How to remove exterior black stripe / molding / trim?

[THRICEdude]

Hey guys, I am looking into getting a white 240 and I was wondering if it is possible to remove that black stripe on the sides of the car (I don't know whether to call it molding or trim...)? If you take it off, does it leave holes that need to be filled?

This is probably a really dumb newbieish question, but I searched and searched and couldn't find anything about it. Maybe just because I don't know its proper name...Any help would be appreciated.

-Max

[LanceS13]

It's basically electrical tape....really. Take a blow dryer to it and pull it off. You might need to go back with some goo-gone or other clearcoat safe adhesive remover and some elbow grease to take off the glue residue.

[Bryants95240sx]

yea just use a hair dryer and go at it then get some 3M adhesive remover from walmart and use that to get rid of the glue might take a while just be pacient

[THRICEdude]

Great, thanks!

[sleep]

that was the first thing i did to my car...............

[TheTimanator]

Since this thread is here....
I took mine off last week and noticed I had two different kinds. One was super thick and was really easy to peal off (for the most part). The other was thin and was a pain in the butt to remove and left a sticky residue.

Question is, which is the factory tape? Just wana know so I can figure out which panels might have bondo, or have been repaired before. (previous owner said it had never been wrecked...not sure he knew what he was talking about) Thanks!

[mdigiamm]

they all have that hard thick outer layer and the tape underneath.. dont be scurred

[MakotoS13]

the thick stuff is probably just less aged than the thinner stuff. i'm stripping mine off with a rubber wheel drill attatchment at our body shop. that could mess up the old paint but if you're gonna repaint it anyhow (like me) it's no biggy and is pretty quick.

[TheTimanator]

they all have that hard thick outer layer and the tape underneath.. dont be scurred
na, I got 2 different kinds. One is really thick, reminded me of foam tape, like 3m's double sided tape. The other was like regular electrical tape, thin and was breaking easy b/c of the heat and time it's been on. Also, saw some damages, under the this stuff :ugh: Think thats where it's been ficed

Now, I know they wouldn't put 2 different kinds of trim tape from the factory :ugh: Well, anyway, it's not a big deal...

[TwoFourO]

I believe the tape on the polyeurothane is different from the tape on the metal just in the way that it adheres. I remember having to almost chip out the tape on the bumpers compared to peeling the tape on the sides/doors. Either way, a heat gun or blow dryer works wonders when removing it.

[sleep]

yeah like he said above me....

the stripe on my bumpers was tougher and i STILL have some adhesive on my bumpers from it......

[nrcooled]

it took me 5hrs on a beautiful Saturday to get all the tape and residue off of the entire car. The tape on the bumper did seem much thiner but I never thought twice about it until now

[soulDistortion]

Since this thread is here....
I took mine off last week and noticed I had two different kinds. One was super thick and was really easy to peal off (for the most part). The other was thin and was a pain in the butt to remove and left a sticky residue.

Question is, which is the factory tape? Just wana know so I can figure out which panels might have bondo, or have been repaired before. (previous owner said it had never been wrecked...not sure he knew what he was talking about) Thanks!


They're both factory. The tape on the sides of the car/fenders are the thicker one that's easy to take off. The tape on the front and rear bumpers are the ones that are thinner and a complete pain to remove. I think this is because since the bumpers are going to see more wear than the sides, they used a tougher sticker.

The damage underneath is probably from you trying to take the sticker off.