nicd01

Hey guys, it's been a while since I needed your help; a while back, I purchased a complete set of black piano Shadowlines that came off an e61 M5. I am now ready to try and attempt to remove my mat's black shadowline and replace it with a new one. Has anyone done this? I looked and only found a little, except for a DIY on an e60. Any pointers help would be great. DIY Shadow line removal

neilv

Just FYI the rear window has to be removed from the car (adhesive installed) to change the trim in front of it. The rear are slid into rubbers or bolted on as well.

spectre6000

Am I to understand correctly that there were 3 different trim colors then? Chrome, matte black, and gloss black?

neilv

Correct. Chrome was exterior ring with matte black pillars, then matte shadowline and gloss shadowline

spectre6000

A quick image search shows chrome and black window trims. I didn't notice gloss vs. matte. My car has matte black around the windows and everywhere else except some chrome down low on the front bumper. It came with an extra set of chrome kidney grilles in boxes, and the PO said the black grilles were ordered by the guy he bought it from when he bought it new. As difficult as it sounds like it is to swap the window trims, I have to assume either the guy did the whole swap minus the two bits of trim down low on the bumper, or the bumper was replaced with a non-matte black shadowline trimmed bumper at some point. make sense to anyone but me? Either seem more likely than the other? Any way to tell assuming I didn't notice any indication of the bumper having been replaced during my initial inspection?

neilv

Chrome kidney grills were standard on all models. Bumper did not have any factory chrome bits; LCI(non-M-sport) cars had a silver strip on the bumper if it had sport package I believe but it wasnt chrome.

The Matte shadowline I believe was sport package and gloss shadowline was M-sport but that isn't always consistent.

spectre6000

She's super dirty from recent rain, but that's the trim in question. Indicative of sport package combined with the matte black everything else? If silver =/= chrome, does that mean there's really 4 different trim finishes available?

Sorry/thanks for the hi-jack.

neilv

Sorry Im mistaken, that is for LCI 528 & 535 models non M-Sport (atleast in north america) Europe I believe got a black one on lower end ones. That trim is not part of any of the window trim designations

spectre6000

So, if I wanted to replace that for black to match everything else on the car, I'd have to look at European markets?

neilv

or just plastidip it? way easier/cheaper plus removable. Euro market ones will only be a matte black finish as its just plastic.

PS. If you do remove all the matte black trim without bending or damaging; I could be interested in it to replace my chrome stuff