How do I remove the plastic strip on my upper grille?

[MarkSpark]

I have a 2002 sedan. Has anyone removed it? How?

 

[uclap5]

if its like the p5 grill then you just have to pop it off. its held in by 5 or 7 clips. you are most likely to break a few, but its ok

 

[MarkSpark]

From what I can see, there's two clips. So i dont have to move the clips to pull it off? Just PULL?

 

[uclap5]

well maybe you should get advice from sedan owners. i know the grill is a little different.

because on the p5 there are at least 5 clips. and you cant really see them, you just have to tug and they are under the grill.

heres the thread with info about the p5

http://www.protegemp3.com/vbb230/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16065&highlight=how+to+grill+paint

 

[MarkSpark]

well maybe you should get advice from sedan owners. i know the grill is a little different.

because on the p5 there are at least 5 clips. and you cant really see them, you just have to tug and they are under the grill.

heres the thread with info about the p5

http://www.protegemp3.com/vbb230/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16065&highlight=how+to+grill+paint

yeah i saw that, and just before I broke the strip in half this sucks

 

[NRRfrogmanP5]

yeah of the 5 clips we broke 2

 

[uclap5]

sorry to hear about the break.

im sure you can find a replacement grill from someone on the forum.

 

[SedanMan]

I broke my whole stip taking it off. I had one clip left to undo and the whole strip broke in 2. Good thing, I was replacing it.

 

[MarkSpark]

sorry to hear about the break.

im sure you can find a replacement grill from someone on the forum.

Yeah I actually bought a replacement a few weeks ago from MackDadum, but I wanted to take off the strip to paint it, and now I dont think I can. Maybe I'll just paint it attached to the grille.

 

[Dreeza]

damn that sucks, i want to paint mine too, now im scared, i didnt realize it was so easy to break the actual strip!

 

[uclap5]

i think he is the first.

if you buy the whole grill you might as well just mask off the rest. taking off just the plastic peice is simpler if the grill is already installed on the car.

especially for wet sanding.

 

[MarkSpark]

i think he is the first.

if you buy the whole grill you might as well just mask off the rest. taking off just the plastic peice is simpler if the grill is already installed on the car.

especially for wet sanding.

Hey SedanMan broke his too :bs: heh, but seriously...why is it simpler if you leave it on the car?

 

[Dreeza]

Hey SedanMan broke his too :bs: heh, but seriously...why is it simpler if you leave it on the car?

yeah, i dont get that either...in the other thread it says it turns out better if you take it off

 

[derrick1623]

take the grill off, then tape up everything EXCEPT the "strip",. thats what i did, and mine didnt break!!!hehe

 

[Dreeza]

take the grill off, then tape up everything EXCEPT the "strip",. thats what i did, and mine didnt break!!!hehe

wait, take the grill off?? how do you do that? sorry, i apologize for not knowing s***

 

[MarkSpark]

take the grill off, then tape up everything EXCEPT the "strip",. thats what i did, and mine didnt break!!!hehe

can u post a pic of how it looks. Wasnt it hard to paint above the emblem?

 

[derrick1623]

the emblem was off, because it was backordered at the time, but just tape it off, and spray away!

 

[MarkSpark]

hell yeah, that looks nice...since the emblem wasnt there it was prolly easier to paint the bottom of the strip, but ehh...I'll give it a shot next weekend.

 

[kidkorrupt]

sorry for the bad how-to.

i have to idea what mazda techs use to take it off.


the reason it looks better if you take it off is because all angles and sides of the strip is painted if you remove it. if you just mask you may not be able to get all of it and up close people can tell.

wet-sanding will also be easier if its off.

 

[Dreeza]

sorry for the bad how-to.

i have to idea what mazda techs use to take it off.


the reason it looks better if you take it off is because all angles and sides of the strip is painted if you remove it. if you just mask you may not be able to get all of it and up close people can tell.

wet-sanding will also be easier if its off.

aight, do i just pull on it or what?? thats what i dont get