Fooled by a C5
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,280
Likes: 1,097
From: Pittsburgh PA
I thought it was on car to protect fiberglass if a door of another car swings into it?
I had my car for maybe a month and was in a parking lot, someone pulled up next to me and slammed the door of their car HARD into my passenger door, it was loud and made the car jerk, I saw it was a blonde woman walking away.
I was pissed and got out expecting to find damage, but the moulding protected it, I imagine if it wasn't on there, door skin would have a hole in it.
Car still has BSM, looks fine to me.
I had my car for maybe a month and was in a parking lot, someone pulled up next to me and slammed the door of their car HARD into my passenger door, it was loud and made the car jerk, I saw it was a blonde woman walking away.
I was pissed and got out expecting to find damage, but the moulding protected it, I imagine if it wasn't on there, door skin would have a hole in it.
Car still has BSM, looks fine to me.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,973
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
I know it wasn't a pickup, most likely VW Jetta, Toyota, Honda, it was a white smaller car, pretty sure it was a 4 door and she parked too close to my car.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 365
From: SF Bay Area
Exactly. Didn’t bother me until I saw how it looked without in red. Since pewter is understated to begin with, it looks better but not as dramatically different. Still, cleaner and more the exotic look that the C5 ushered in. BSMs fit our American tendency for excess ( like fins, fake air dams, graphics,etc) but the lines of the C5 seem to need less finessing. Like putting graphics on a Ferrari 458. Misses the point.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 329
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 329
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,036
Likes: 119
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 819
Likes: 645
From: Beautiful Springboro, OH
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
before, not bad, but something is just off somehow,...
That concave surface is being bisected by this plastic "spear'; let's try taking that off...
Aha! Much more to my liking! Smoooth!
When I bought my convertible last month, I had NO intention of removing, or even attempting such a feat as removing the side moldings; then I got on this forum and realized they were something that "could" be removed! Dag nab it! Then I found that the first thing I'd see whenever I looked at my "new" car was the big spear-like divider tacked on to my beautiful concave sides! Then, I realized that those bsm's would be a genuine pain to polish around ( I love detailing my cars). That settled it, and off they came! I was very fortunate that the car had been garaged al of its life, as there was no color change behind the dreaded plastic pieces.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 329
before, not bad, but something is just off somehow,...
That concave surface is being bisected by this plastic "spear'; let's try taking that off...
Aha! Much more to my liking! Smoooth!
When I bought my convertible last month, I had NO intention of removing, or even attempting such a feat as removing the side moldings; then I got on this forum and realized they were something that "could" be removed! Dag nab it! Then I found that the first thing I'd see whenever I looked at my "new" car was the big spear-like divider tacked on to my beautiful concave sides! Then, I realized that those bsm's would be a genuine pain to polish around ( I love detailing my cars). That settled it, and off they came! I was very fortunate that the car had been garaged al of its life, as there was no color change behind the dreaded plastic pieces.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 819
Likes: 645
From: Beautiful Springboro, OH
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Brunello, thank you for the kind compliment, and your method is exactly what I followed! Boy oh boy, did my thumb hurt after that escapade!
Taking my time, it was about a four hour job for both sides to be cleared of the glue. I swabbed the glue with a "Goo Off" soaked shop towel, and followed with the thumbnail. Fishing line was my removal tool of choice for the moldings themselves. I actually posted my first thread about the experience.
Taking my time, it was about a four hour job for both sides to be cleared of the glue. I swabbed the glue with a "Goo Off" soaked shop towel, and followed with the thumbnail. Fishing line was my removal tool of choice for the moldings themselves. I actually posted my first thread about the experience.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 819
Likes: 645
From: Beautiful Springboro, OH
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
If there had been any yellow Corvettes for sale in my price range when I was shopping for mine, I sure would have checked them out! Slowryde and Murray, yours are two great examples of that Millenium Yellow!
Pro
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 675
Likes: 195
From: Green Oak Township, Michigan
I really dont see what the big deal is over these body side moldings. To each his own. If you like em' ..keep em',, If you dont, just take them off. Gee, I found the perfect Corvette to buy.. but it has body side moldings.....so I wont buy it. Ya,, right.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 79
Likes: 3
I prefer the vette without the bsm but right now im testing with/without at same time lol
Last edited by Buck2323; Apr 13, 2019 at 09:21 AM.
Always Shiftin'
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,028
Likes: 939
From: Central Florida
2025 C7 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C7 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C5 of Year Finalist (stock)
This topic NEVER ceases to amaze me on how much energy some people expend arguing the virtues, or lack thereof, of the BSMs! I had a '99 black C5 without (from factory) and my current C5Z has them (from factory). I like the looks of both, so I see no reason to remove them now. They are unique "character lines"! Whether they have any real function or not, makes no difference to me! To each his (her) own!! 
Last edited by MacA1979; Apr 13, 2019 at 09:52 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 7,205
Likes: 281
From: NoVA
Since my car is almost 22 years old and was outside a significant part of that time with silver paint. Underneath it won't match so I am stuck with them until I repaint which I don't have any plans to do soon.
