Is there an easy way to get the side window molding off the door without scratching the paint?

I don't see any clips or fasteners that hold it on and I don't see how to get a grip on it to pull it off without further damaging it or the door.

I want' to see if the molding can be restored by sanding and painting,

I included a link to a Flickr image but just in case it doesn't work, here's the url:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42923878@N03/3991517502/

Thanks,

Don

 

yes it can be done. you gotta take off the door card first and attack if fron the inside. cant remember the exact steps but i do remember having to take the card out first. your talking about the black part below the window that eventually turns chrome colored once the black wears off right?

 

Actually, the molding on both doors went straight from black to rust. It completely skipped the chrome phase.

The same thing happened on my 1978 RX7. As I recall, it only took about 7 years on both the 78 and 88 for all the coating to peel off.

I just received my new outside door handle today from Mazdatrix so I'll have to take the driver door apart to put that on anyway. I've had that door apart a couple times and couldn't see any fasteners.

Thank you,

Don

 

There are no "fasteners" to see really.
The outer seal slips over a lip on the door skin and is basically a friction fit.

Start at the rear of the piece, insert a small screwdriver and just lever up.
As the piece rises you can pull straight up to remove.

 

1. take the mirror of.

2. put a screwdriver on the vertical, rear part of the moulding and strike with a hammer in an upward motion.

3. ???

4. profit!!

 

nah man dont even need to take the mirror off. once the card is outta the way more of just working it up and off.

 

i think you guys talking about "door cards" are looking at the wrong piece. saying its easier to take the interior door panel off instead off the 3 screws on the mirror are out of your mind. you dont need to take the interior door panel off to remove the exterior weather stripping.

 

It's a rather easy job but since you have to pry a thin bladed screwdriver under the bottom of the trim where it meets the body requires one to roll down the window first to prevent damage to the window in case the screwdriver slips. Safety first! Underneath the trim lies the very top of the door where the door panel forms a lip which has a couple of grooves or so cut out of it which the trim fastens into so it locks into place.

 

Mine had three white clips holding the outer window trim in place. Good luck finding replacement clips so try not to break them.

 

I got them off much easier than I expected. Unfortunately, after 21 years the rubber seal is so hard it feels like steel.

A couple years ago I called the dealer to see how much new ones would be. YIKES! I think they were $78 each at that time. They're probably $100 each now.

I just finished replacing the L/H outside door handle and noticed that it was wet down in the bottom of the door so I'm going to have to do something about those seals. If anyone knows a cheaper route than the M dealer, please let me know. I don't race so Mazda Motorsports isn't an option.

Thanks everyone,

Don

 

Look here.

 

I think it is normal for some water to get into the door and this is why there are some drain holes at the very bottom of the door. Over time these holes can get clogged up so just clean them out and this should help.

 

Hmmm, San Diego. I moved up here from the SD area and still miss it every day.

I seem to have lucked out on the clips. They came out pretty easily on the r/h side. Haven't taken l/h off yet.

Thanks,

Don

 

That's a pretty nice solution that I'll keep in mind.

I almost ordered a pair of Mazdatrix replacements yesterday but think I'll repaint the originals and see if I can get a little more mileage out of them.

My dremel does a good job cleaning the metal part and I got some Rust-Oleum Satin black to repaint with. It's the rubber part that's really crap. (hard as a rock) I wish there was some magic restoration dust I could sprinkle on them.

Thanks,

Don

 

It seemed fairly clean down in there, no rust and the drains were open but it was still pretty wet. I know this sounds like a fib but it hadn't even rained in Seattle that recently.

I've decided to live with it for a while.

Thanks,

Don

 

are you talking about the black part where the window and the door meet? The original part was metal and rusts to hell. It looks awful. When you buy new ones from mazda they are rubberized and won't rust. You have to pull the door panel off and just pop them off.

 

The only purpose of those pieces is to seal against the window glass.
If the rubber is hard and inflexible there's no point in painting the metal since the part is non-functional.

 

The only "point" is to temporarily make them look better till I get some new ones.

Thanks,

Don