I'm getting my L repainted and I'm wondering what the door looks like behind it.

It's weird that the raw black plastic non-body coloured trim seemed to be painted to match from the factory on my MY2000 RS. I find that really odd don't you? ???

Anyway, I was wondering if I remove that trim on my MY97 L whether or not it'll look like arse. If there are holes there, I'd be prepared to fill them if the end result looks more clean.


I think that door trim looks cheap but for some weird reason, they make their way onto cars like the current gen M5. Now that's mind boggling! :o

Ya, there are holes underneeth :( I would toss them too if not for the holes... I got rid of the little stick-on strips around the fender the other day though, just yanked em off carefully.

And yes, they look cheap. But this is an L mind you :p

big gaping holes back there...

about 5-6 of em.

you could remove the trim and pay the body shop to fill, then paint over them....

i mean if you're getting paint work done anyway,
it's a thought.

cheers
Jamie
www.subiegalracing.com||Home of Burnsie the Rally Wagon!

Yup I concure with Jamie....my 96 has the strip too,but when I replaced both front fenders(had to redo the whole front heheheh trees are hard as wood.)one fender had the holes for the trim but the other didn't...so I removed all the trim and filed the holes(welded and filler)...I like the look.

Hi Bahoogas - do you have any pictures of your fenders? I wonder that would look like. :D

Actually, in light of all the holes to be filled and prepped, I'm now thinking a body shop would charge a pretty penny to get this done and might not be worth it. Well that would depend on the exact amount but it'll probably be more than I hoped to spend seeing as I thought it would be a simple debadging-like exercise.

Take 'em off! It makes it look more JDM!!!! (If you know why....)

The JDM Imprezas don't have a side molding, the USDM Imprezas do. So whenever someone says that they made the outside look just like a JDM one, I say not because they still have the side molding. :lol:

FuJi

if u need fenders, buy the 2.5RS ones, bc the front fenders from RS dosnt have the holes for trim. u can get aftermarket fenders ofr like $65 new.

i have shaved the little holes. my buddy is a bodyman, and i had to get a rear quarter panel replaced, so we said screw it and shaved the trim also.

looks like this:

www.pbase.com/supermoose/shave

u gotta pull the door panel apart and fiberglass from the back. i suppose u can weld too, but the subaru metal is so thin u gota have some skill sfor it not to warp.

process.
www.pbase.com/supermoose/panel

Those are some amazing pics Supermoose. Thanks! :)

Seems like a project in itself though. Should be a few hundred greenbacks if I decide to do it so I doubt I'll be going this route.

I don't mind the look of the side protective moulding, I just thought it would look better without it, that's all.

What's this carbon fibre piece for?
http://www.pbase.com/image/10432443

Is it a rear deck?

yar. when we pulled the rear window, the oem installation of the window had the fabric urathaned to the window. it tore the crap outa the fabric, so we said screw it, lets CF it and then clearcoat it. the door shave is alot of work, we actually fiber-glassed from the inside to give it structure - pull off door panels (actually fast and easy) and then sanded / filled / sanded / filled etc. i got it for free, but on a side job from a body guy you trust, you should be able to do it for $140-175 all said and done. painted my door handels while we were at it too :P

its worth it. waay worth it. makes your car look sooo smooth. that and replacement door strips that are paintable (the 98-01 RS ones) will cost you more than the shave -parts only

peace

h

I was thinking about doing this. Could you just pound a slight dent in around the holes and fiberglass from the outside?

The stock side moldings are paintable if properly prepped. I had mine painted on my MY97 L and it looks so much better. It's much less money to get them painted than removed and protects the car from side dings.
Joshua