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White 83 242 Commuter

Pluses and minuses to both, in my mind: black, as stated before, hides imperfections better. White does make the car look a bit lower on the sides though, which I like. How about you pick one, and I'll do the other?! :rofl:
 
No. There is a SEM paint to match the factory rocker color

True, trim black. That's what I originally planned on doing, but then I had this nagging idea about the white paint. Tower Paint sells a rattle can (expensive rattle can!!) of real automotive paint with a capsule filled with hardener. You take the cap off the can, and use it to pop the hardener capsule, making it strong enough for high-impact panels like the rocker. Best part is that they will match factory paint off the paint code, so you can just order it in 189 White, for a factory perfect match. Since I plan on using it for the front airdam and hood, I was thinking "what else could I paint..." hence the rocker idea. LOL

I'll say black. Plus it hides road tar better.

:cool:

Excellent point.

I'll vote yes on white rocker.

Some controversy! nice. It's different, and subtle. It could maybe look good... And really, only Volvo people would ever notice, and who cares what they think, right? (me, apparently.)

Pluses and minuses to both, in my mind: black, as stated before, hides imperfections better. White does make the car look a bit lower on the sides though, which I like. How about you pick one, and I'll do the other?! :rofl:

That's why I like the white airdam! But the white rockers also make the car look fat and chunky, which is not a good look IMO.

In my opinion, the white airdam on my car looks a little strange, because the rockers and butcheeks are black. It hangs down below the imaginary line across the bottom of the car, where below it everything else is painted black. I was hoping that the little black piece of rocker trim would help continue the imaginary line from the back of the car, but also make the white airdam look more appropriate.
 
In my opinion, the white airdam on my car looks a little strange, because the rockers and butcheeks are black. It hangs down below the imaginary line across the bottom of the car, where below it everything else is painted black. I was hoping that the little black piece of rocker trim would help continue the imaginary line from the back of the car, but also make the white airdam look more appropriate.

My vote is rockers and airdam black. The car looks great either way though
 
Why not, Volvo did color matched rockers on pre 81 cars

this...

shows the car's lines better. The "no thrills" early cars look so clean and simple vs mid and late models --- thats why 86+ look so stupid IMO

while black airdam because it blends with the skinny front and back black bumpers

maybe try
plasti dip the dam or side in white or black and see how you like it


your pshop sucks - makes it look way fatter then it really is
OQn0B.jpg

but that car would look better with the pinch weld spot (bottom of ca) painted black


the stuff that's on the roof is from tree sap not brake fluid
 
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Painted only looks good if the rocker trim is gone like an earlier car. Then the body seam always looks like crap.

And +1 to the tree sap/bird poop. Toxic stuff if just left there for years.
 
I think I'll give the white a try. If I don't like it, then just like you I can paint over it with trim black, or undercoat it to prevent chipping.

Mine is on/off daily driver, so I can't do big things right now. Later I 'm going to remove all trimming, weld all holes and do a good rust preventation for it. I've got side skirts from Bross body kit, maybe I paint it white and put it on car, maybe not.

Looking good keep it up that way! :cool:
 
A few small updates. Replaced both front wheel bearings last night, and MAN, the car is so much quieter above 25mph. Less road noise and buzzing in the steering wheel too. It's almost as if I put $200 worth of dynamat up under the dash.




I also installed an IPD skid plate, that came off a parts car I destroyed. That might have helped with a little of the road noise too. Check out those sweet old school IPD 25/25 sways!!







Also got a 12" sub wired up in the trunk, adjusted the camber a touch more positive because the spring perches were rubbing on the inside of the strut tower and dislodging the springs, discovered a bad inner tie rod end on the ZF rack, moved the deck to the upper dash position because I hate reaching behind the shifter to adjust the radio, and lubed the door and hood hinges. I will need to replace that tie rod end and have this pig aligned by a person with a better tape measure.

Big rush to get little crap fixed and ready, for a 3 hour road trip with my wife and 6 y/o daughter this weekend. My wife's car has an unexpected corded tire, presumably due to a jacked up alignment, so the 242 is pulling family car duty this weekend while I save up for a pair of 245/40/19s. She's been driving the 242 to work all this week, and she actually loves it. But I reeeally don't want this weekend's road trip to be an unpleasant experience! I might even buy some air fresheners, and stop at Starbucks for a $75 breakfast on the way out of town. Any other suggestions, aside from renting a real car?
 
Big rush to get little crap fixed and ready, for a 3 hour road trip with my wife and 6 y/o daughter this weekend. My wife's car has an unexpected corded tire, presumably due to a jacked up alignment, so the 242 is pulling family car duty this weekend while I save up for a pair of 245/40/19s. She's been driving the 242 to work all this week, and she actually loves it. But I reeeally don't want this weekend's road trip to be an unpleasant experience! I might even buy some air fresheners, and stop at Starbucks for a $75 breakfast on the way out of town. Any other suggestions, aside from renting a real car?

Tell her to leave your ass behind, Im sure it crossed her mind after you not fixing her car sooner
 
Tell her to leave your ass behind, Im sure it crossed her mind after you not fixing her car sooner
That's unkind.

I love that side trim. Might have to do that on my car.
I can't wait to finish getting the glue off, brushing the rest of it, and then painting the caps. I'm finding that a little bit of brake cleaner on a red scotch brite pad melts the glue pretty quickly, and then a second pass with a wet red pad gives a good brushed finish.
 
Got only a tiny bit done this weekend, chipping away at it little by little.

The side trim was in OK condition, but it had a few blemishes. One of the worst blemishes was on the black part of the rear quarter trim, and that stick is somewhat hard to find since it's 242 only. So in an effort to make the best of it, I pulled the black rubber off the trim, and gave the remaining stainless trim a nice subtle brushed finish. I prefer the early stainless-only trim, and had no idea that all I had to do was remove the rubber to get a very similar look! Also trimmed down the plastic caps on the ends, to match the new profile of the trim.




I love the clean look of it against the white paint. I'll tweek out on the trim's end caps at a later date, maybe with a bit of satin nickel paint to better match the stainless.

:uh:

I don't get it, that rub rail is the best part of the Dl trim, now it's as vulnerable as 140 trim to denting, and still doesn't look as good.

Personally I would have just sourced another 1/4 stick.

:e-shrug:
 
:uh:

I don't get it, that rub rail is the best part of the Dl trim, now it's as vulnerable as 140 trim to denting, and still doesn't look as good.

Personally I would have just sourced another 1/4 stick.

:e-shrug:

I just think it looks a lot better, but I am sure it's not for everyone.

BTW it will be easier to source a 1/4 panel trim with torched rubber to match this one if I get too many dings, than it would be to find a clean 1/4 trim. Especially if you are the type of person who can't bring yourself to spend over $100 for a piece of trim!
 
I just think it looks a lot better, but I am sure it's not for everyone.

So typical TB form over function?

Or tweak for tweek's sake?

BTW it will be easier to source a 1/4 panel trim with torched rubber to match this one if I get too many dings, than it would be to find a clean 1/4 trim. Especially if you are the type of person who can't bring yourself to spend over $100 for a piece of trim!

:uh:

I have a good one here for a lot less than that.

:grin:
 
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