# How do I remove the door vent trim & instrument cluster trim?



## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

I'm going to have the grey parts painted a Gloss PBM.

Thanks to EXWRX's instructions on the center console parts. http://www.gtoforum.com/f41/diy-dash-removal-hu-install-w-pics-13024/

Now about the grey door vent trim? Is it a matter of using a screw driver and prying it off? Or is this more complex where I have to remove other stuff like door panels, etc.?

Driver's instrument cluster:

Just the 2 screws on the top? Or are there other tabs or screws that I need to know about?


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## sleepindirty (Mar 31, 2010)

if your talking about the triangular part that blows air across the side windows. 
its very simple, grab the back of it (furtheset away from the actual vent) and pull out, its should remove. there is a small white plunger in the center that smashes through a hole and holds it in place. 

now for putting it back in. on the front there is a small pice of plastic that must wedge in a grove before lining up the white plunger in the hole .. 
:cheers


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

Thanks for that info and reply.

How about the silver trim that outlines the door vents?


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## nc_06goat (Jun 3, 2010)

The air vents are ( one piece ) the vent louver is removeable but the silver part isn't. You will have to remove the entire vent from the door. It's held in place with clips.

As for the cluster trim ( if I remember correctly ) it held with the 2 scews and a couple clips


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

Would the air vents silver part be easy to paint?


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## Bluegoat05 (Mar 22, 2010)

are you going to paint the steering wheel silver trim as well? also you must post pics when your done


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

i want to since it makes the steering wheel look dated and cheap, but i think it's going to be a PITA.


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## Bluegoat05 (Mar 22, 2010)

ya i wanna just do all my silver trim with base/clear silver to match my stripes. because my steering wheel is bubbling and it drives me crazy. i found a thred that explained how to get the air bag out and that the silver parts come off so you would not have to take the wheel off. one note on that,i havent done mine yet but if you do make sure you disconect the battery for a half hour before trying to take the air bag off because it may explode if you dont and that would be an expensive broken nose lol.:cheers but i am excited to se the out come of your trim


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

I have to wait for my NSX custom LED front markers to be shipped to me so that I can drive it to the shop to look at some awkward intermittent misfiring I've been experiencing after I drove over a deep puddle.



























After that's squared away, I'm going to do the following:

1. Cut off that useless baffle from the hood scopes so more cool air can be directed right on the Maggie

2. Remove the hood and fenders to have them powder coated in gloss black for the base coat.

3. Then I will have the hood, fenders, front bumper, side mirrors (the driver side mirror has some nasty orange peel on the part facing the side window from the factory) and the trim mentioned in this post painted PBM.

This may take about a month if I have no interruptions. So be patient.


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## Bluegoat05 (Mar 22, 2010)

by the way the led markers are really cool. but i was just curious as to why you are powder coating the hood and fenders? i am assuming because it would be stronger than regular paint and wouldnt rock chip as easily? have you done this on other vehicles?


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

Bluegoat05 said:


> by the way the led markers are really cool. but i was just curious as to why you are powder coating the hood and fenders? i am assuming because it would be stronger than regular paint and wouldnt rock chip as easily? have you done this on other vehicles?


thanks for the props on the LEDs. 

When I had my RX7 I was really tired of the rock chips. 

Since I've been getting powder coating work done on my varies projects (mostly wheels) I wanted to test my theory for other parts of the car.

I had a friend that gutted his 993 Twin Turbo and rolled the chassis in to have it entirely powder coated.

It came out better looking than the OEM finish. He even developed a technique to wet sand the powder coat to a mirror finish with no orange peel. Just gorgeous.

Needless to say I did the RX7 fenders, but not the hood since it was aluminum and would warp in the autoclave process.

Right before I sold the RX7, I had logged on over 50k miles with the powder coating and there was not a single chip on there. I've purposely tail gated trucks and could hear the rocks hit it.

Since the powder coating finish for the PBM is not the same, I wanted to use it as a base layer and paint over it. the theory is if the rock were to chip off the paint, it wouldn't chip the base layer. 

This would keep the visual effect that nothing was chipped since the powder coating and paint would be very close in color. that's a lot better than seeing bare metal on the hood/fenders when the primer was chipped off.

Also, since the powder coating is thicker than the paint, the seems between the hood and fenders will be smaller for a tighter fit.


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## nc_06goat (Jun 3, 2010)

batmans said:


> i want to since it makes the steering wheel look dated and cheap, but i think it's going to be a PITA.


I have a friend that painted his steering wheel, as well as his vents.
He said it was easy but after he was finished he hated that he did it. He said it was just too much.



batmans said:


> Would the air vents silver part be easy to paint?


I have bought extra vents and painted them myself. Its very easy. 
I never installed them because I thought it would make my interior look cheap.


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

why would it make ur interior look cheap?


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## batmans (Aug 16, 2007)

I finally did it when I had the front of the car powder coated and/or repainted.

It *REALLY* makes the interior of the GTO look that much more expensive. The gloss PBM makes the interior look more like that from Cadillac or even some of the German makes.


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