Anybody remove Lexus cladding? (1 Viewer)

[Docmallory]

So, who knows for sure what is under the plastic cladding of the LX450?

How easy would it be to take it off, and what would we be left with (holes, glue, rust, other ugliness)?

 

[bad_religion_au]

don't do it, the evil automotive spirits that haunted the lexus/toyota factory were banished there...

i got no idea what's under there really

 

[NorCalDoug]

WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU???

That's not "cladding"...it's body armor!

Remove the body armor...who ever heard of such a thing...

 

[Rookie2]

Hey Doug.

Haven't remove the door armour, but I've removed the front fender flare and can tell you everthing you need to know about that removal, if that's the part you're talking about.

Let me know.


Rookie2 (a.k.a. Rookie)

 

[rjjff88]

alot of holes on the door panel

 

[Rookie2]

Whoops, I guess that was DOCMALLORY. Guess I get over excited seeing my LOC bretherem on here.

Anyways, DOCMALLORY,

For the fender flare- there are five bolted clips and accompanying holes that attach the top portion of the flare, through/to the fender. They're about 12" on center and you can see the nuts through the holes on engine comparment side. You can get all of those off without removing much from the engine side if you got skinny arms and a long wrench. There are three snap-in clips (and accompanying holes) that attach the rear portion to the fender. There's also a hole with a drain tube (sunroof??) in this rear arear. There's one bolt attaching the front end that you can see. As far as ashesives etc.. not really. There's foam weather striping along the edges. Once you get it off, doesn't look too bad, just dirty. Paint and all is good. But unless you patch and paint the holes and relocate the drain tube, it'd look like ass, without the armour.


R2

 

[NorCalDoug]

Like the others said...you'd have a bunch of holes from the clips used to hold the door panels on. There will be some foamy tape that was used to seal the cladding to the doors and body; there should be no rust.

If you want an idea of what you're in for, you could take the interior door panel off -- lube the window channel while you're in there -- and look at the clips used to hold the cladding on.

Me, I'm planning on rhino-lining/line-xing/herculining the panels and the flares. I've found the plastic cladding has come in handy on the trail; it's taken abuse that the sheet metal would've taken from larger branches, roots, etc.

Granted it's not going to protect the body from anything serious -- but for little stuff, it's not half bad.

That's my $0.02

 

[Docmallory]

Ah, thanks guys. That helps.

I don't have a LX450, but in my search for an 80 I am considering getting the Lexus version. I just prefer the cleaner looks of the LC so much better than the Ponti-esque look of the Lexus.

It sounds like there's no easy way to de-clad the Lexus.

Hopefully I'll get to buy that locked 40th Anniversary LC this weekend and the point will be moot.

 

[REDDER1]

[quote author=Docmallory link=board=2;threadid=11755;start=msg107120#msg107120 date=1077161710]
So, who knows for sure what is under the plastic cladding of the LX450?[/quote]

answer:[glow=red,2,300]MORE HOLES THAN A TEXAS WHORE HOUSE![/glow]

Later..
Joe

 

[Rookie2]

[quote author=Docmallory link=board=2;threadid=11755;start=msg107522#msg107522 date=1077235742]
Ponti-esque look of the Lexus.
[/quote]

Don't know what them words mean, but I suspect one of these is in order.

If them words stand for purdy,... then nevermind .
r2

 

[NorCalDoug]

Yeah, even Pontiac is going away from the plastic crud -- a bad phase in car/truck history.
So, if the plastic's gonna give you fits, then don't get it.

You'll miss out on the six CD changer and a usable center console armrest (for my height, the LC center console never worked well as an armrest for me -- way too low).

In some places the Lexus is less expensive -- but I can't figure out why. Once you swap out the springs/shocks, it's pretty much the same rig.

I never went looking for a Lexus, but when I found a LX 450 with lockers at a great price, there was no stoppin' me.