Howdy,
I finally bought a slant back Seville, after years of trying to decide if I love them or hate them...we’ll see...
Like most, it has the rubber bump strips along the sides.
I want to remove these, and the door edge guards for a cleaner look.
Are these glued on? Anyone else removed them? Any advice on how to get them off without damaging the paint?
They're self-adhering. They should pull off easily enough but then you'll have to use a solvent to remove the adhesive.
That said, I would strongly advise AGAINST this idea. The paint under the trim will be darker than the surrounding areas because it was never exposed to UV rays. You will then have a "shadow" in the paint where the body side moldings had been.
The moldings also help protect the body sides from door dings, are correct and nothing says "screwed up car" like missing body trim because that is exactly the assumption that will be made when anyone sees the car who knows what he's looking at- while harming the value of the car in the process.
Leave the door edge guards alone because the paint WILL be damaged when they are removed, if it isn't already.
Terrible idea on all counts. Forget about it.
Incidentally the HT4100 front fender plaques were not factory installed on Cadillacs in 1984 & 1985. They are 1982 & 1983 only. Those I would remove.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Would the HT4100 emblems be similarly easy to remove?
Depends on how they were installed. If someone glued them on, that might be a problem. If they did it the right way with double sided adhesive vinyl tape, it shouldn't be too difficult. Using some fishing line may help to "saw" through the tape to get the plaques off then some solvent to remove whatever's left.
I would leave the emblems alone.
No matter how careful you are and what method
you use, some paint will come off and leave a blotchy
look. Just live with it, 99% of the people won't notice.
Mike
Quote from: Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621 on August 24, 2018, 02:37:39 PM
They're self-adhering. They should pull off easily enough but then you'll have to use a solvent to remove the adhesive.
That said, I would strongly advise AGAINST this idea. The paint under the trim will be darker than the surrounding areas because it was never exposed to UV rays. You will then have a "shadow" in the paint where the body side moldings had been.
The moldings also help protect the body sides from door dings, are correct and nothing says "screwed up car" like missing body trim because that is exactly the assumption that will be made when anyone sees the car who knows what he's looking at- while harming the value of the car in the process.
Leave the door edge guards alone because the paint WILL be damaged when they are removed, if it isn't already.
Terrible idea on all counts. Forget about it.
Incidentally the HT4100 front fender plaques were not factory installed on Cadillacs in 1984 & 1985. They are 1982 & 1983 only. Those I would remove.
I second everything Eric wrote. First thing I think when I see any Cadillac without them is that there was rust around the moldings and the car was stripped and repainted.
Odd that someone added the engine badges on an 84/85 model. They are engine badges yes? I can't read them in the pic.
Yes, Dave, they are engine badges.
The car has been repainted, I believe, fairly recently.
The owner had a stroke and his friend helped with the sale of the car, so I don't know as much about it as I would have liked. Maybe if/when he recovers sufficiently, I'll learn more.
Rick Payton was in Chicago and drove/looked it over for me and approved the purchase...LOL.
Its a better than factory paint job; someone spent more to paint it than I paid for the car.
It also has some other things that need to go...wreaths around the door key holes on driver/passenger doors, and I think an extra "Cadillac" script above the "Seville" script on the trunk deck lid (at least I think this is incorrect).
Congrats on your purchase Joe! Post more pics when you can. I've always liked that body too. I used to enjoy driving them when we'd take them in off-lease. Stylish and comfortable. Just wish the HT4100 had more power. I won't lecture on the HT4100. You've been around the club long enough to know the deal on the them.
Joe, NICE car! I enjoy my '81. When I was sprucing up mine, I had my body shop take off the rub strips as they were "coming off." I was able to find a "near match" on eBay and had them installed, so I don't have the shadow. When the car was painted, they left the 4.1 badge off and I was able to find new ones and where to put them from the shop manual. (Except MY 4.1 is not a V-8, but the Buick V-6.) Still anemic but at least I don't have to worry about it suddenly giving up. I wish it had leather, but you can't have everything. Good luck with it.
Quote from: D.Smith on August 25, 2018, 08:16:31 AM
Congrats on your purchase Joe! Post more pics when you can. I've always liked that body too. I used to enjoy driving them when we'd take them in off-lease. Stylish and comfortable. Just wish the HT4100 had more power. I won't lecture on the HT4100. You've been around the club long enough to know the deal on the them.
Thanks, Dave,
I really wanted a 1980, but these rarely come up in pristine condition in a color combination I like. This one in Medium Gray Metallic/Carmine Red Leather has perfect paint and interior. It needs a couple things, but is a very nice car. I read somewhere that late production 1985 cars had improved intake manifold gaskets and also some changes to the block that make the 4100 less likely to fail...I hope this is true. I'm still undecided about the design, but I wanted one because I feel it represents a willingness to take stylistic risk that has vanished from the industry.
Joe,
The paint looks really nice, and of course it always does in pictures. If you are going to repaint, then this adds a new dimension to the post.
I agree that the door edge guards totally ruin the look of the car and break up the sleek side view (defeating the intent of the style in the first place), and if there is any way to remove them and even touch up the paint it should be done. Removal alone will ruin the paint a little (un-pry st st door edge guard from back side of door edge to minimize paint on visible side of door edge). BTW, I always remove (or recommend removal strongly) these from any Cadillac or classic car - after all this is something you control - don't hit another car with your door you open.
The horizontal door ding guards do not look that bad to me, and it would be tempting for me to keep them. The guys on this post are right, removing them will show up in the paint with different shade and etc.
If you going to repaint, then by all means removal of these door protection trim pieces will not impact you.
It is your car and should do as you like. It is not like this is a super valuable Cadillac (neither are my 1970 Cadillacs), and a tasteful removal of trim may not diminish the value of it appreciably (because they are not too difficult to add back on - save them). I am a believer in changing some trim here and there where it really does look better. Here is a picture of my 1970 DVC where I added the Fleetwood rocker moldings. This is different than your situation because I had to drill the rockers to install them. Cadillac should have done this, and they did in 1971 thru 1973 (full length, not just between wheels). It is of course not how the car left the factory, but dealers would add them (where they would not in 1963-66, when you had to buy an Eldorado to get them).
My advice is make the car how you think it will look best within some realm of how it could have left the factory - I'm sure if a Cadillac dealer needed to remove these trims from a Seville back in the day to sell it they (or the factory via delete option) would have.
Post pictures of what you did and enjoy your Cadillac!
He says the car had been repainted recently. Repaint is nowhere near as durable as original paint baked on under factory conditions. The door edge guards squeeze on very tightly and I can guarantee the fresh paint under them was gouged upon reinstallation. Additional wear is almost assured if they are removed again- whereupon you'll be putting them right back on the car again and back to square one. One of the first commandments in the auto body business - Thou shalt not mess with fresh paint!
A different story entirely IF the guards are aftermarket vinyl stick-on type. Those can probably be safely removed without causing too much damage.
Joe,
Were the factory side horizontal door guards removed and reinstalled for the re-paint? Where the door edge guards removed and reinstalled for the re-paint? Is the repaint any good?
I guess you got all the info...let us know what was decided?
A CLC member recently repainted his 1967 Eldorado in a different color, removed the door edge guards and the car looks way better. Search this and you can see the results. Many Cadillacs in the brochures were photographed without the door edge guards, because they do look bad. Can you tell I don't care for them?
Hey Scot,
We are of like minds on this...I also hate door edge guards and always take them off.
The car has had a recent, very high quality repaint...everything...door handles and all the trim was removed.
So far I've removed the incorrect HT4100 emblems (thanks, Eric, for catching this), the wreaths that had been affixed to the door lock escutcheons, the superfluous "Cadillac" script above the "Seville" script on the trunk lid, all easily and with no trace.
I think the bump strips will come off and leave no trace as well. If I damage the paint when I remove the door edge guards, I'll have my body guy fix it.
As this is the cheapest running car I've ever bought, any affect on value is not really a concern to me. I'll keep the stuff I remove, and any future owner can re-gild the lily if they choose.
Joe,
Please post a picture after you are finished - should look great!
Quote from: Scot Minesinger on August 25, 2018, 01:54:49 PM
Joe,
Please post a picture after you are finished - should look great!
Here you go, Scot,
Still need to clean it up properly and do the other side. There is no evidence that the car ever had strips (fading, etc.).
I appreciate all the thoughts, but to my eye, the car looks about 1000 % better without the bumper strips (don't hate me Dave...LOL).
I'll probably get my body guy to take the door edge moldings off. He's done this on most of my cars without incident, and is more skilled than me...
Quote from: joeinbcs on August 25, 2018, 02:29:30 PM
Still need to clean it up properly and do the other side. There is no evidence that the car ever had strips (fading, etc.).
I appreciate all the thoughts, but to my eye, the car looks about 1000 % better without the bumper strips (don't hate me Dave...LOL).
LOL No hate here. Can't wait to see some full view pics of it when done. The chrome accent spear makes up for the missing side moldings. It gives the eye a focal point so the smooth sides seem less bare.
Dave,
Funny...when Rick looked at the car, he assumed it had been painted because there is some minor putting on the chrom and stainless. But, after spending a day with her, I’m convinced the paint is original. Remarkable really, as it’s flawless. I don’t really understand how the paint can be perfect but the stainless slightly pitted, but it is.
Here’s one after I washed her for the first time.
I’m changing out the tires next week with some 215/75/15 Diamondback’s that have a slightly wider whitewall that I bought for my ‘78 Seville (205’s on the car with about 3/4†WW now)
That looks so rich and expensive
Beautiful car and I really like the color.
Given the amount of gloss (and the reflections
I see) I'm going to guess that it was repainted
and clear-coated.
It would not likely not look that good otherwise,
especially since you indicated that the chrome has
some pitting.
Nevertheless, it's a "looker".
Mike
Quote from: Mike Josephic CLC #3877 on August 26, 2018, 02:00:35 AM
Beautiful car and I really like the color.
Given the amount of gloss (and the reflections
I see) I'm going to guess that it was repainted
and clear-coated.
It would not likely not look that good otherwise,
especially since you indicated that the chrome has
some pitting.
Nevertheless, it's a "looker".
Mike
Unfortunately, the previous owner suffered a stroke, so I'm unable to get the information I'd like on the car...I'm trying to reach the owner before him. If the car was repainted, it was a high quality job, and everything was removed...there's not a hint of overspray on anything...door handle gaskets, all the usual telltale places, and the paint is so uniform, it just looks like a factory job, but better. Hard to believe somebody would spend the $10K this kind of a paint job costs on a car worth far less than that...but, I suppose its possible...
My red 1970 Cadillac DVC pictured was repainted and there is really no way to tell save that it looks so nice. There is no over spray on anything, it was taken down to metal and all trim and rubber was removed.
Agree, this car was probably repainted a very high quality job in original color. Look in the trunk, the underside of lid will not have been repainted and should have a slightly different sheen than body. Agree that it does not make economic sense to repaint the car, but when has the hobby ever made much economic sense.
Enjoy the most expensive 1985 Cadillac hardtop! (maybe the convertibles were more?)