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Chrome Drip Side Molding. How to remove?

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Old Jan 27, 2014 | 12:58 AM
  #1  
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Default Chrome Drip Side Molding. How to remove?

Howdy folks.

Stripping my 161 for a same color respray and am stuck on the chrome side drip molding that the top of the doors contact when closed: Its pop rivet'd to the body, but I can't access the rivets to drill them out without destroying the underside of the chrome trims. Also, when you get to the C-Pillar, how does that trim come out? Having a quick peak, it looks like Ill have to take the back seats out again to remove the c pillar interior trims.

Anyone resprayed their 2GS care to shed some light on this? I've searched and searched, and it will cost nearly $500 to replace with new ones from Toyota if I cant get them off without destroying them.


FYI: Im not referring to the color coded drip seal that just pops out of its clips, those were a piece of cake. Wish these ones weren't pop riveted in.

Last edited by am3037; Feb 2, 2014 at 04:23 AM.
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Old Jan 27, 2014 | 08:46 PM
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Are you respraying the inside of the car? But yes the back seat has to come out for the rear interior C pillar panels to come out.

As for the chrome trim things, most of the time people just mask around it as best as possible and call it a day. I'm doing a repaint soon and that's something I have to decide as well.
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Old Jan 28, 2014 | 02:59 AM
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I drilled out the rivits, very easy
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Old Jan 28, 2014 | 03:39 AM
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Ok good to know they're easy to remove. Is it easy to get enough access to be able to re-rivet them back in place?
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Old Jan 28, 2014 | 06:11 PM
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Originally Posted by JeffTsai
Ok good to know they're easy to remove. Is it easy to get enough access to be able to re-rivet them back in place?
Yeah there's space. 👍
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Old Feb 2, 2014 | 04:21 AM
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Okay,


To acess to the rivets, the rubber strip covering them cant be removed. It instead FOLDS DOWN towards the ground.


The whole time I felt like it should come out, but it feels like its moulded on, and would need to be cut to be removed. After much beer, it turns out that the upper join is in fact just pressed in. The lower join is indeed part of the trim, so if you just use your finger or a trim tool, you pry the rubber out of the joit and fold it down, allowing you to drill out the rivets.


Ill take some photos.



Im not spraying the door shuts as its a same color respray, but I hate finishing 2pac against trim, it just looks nasty and is prone to early failure, and theres not enough room to get under the trim with some rope etc... Not worth using PPG if its going to be half done.

The factory 051 pearl is a little yellow for my liking, so I might leave the clear coat alone in the new color, and make up a hybrid of the original 050 and the 070 Blizzard White (highlander).

The Highlander 070 is a hell of a process, with flip controllers, intermediate clears and a very green/blue/silver prismatique.

The body is really straight, but the bars are fubar. Should look good, just about finished scuffing it now
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Old Feb 2, 2014 | 04:22 AM
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PS: Jeff,



Your posts over the years have been invaluable!


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