How many of you guy's get your cars painted and delete the bodyside moldings?I'm painting my car in the spring and have gone back and forth on whether or not i should put them back on.My car is an 86'and has the thin black door trim that has been an eye sore since i've had the car,the outer coating is flaking off and looks just hideous.I've noticed on newer third-gens that some have a wider trim that could be painted body color and look pretty good ,as well as protect against the dredded parking lot dings.My next question would be where could a guy score the wider trim?I've tried a few places on-line(Year- one in particular)and have had no luck.There must be alot of you guys that have run into this while painting your cars,any help would be appreciated.

 

if your talking about what i think your talking bout, hawks sells them at thirdgenparts.com, just look around in there, im buyin the trimming for the side, i hope this helped

 

Go to a salvage yard and pull them off of a later model 3rd gen, Clean off the adheasive, and go to any auto paint store and get new 3M double sided tape to reinstall the trim. That's what I did,and it worked out fine for me.

 

There is an auto paint shop that I go to that has samples of bodyside molding at the counter- all different widths and contours- might want to try at a place like that.
Personally, I took mine off when I replaced a door and I think it looks ok, but I would worry about the dings. Also, there is a contour in the door panel at the point that the molding is applied. It isn't to pronounced but if you look close, it looks like something is missing. I may just put a pinstipe at that edge.

 

I couldn't be happier to be rid of the hideous molding; however parking in public is no fun, but don't mind parking an extra 20' from wherever I'm going/parking and have been dent free so far. A flat molding might not be too bad of an idea. Here's an idea; have the car painted without them, at the same time go ahead and get the molding you want, and have it painted when the car does. Afterward, you can see the car with the paint without them and then decide if you want them or not. OR leave it off until/if you get a couple dents THEN put it on to hide them! Just a notion. I think it'd be best to paint without, paint the moldings, then apply them, but maybe it doesn't work that way. Just my $0.02.

 

I think the trim looks classy.

-although it looks just fine without too.

 

Hey MTCAMARO,,, where in NB are yah...
I got my car painted 2yrs ago,,,i got them to take mine off and i think it looks way better w/o it on...makes it look clean. Then again if you want the factory look and like parking close to cars leave it on. I park as far away from other cars as i can, theres a lotta stupid people out there. take a look at my before and after pics here i dont know how easy it is to see the stip in the pic:
Before

After

 

my bros camaro has them off and i like that look better. When i get mine repainted mine are coming off but i might just replace them with something slightly different just for that little bit of custom effect....depends on if i find something i like

 

are you talking about the thin strip in the middle of the door? I took that off, but it left holes, you'll have to weld/fill them.

I'm not painted though, I'm primer

 

i think it looks way better without them i dont have them on my car, only down part is parking make i have to make sure have a good amount of room.

 

Thanks for all the opinions/suggestions guys.I like the trimless look too,but i'm paranoid as heck about door dings.You should see our 97' Taurus,i'm surprised when my wife comes home WITHOUT a new scrape or ding.I think i'll hit the local salvage yard and see whats available,although the third gens here are getting kind of picked over.i've got plenty of time to plan.....jcurrieirocz,Nice ride.i live in Woodstock N.B.,i spent my summer vacation in Cavendish this year,friggin wind blew for three days straight ,LOL...I actually graduated in Montague so i consider PEI my old stomping grounds.

 

I bought a full set of trim from Hawks last year for $30, although it's still hanging in my garage waiting for me to paint it.

I happen to like the wide trim, and if you plan on parking the car anywhere other than your garage, it's a necessity. I like how doors look without the trim, but door-dings are far worse looking than the trim is.

 

I agree 100% jim85iroc,i going to try Hawks right now.

 

I agree 100% jim85iroc,i going to try Hawks right now.