Deteriorating Pillar Plastic Molding

[iolmaster]

Is there anyway to replace the plastic pillar molding that is between the windows. Mine has deteriorated and it would be nice to have it look like new again. I found the parts but am not sure if it can be removed without disassembly of the interior pillar. I also found some stick on plastic pieces on ebay that claim to cover up the OEM pillar. Any ideas?

This is for an ES 300.

[gbhrps]

iolmaster,

The plastic finisher between the windows frequently deteriorates on many cars. Lots of Windstar vans have the same problem where the clear coat paint breaks down in the sun's UV rays and the flat paint underneath shows through. The solution is to repaint the panel, which is a totally DIYer.

Mask the surrounding metal/glass/rubber with 2 inch wide masking tape, and sand the panel carefully with 400 and then 600 grit wet/dry sand paper to prepare the surface for painting. When done, use a tack cloth to remove any dust left over. Then mask off all of the surrounding surfaces with newspaper and masking tape for a distance at least 18 inches from the area to be painted.

Now to the paint. Depending on what colour and level of shine you are trying to achieve, select the appropriate automotive paint in those small rattle spray bombs. You may want to go to a semi gloss black, a flat black base coat followed by a clear coat to get a full shine, or a full gloss black paint in one step. If you're unsure which way to go, visit an auto painter and ask for a quick answer as to which he would suggest to best match. Then its just a following of the instructions printed on the can to finish the project.

I suggest you try spraying on some cardboard first, in order to get the hang of it so as to not make any runs. Carefully done, you should be able to produce a nice enough finish on the panel to make it look factory new. Good Luck!