shadowlining? - United Bimmer Community

**crisby325i** · 04-26-2005, 02:01 PM

i hav heard alot about it but don't know exactly what it is and that it is a very easy, but major change to the exterior...can anyone explain what shadowlining is and how to do it? if possible, could you show a pic of a car w/ it and one w/o it...

**brien4787** · 04-26-2005, 04:35 PM

shadowlining is just painting the chrome trim(like the exteriorwindow chrome trim) black... for you, i dont think you can because i dont think you have any...

it does make the car look a lot nicer in a lot of peoples opinions

**brien4787** · 04-26-2005, 04:38 PM

dans e30... http://www.sticky-flo.com/Artwork/Ca...s/IMG_1230.jpg
hamann318is's e30... http://themint.no-ip.org/images/318i...ake_front2.jpg

notice how the trim on the windows is black, unlike the stock chrome like afro guy's e30... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ead/hans62.jpg

hope nobody minds me taking the links and posting them as examples...

**cpain49176** · 04-26-2005, 05:03 PM

Here it is on my car, it looks a lot better

**brien4787** · 04-26-2005, 05:05 PM

how did you prep and paint them though?
i have never done it

**spiff** · 04-26-2005, 07:58 PM

first off, thanks brien, good pic posts.

To shadowline, it will take longest to tape off and paper everything.
what you need:
3M Scuff pad
SEM Trim Paint
Paint Tape

First off:
1) tape around all the chrome, and on the windows and around the outside of the chrome(tucked under the tape) you want to have newpaper, because the last thing you want is over spray(when your paint gets other paint on it, then its rough and it sucks balls)
that will take you the longest, it takes about 15-20 mintues for each side, pending on how fast you move(dont forget to tape around your mirror(unless you plan on painting it also, lik ei did) and tape the housing(if your not painting it).
2)use scuff pad and scuff(rough up) the chrome(this will allow the paint to stick a lot better)
2) apply 2 coats of the spraypaint, make sure its even, spray from about 8-12 inches away, you want it to cover, but dont want it to drip, if it drips, that place will tend to chip.

its pretty easy, can take 2 hours to get it done right(includes drying).

any questions, ask me or anyone else here

**Joey** · 04-26-2005, 10:13 PM

I don't think the trim's actually a chrome finish, I was under the impression that it's polished aluminum.
Either way, it's hard to think of an E30 the process wouldn't improve.

witeshark · 04-26-2005, 10:46 PM

Nice cpain and I like the side markers wired to turn signals!

**Red_Rocket** · 04-27-2005, 01:42 PM

did you do a bumper tuck?

**cpain49176** · 04-27-2005, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by witeshark

Nice cpain and I like the side markers wired to turn signals!

Thanks

This is how you do a bumper tuck

http://www.r3vlimited.com/Tech/tuck.htm

**crisby325i** · 05-04-2005, 04:58 PM

can you paint the aluminum front/rear bumpers also?

**cpain49176** · 05-07-2005, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crisby325i

can you paint the aluminum front/rear bumpers also?

thats what I did after the tuck

**crisby325i** · 05-08-2005, 09:00 PM

how much labor is required for plastic bumper conversion and where can i find them?

**hamann318is** · 05-08-2005, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crisby325i

how much labor is required for plastic bumper conversion and where can i find them?

IIRC, because you've got a Cabbie, the bumper swap isn't that difficult. A bumper swap is difficult on the other E30s, because the rear arches are lower. I'm under the impression that on the cabs, all of the rear arches are the higher version. It's probably not going to be bolt on, but it will be nothing compared to doing the swap on a coupe. Look at the guide on r3v and make adjustments accordingly.

You can find plastic bumpers anywhere. You just gotta look.