head light doors

[boss429kiwi]

Hi

How hard is it to remove the head light doors?
Any tips?
I don't know where to start 

I am wanting to paint the black edging, prior to stalling the new decals.

[nascarxx29]

I believe your gonna have to remove the headlight bucket assembly from the nose.If you want only the headlight doors off.The headlight doors are riveted to the pivot bracket

[pettybird]

it's a huge pain in the ass.  I can't overstate that.  Also, you'd have to re-align everything once you're done.  Just remove the decals, paint them in the "up" position the best you can.

[Aero426]

it's a huge pain in the ass.  I can't overstate that.  Also, you'd have to re-align everything once you're done.  Just remove the decals, paint them in the "up" position the best you can.

What he said.    Krylon semi flat black will work well.     You want a lightish coat on the headlight surrounds of the nose itself  as you do not want to see a masking tape line under the new decals.   Performance Car Graphics can get you a new set of decals.

[boss429kiwi]

OK, good advise everyone, especially about the masking edge.

But how do I make the doors stay up?

[Aero426]

With the car turned off, just cycle the lights a couple times to exhaust the vacuum supply.    The fail-safe springs will take over and hold the lights up. 

[gymratt30]

just my 2cents worth......about the "masking tape line" .....its kinda hard not to mask off the area of the nose just above where the decal stops...... if not your overspray will go onto the nose area not covered by the decal,  so you may yet still need to mask off the area, HOWEVER, when you peel the masking tape up, BE SURE TO "FEATHER EDGE" THE LINE LEFT BY THE PAINT BUTTING UP TO THE TAPE ..by using say 600 or 1000 grit sandpaper, you can "take the hard edge off" of the paint so it wont be visible under the decals...... believe me it WILL show if you don't "feather" the paint line down.

[UFO]

If you haven't removed the decals yet(assuming it's the one in your pic).Why not mask the decal area and mist on a few layers of paint to what's left.

[440mop]

I don't think the springs are fitted on this car, the lights would never come up on there own!
John

[Aero426]

I don't think the springs are fitted on this car, the lights would never come up on there own!
John

Well then the vacuum alone should hold them up long enough.   If not, you can get creative and wedge something in there to keep them up if necessary.  

The idea of feathering or wet sending the tape line with some 600 grit is a good one.   Just don't sand the exposed area.  I would add that you have all kinds of room towards the center of both light openings because the black decal covers so much.  You can spray a little more black towards the center and wet sand it down there with some 600 grit.   It wont take much work.