Volkswagen used Karman Coachbuilders to fabricate the bodies for the Corrado. It is still today, one of the most visually striking of all of the VW sport coupes from the 90s. To this day, I still get people on the street stop and ask what kind of car they are looking at. Top Gear highlighted
the Corrado as one of its "Classics".
The modification I'm going to highlight here is a modification that is purely cosmetic and serves no other purpose other than to preserve the original appearance that was envisioned by the VW Designers back in the mid 80s. Many enthusiasts feel the door strips detract from the visual lines and flow were were likely an afterthought. They do serve a practical purpose in that they are somewhat effective in protecting the body from parking lot door dings caused by inattentive people in parking lots. Body styles that contain organic flowing lines will often make obvious
imperfections --especially those caused by side impacts. The corrado does show door dings--even very small ones.
Since I don't drive this car often -- the thought of door ding exposure is slight. Under those circumstances, I thought it might be worthwhile to pursue removing the side strips. In addition, dirt has accumulated behind the strips. This is evident in the picture at the very top that shows the strip still intact. The glue has discolored with age and there is dirt residue trapped underneath.
Fortunately, this strip is glued and can be removed. In my case, one of the strips was already falling off. When I removed the strip, the trapped dirt was exposed as well as the adhesive that was used to attach the strip.
Word of advice--This endeavor is not for the impatient. It is time consuming and could damage the paint. If the car has been painted since its inception, removing the strip may expose the additional layers of paint and make matters worse. Consider carefully before proceeding with this endeavor. Remember, there is no performance increase by removing the strip. Its purpose is purely cosmetic.
Fortunately, there are no fasteners used to attach this strip. It is held on by adhesive alone. So
first step to to pull up the strip. I would not use tools except to gain a foothold. Use your hands to pull up on the strip and separate it from the body panels. Be careful and proceed gently and slowly. The paint on the corrado is now over 15 years old. Pulling on the strips can also pull up the paint. That would be a disaster that can only be repaired by a paint shop. You have been
warned!
Once the strip is off, then all that remains is the dirt and the remaining adhesive. First clean off the loose dirt by washing the car. If the dirt remains, it will scratch the paint while you work. Once the dirt is gone, then all that remains is the adhesive and some foam rubber used to apply the strip.
When I posted this question on some of the forums, I received suggestions that I thought ill advised. I was instructed by one person to use a scraper or a razor blade. Another advised paint thinner, kerosene, or gasoline. I've seen what those do to paint jobs. You run too much risk in scratching or marring the paint. No thank you.
What I discovered useful are four items:
What I found effective are:
1. liquid car wax
2. Fine rubbing compound
3. Goo Gone
4. and a surprise tool
I tried plastic spatulas, credit cards, and other plastic items that I thought might be gentle
enough to not harm the paint job. And the most productive tool of all was something from the Karman factory. It was a Karman nameplate from a VW Cabriolet. (Ironically, another car made in the same body factory as the corrado!)
None of these items worked well alone but together I made progress.
I started by using the liquid wax to soften the adhesive. Then I would lightly scrap the edges with the Karman nameplate to lift the edges. Work slowly so as to not dig into the cars finish. Once the foam rubber is removed, then you can use the Goo Gone to soften the remaining
adhesive.
You may encounter tough resistant spots where the adhesive refuses to come off. This is where you use the rubbing compound until the finish is smooth. Then remember to wax the freshly rubbed out area to ensure there is a layer of protection still in place over the paint.
My progress moved forward about 5mm per minute. Yes that is slow, therefore patience will be required as well as physical endurance because your hands will get tired. There is more than 10 feet of this adhesive to remove from the car.
Expect to use an entire weekend to get this stuff off. But the finished results are dramatic.
Removing the side trim really changes the appearance and perception of the entire vehicle.
Comments