I recently obtained SE window mouldings to replace my GXE chrome ones with. However, some of the mouldings are sun faded/worn, and I'd like to restore them. Is anyone aware of a procedure or product that I could use to restore a deep black finish? I know there's some kind of black trim paint available, has anyone messed with that stuff before?

-Kaleb

 

I've looked into this before and you basically have four options; painting, anodizing, powder coating, and black chrome (as used on the 2k SE emblems). Critical to to the success of all three is preparation. If you reuse the black mouldings, you should sand or scotchbrite the surface to accept the coating. also prepare with a solution that removes wax and silicone like prepsol, since this is an area you can almost guarantee will have both on it. Depending on the coating you choose you may find it easier to prepare you stainless trim than to fully prep the black ones. If ANY of the paint has come off, it will show through as an edge on subsequent paint coatings (remember the princess and the pea story), so your will have to completely sand or remove the existing paint from the piece. If you paint, any auto parts store that supplied paint to body shops carries a semiflat black paint just for this purpose, though I can't recall the trade name. I had some worn parts reshot this way and it turned out pretty nice, pretty cheap. The powder coating will be more durable, and you might see if a shop that does this will include your parts in with a batch of other black parts, which will eliminate startup cost for you. This will have a higher gloss. If you want a flat finish, then anodizing may work for you. I personally prefer a black chrome finish, anthough if not waxed it may turn blueish. Look under "Metal Finishers" to find a good place for the last three options and to get competitive price. Once you get a quote, be sure to use a replacement Nissan part a reference; it may me cheaper and easier to go this route. The main factor in all of this is labor, and if you can remove/install the part yourself and do the prep work yourself, then most any of these options will be cost effective. Hope this helps.

 

Hey Kaleb I have been thinking of doing just the oppisite,I want to swap my black SE moldings with chrome GXE moldings.What I was wondering is how much did the new moldings cost and are the old one's easy to remove thanks.

 

this is about the only thread I found that had relevant info so im gonna post my question in here instead of starting a new thread. I want to replace my chrome window moulding with the black SE window moulding but i have no idea how to take it apart of put one back on. Is glue required? If anyone can give me some pointers or some steps I would greatly appreciate it.

 

If your black moulding just has the white oxidation (looks faded) on it but is otherwise in good shape, wipe it down with something like Turtle Wax Color Back. Works great.

 

Depending on what that molding is made out of this may work for you. I've read alot of good things about them:
http://www.foreverblack.com/index.html
or
http://www.autogeek.net/blackagain.html

 

i believe you need to pull the door windows off to get the outter mouldings off.
you can do it if you have the time...but it's a pain in the rear.

the the rest of you guys...the 1st post was posted in 2000....some of you guys didn't know what maxima.org was in 2000.