Body side moulding removal...

[1st 5er]

...how to?

That's the question and thanks for the replies.

I'm gonna have my whole car resprayed while repairing the right rear quarter panel and want to strip the body.

2nd question - Is it possible to get the window and rain gutter trim off so it'll be re-usable?

[Mike W.]

...how to?

I'm gonna have my whole car resprayed while repairing the right rear quarter panel and want to strip the body.

Each molding has one end that is attached with a stud coming out of the molding and a plastic nut, except the rocker molding which has one at each end. Anyway, remove the plastic nut, 9MM, then it snaps off the clips. You need good fingernails or a plastic putty knife.

2nd question - Is it possible to get the window and rain gutter trim off so it'll be re-usable?

Rain gutter comes off, start at the front. You need to kind of roll it at first, but not too much. Sometimes it really fights you, other times it doesn't. There have been times I've had a wonder bar up there trying to lever it off. Use plastic, putty knives, bondo spreaders etc. You will need leverage to get it off, but be careful and you can reuse it.

You really don't want to get the window trim off do you? It is possible, contrary to popular belief, post back if you do...

[1st 5er]

Window trim probably won't need removed unless a donor door is needed and it has bad trim.

It'd be good to know though if swapping E28 and E12 doors.

Thanks for the above info, it'll come in real handy.

[KenB]

Mike W., I would LOVE to hear how to get the window chrome trim off (without destroying it) because I am thinking about doing this to get them all polished out (some are inexplicably scratched up). From looking at it, it seems possible but difficult and I'd love to hear someone else's experience/approach before I dive in.

TIA,

Ken

[Mike W.]

Mike W., I would LOVE to hear how to get the window chrome trim off (without destroying it) because I am thinking about doing this to get them all polished out (some are inexplicably scratched up). From looking at it, it seems possible but difficult and I'd love to hear someone else's experience/approach before I dive in.

TIA,

Ken

In an ideal world you'll have a parts car or junkyard car to practice on.

What you have to do is pull the weatherstripping, then you should be able to find the "fingers" that hold it on. You may also have to pull the window channel rubber, I don't remember anymore. Now the scary part, using a block of wood or even a bondo spreader to prevent surface damage to the trim, you give it a whack with a hammer where the securing finger is. you have to bend it in so it's no longer holding the window trim. And of course do it to all of them. Seems like the rear still fought some around the Hoffmeister kink, but they all came off in pretty good shape. Maybe not Pebble Beach concours condition, but I'm pretty critical and they can come off in good condition. For reassembly, put them back on and then bend the fingers back out to lock them in position. I can't remember, there might be some anti rattle caulking in there too.

There is enough flex in the trim to allow bending the locating fingers while not destroying the trim, but it's a scary process, and like I said, I'd strongly recommend a trial run first.

[KenB]

Hey, thanks! I did one tonight just for fun. I started out really careful but then once I got the hang of it, I just went with it.

So, really, all that needs to be done is, remove weatherstrip, get a plastic non-marring hammer and strategically beat the trim on the outside on the spots where the tabs are, the trim comes unattached after a few firm blows, and once you've got all the tabs loose, just start pulling off the trim, working your way around. That's it! It only took me about 15 minutes to do it. One of the tabs needed just a touch of persuasion with a small screwdriver carefully placed in there. I was pleased at the ease of it and hope the rest will come off as easily. Thanks, Mike. Not sure if I would have gone straight for whacking it from the outside if not for your comments.

I hope drip trim will be no harder.

Ken

[thomas_m535i]

Hey, thanks! I did one tonight just for fun. I started out really careful but then once I got the hang of it, I just went with it.
[..] I hope drip trim will be no harder.

Ken

The workshop where my car was resprayed did it more or less the same way. Although with new doors and new door trims.
I tried to remove the old one's myself,.. just for fun as well. I found it very difficult not to bend anything, so compliments to you Ken. Maybe you should take pictures and write a FAQ about it .

[KenB]

Ok, I finished it off today. Sorry, no pics for a technical FAQ but I discovered a little trick that makes it all quite simple. Just remove the weatherstripping and take a look at the little tab fingers. Hit the trim with a non-marring hammer *on the side* so that you are smacking directly down on the metal tabs themselves. 9 times out of 10 what happens is the tab bends in significantly but the metal trim does not. So that tab is then free. Continue around, if you've got the knack for it, 1 or 2 good carefully placed blows will suffice for each tab. Once you've got all the tabs loose, just pull it off carefully with your fingers beginning at one end or the other. Be careful when turning corners, you don't want to kink it or anything. It won't just jump off at you even though the tabs are all loose because as Mike W. said, there is a smidge of adhesive or anti-rattle goop in there that keeps it stuck a little. But like I said, you can just carefully pull it off with your fingers. That was my experience, anyway. From here on out, I am pretty sure I wouldn't need more than 5 minutes per door.



Ken

[Freddy]

I'm really glad you guys figured this out. I really want to replace a couple of doors with e28 ones when I'm ready to paint. But I want to keep the original trim. Aren't the later ones more rust resistant? Didn't BMW at some point start using PVC coatings or something like that under the paint? Anyone know when? Thanks! -F

[Mike W.]

E28 doors mount the trim differently, and I doubt you would be able to interchange the trim.

As far as rustproofing, I think the problem with E12 doors is simply a drainage problem in those lower corners where they like to rust, more of a design flaw than a lack of rustproofing. By late in the production run at least they did have some waxy coating in there.

[Freddy]

Thanks for the info about the trim, Mike. I'll investigate closely before I go dragging any doors home from the bone yard! And I have the waxy film in mine - 2/81 528i - but it has been no match for the first quarter century it spent near the gulf coast of Texas. And now on the East Coast, no better. Poor e12. Rust free cars, Surfing, Warm Water. You can only have 2 out of 3 LOL!

[Mike W.]

Thanks for the info about the trim, Mike. I'll investigate closely before I go dragging any doors home from the bone yard! And I have the waxy film in mine - 2/81 528i - but it has been no match for the first quarter century it spent near the gulf coast of Texas. And now on the East Coast, no better. Poor e12. Rust free cars, Surfing, Warm Water. You can only have 2 out of 3 LOL!

Yep, only rusty BMW I've had was an E24 from the Gulf Coast in Texas, Corpus Christi I think it was. That car had the sunroof drains rusted off. So much for rust free Texas cars, LOL.

[thomas_m535i]

Nice write-up.

By the way, one tip: the paint on the steel tabs may crack a bit when they are put back in position. So make sure you apply some anti-rust proofing before putting the door seals back.