how to clean your rub/side strips/mouldings

[KI11Z]

ok, unsure if any dubs have side moulding with injected colour instead of bare plastic or simply painted over, but meh, here's a wicked diy.

Just a quicky on how to clean up your side mouldings (or rub strips or bump strips or whatever).

It worked so well that I had to post up! It seriously makes the car look like it's had a paint job.

Now the thing with some side strips is that they aren't painted, the colour is actually injected into the plastic so once they fade or discolour using soap and suds won't clean them up.

I was told by a little birdy that PAINT THINNER will bring them back to looking brand new

Here's my tips and how to's on how I found to best work:

You need to use a non-fluffy cloth like a tshirt otherwise the fluff will come off and stick to the plastic

Put it to the neck of your thinner can and tip upside down to wet the cloth.

Then in one direction simply wipe a section of really no longer than a foot (30cm/12inch) maybe twice depending on how wet your cloth is but never rub with only a little bit of thinner there otherwise it'll just spread the muck! wet your cloth again and repeat till your happy with the cleanliness.

and do not rub! there is no need and will simply spead the crud and turn out like turd.


pics of befores and afters right after each other...












Good luck!

[Mrk_Mickey]

Seems to lose a bit of gloss bro? but wicked nonetheless, especially for cars with severe correction needed!

Just a note to those who may not know...if the paint, whether injected or physically painted on the surface, is acrylic and not two-pac.....then be careful with using thinners as it can actually get rid of the paint itself!

Easiest way to describe it is if you grab a rag with thinners and wipe over a patch on your acrylic-painted car, you'll gradually see the paint going away.

[Treza360]

Good stuff Alex. Still rolling in the hektiva I see. Good to see you haven't completely abandoned us though.
Cheers,
Trent

[KI11Z]

Seems to lose a bit of gloss bro? but wicked nonetheless, especially for cars with severe correction needed!

Just a note to those who may not know...if the paint, whether injected or physically painted on the surface, is acrylic and not two-pac.....then be careful with using thinners as it can actually get rid of the paint itself!

Easiest way to describe it is if you grab a rag with thinners and wipe over a patch on your acrylic-painted car, you'll gradually see the paint going away.

I didn't really notice the gloss untill I had a look at the pics again Mike, well spotted mate; Though I still gotta maintain how frikin awsome they look compared to before! I don't think it's as noticable in the flesh (or metal?).

and yes when you wipe it takes a little paint off but nothing that concerned me at all, and with the results I had i won't hesitate to do it next time either; Concidering the colour is in the plastic it'll never come off and reveal bare plastic so ima put my shades on

[KI11Z]

Good stuff Alex. Still rolling in the hektiva I see. Good to see you haven't completely abandoned us though.
Cheers,
Trent

oh and twev, it's "HeCtiva" mate