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:26 pm

Update: Not wishing to purchase a new plastic triangle, interior piece, I took the door apart. Just enough overlap on the top panel to not trust breaking the plastic. I'm glad I did, it seemed right, although to save the work maybe hogging a screwdriver behind the plastic triangle might bend and pop it clear.

The clips under the top chrome strip are very stubborn, aggravating to remove. Finding a few minor rust bubbles under the door seal rubber made the project a two day picnic.

Pretty much what they are after thirty years: One fiddle futz project after another.

GripGreg · Post by **GripGreg** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:56 pm

Tom: I promise you, the triangle WILL come out. I've had it out. Just be semi-bold & tease it from differant places.
Sometimes it has to be teased up or down from the original position.
But it does come out.

T.Hanson · Post by **T.Hanson** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 9:50 pm

Just for bungle funny update; the triangles came off, out on the passenger side without removing the door panel. Whooptee do.

Big upgrade, swap in the nicer chrome trim strips for the cloudy ones with bad paint tape job globs. Rears no problem, fronts about six hours. Finding, fixing little rust bubbles around the door seal strip.

Realoem says the strips are only a few hundred new. (?!) The outside bottom window rubber strips are hard, iffy for serious rain sealing. Besides ordering new, do everything all over again to install.

Mounting the chrome, rubber strip combo is a pain, trying to puzzle the direction, best order of assembly for the clips. Mounting the mirror, triangles required pulling the little grommets off the plastic push pins, that have teeny metal grabbers molded in. Push those back in the little holes, then the plastic triangle pins. Don't booger the grommets unless you like ordering things smaller than cat food kibbles.

Then see the washer that goes on the lower mirror mounting bolt laying on the carpet.