Matt81

The trim around the edge of the acrylic top on my 88 Anniversary was abysmal. The paint had flaked off and the leading edge had crept about 1/2" away from the top. How does THAT happen?!

Leading edge of the trim separated from the top

Getting tired of looking at it, I decided this week to remove the trim and see if I couldn't make it look better. Prying it off was pretty simple. There was no adhesive on mine, just pressure fit. I ended up using a very thin metal putty knife to push it loose. I wanted to use a plastic knife but they are too thick. Just worked it very carefully to keep from scratching. A good step for prep that I didn't think of until after I finished would have been to lay some painters tape along the edge, just to be safe.

Very careful use of the metal putty knife to separate the trim from the top. A good prep step would be some painters tape applied to the top.

Once off, I sanded it with 220 grit. Some areas went all the way to the bare metal, but I really focus ed d on making sure all edges were smooth where the paint had been chipped. When done, washed it with soapy water to remove all the residue, then wiped with acetone.

The trim piece is fairly flimsy, so a large, flat workstation is required. I had a nice big sheet of 3/4" plywood from a house project that worked great on a pair of sawhorses. For painting, I used Rustoleum primer and satin black paint. Two light coats of each had it looking much better. With proper prep, I think the paint will hold up well.


The scratch on the top was pre-existing. Have tried to pokish it out without success. Oh well.

Easy project that just required some time and a couple cans of paint. Wish all the TLC this car needs was this cheap to do!

MRANT212