Thanks. It is a fairly complicated process for certain. Thought about going with vinyl, got some and was not happy with the result. Thought about buying the trim outright and replacing all of it so that it could be painted off of the vehicle. That would have ended costing several hundred dollars and there was going to be considerable time and effort removing and replacing the trim. All of the trim pieces, with the exception of the rear windows are all riveted at most points and I figured that if this process failed, I could always fall back on that option. So, I committed and hit one of the trim pieces with sandpaper and then i knew was committed on the whole thing. Both sides.
process as follows.
committing takes several days as it is hard to put 80 grit sandpaper anywhere close to a new vehicle.
prep takes about 5 hours per side using 80 grit sandpaper cut in small strips and a fine point dremel grinder to allow getting right up to the rubber weatherstrip which each of the trim pieces are bonded to. you need to tape around the weatherstripping in case you over shoot the trim so as not to scuff the factory paint. I tried finer grits but it simply wasnt scuffing the surface enough in my mind to give the primer something to adhere to. Once you are satisfied with the prep, its time to tape.
Taping takes about 3 hours as you are trying to hug the trim right at the edge of the rubber and not on the surface that is to be painted. You are also trying to protect the mirrors as well as the paint and glass as you dont want the primer/base coat/clear coat to over spray as it would be a pain to remove. I attached a couple of images where the truck was all taped up. Then its time to paint.
Painting takes about 4 hours per side given prep and drying times. I used 'automotive touchup' brand paint to match the factory paint and clear coat. I'll say that it is an excellent match and is a very durable paint and very easy to apply for a professional appearance. I rubbed it down with rubbing alcohol for a final cleaning. Then, I hit it with a tack cloth to remove any dirt or dust. I went with 2 coats of primer and sanded lightly with 1500 grit once dry (about 30 minutes). Then, I went with 4 coats of base coat (10 minute intervals) applied lightly until coverage was complete. Then I went with 4 coats of clear coat at 15 minute intervals and hoped that bugs and dust stayed away. Turns out that they did stay away for the most part and the finished product looks much better, especially if you are not a huge fan of polished aluminum.
The next day, I hit the trim with meguirs compound to slick up the surface tension and then hit it with meguirs polish.
So, the process per side took me about 12 hours total from start to finish and I would say that after doing this process, I am satisfied with the result as I feel that it looks very close to being factory applied.
Its now time to move to the grill!
