well, removing the side moldings....couldnt be too hard, someone told me baby oil will react with the glue and make it nonsticky, but....once they're gone, whats the cheapest and/or best method of filling them in and making them look good?

 

Out of curiosity, why are you removing them?

 

dont like the look of them, not even painted, i want them totally removed, and filled in properly.

 

what series you got? s5? if you dont need them give/sell them to me.

 

Yeah. Give him all of them except the rearmost passanger one. I want that.

 

anyone have any input?

 

bondo/filler. =)

 

Do you know what your getting yourself into? If you have to ask how to fill it in it makes it sound like you dont.

Bondo: Would "work", but you would need to use alot. It would be very suseptable to cracking. I would not do that personally.

Weld metal in there: If you have to ask how to do this and what it takes then this is not an option.

Stare at it till it changes: Not likely.

Your best bet would be leaving the trim on.

 

had heard weld metal before.....what large retailers do this, and estimate of cost? just on both doors pretty much.

 

Large retailers? I doubt any would do this for a reasonable price. Best price and quality work would come from an independent bodyshop. If you have the money to do this, it would be the way to go. Cost? way to much. You would need to repaint the car. $300-3000 depending on how good you want it. The cost of the bodywork? $500-1500??, I have no idea on that one.

 

not worried about the paint, i guess ill just check with some body shops

 

Check around. Talk to people with shaved door handles and stuff. The shop or backyard guy they used could probably help you out.

Ask how long ago they had the work done and look along the side of the car/truck to see the welded area. If you can tell where the handle was, look for someone else.

Welding is the only way; you could try fiberglass, but it poses the same problems as solid bondo. Bondo will be used to smoothe the panels after the metal strips are welded in.

The only other option would be to use one of the new structural plastic products and the proper epoxy adhesives/fillers. Very difficult- only top quality shops could do it well and it would be expensive.

 

Cant remember were I ran into this pic but the guy used some marine grade fiberglass filler and he had HUNDREDS of hours into it. If you have the time and energy todo this yourself great, If not your looking at LOTS of bucks !!!

 

He must have been a normal joe, cause besides the bumpers filling where the trim was is a piece of cake for any bodyshop.

 

it doesn't look right

 

what about the matching trim on the bumpers? You can't remove that. It won't look right & I really doubt you'll be satisfied with what filling them will look like.

If they're body color now, try painting them black to give the car a more pronounced belt line. This will accentuate the rest of the body panels.

I have an 88 AE and the moldings are a dirty white next to the body, so I think I'm gonna paint them black. I've already put electrical tape on them to see what it will look like, and it does provide a visual belt line that brings out the body better.

 

Dont use bondo.....doesn't it absorb water??


Someone on here did this not too long ago, and he posted pics. It was super clean. Can't remember who it was, but I remember him saying how it took him FOREVER to sand it to the right contour to match up properly.....but it looked badass and he was really happy with it. Try a search for filling in side moldings and see if it comes up.

 

This is the one I was just talking about. He did it himself, and that was why it took him so long. I think he wasn't experienced in this kind of work. But I think it looks great.

 

Yes, Bondo absorbs water. Primer and paint, however, do not. Bondo is just the beginning of the process.

Bondo is a trade name for one product. It is often applied generically to all body fillers. Some are more waterproof than others. But you must prime and paint any of them to protect the metal.

 

Just noticed a thread revived from the dead on the car in question... better pics.

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...threadid=37840