Replacing/Painting Sunroof Garnish (1 Viewer)

[TX FJ80]

Since LB44/Oak pieces are NLA, my plan is to buy the gray garnish pieces and paint them to match *one* of the colors in my interior.

You will see in pics below my 40th AE is 1B2 (Antique Sage) and LB44 (Interior/Trim code).

The OG tan/oak color looks like it has yellowed anyhow, so my idea was to 1) find something darker that matches another color, and 2) something that won't clash with the headliner if it's slightly off.

If I wanted to paint the sunroof garnish the same color as the dash, does anyone know the color code of the dash so I can find some trim/plastic paint to match?

TIA.
p.s. - I searched, all I found was a bunch of discussion with no consensus, so wanted to ask again; sorry if I missed the answer elsewhere.

 

[80ways]

Rustoleum textured bronze #7226 is a good match for the dash color your arrow is pointed at.

 

[ERG80]

Rustoleum textured bronze #7226 is a good match for the dash color your arrow is pointed at.

This! Its as close as you can get to the darker oak interior color.

I painted gray sunroof trim pieces to match my tan/oak interior but wanted them to be the lighter tan like the original pieces. I used rustoelum dark taupe 241238 which was as close as I could get to the original color of that trim.

 

[DSRTRDR]

or buy a used piece from @arcteryx here on MUD

 

[SucioP]

Used pieces exist that don’t shatter at the slightest sideways glance?!

 

[Kernal]

IIRC SEM spray paint "Monterey" is a match to the lighter brown Oak interior parts but the sunroof trim found in the Oak interiors is more of a cream color??

Either way that trim is not directly next to any other interior parts and it's out of sight 99.99% of time (sliding door closed) so maybe an exact color match isn't all that important??

 

[TX FJ80]

IIRC SEM spray paint "Monterey" is a match to the lighter brown Oak interior parts but the sunroof trim found in the Oak interiors is more of a cream color??

Either way that trim is not directly next to any other interior parts and it's out of signt 99.99% of time (sliding door closed) so maybe an exact color match isn't all that important??

Yep, that's why I was going with the darker brown on the dash - there isn't any brown up there so if it isn't exact, there aren't any visual reference points to it so it's even less noticeable.

 

[TX FJ80]

Used pieces exist that don’t shatter at the slightest sideways glance?!

I already went down that road - I bought a good used set and they showed up poorly packaged and destroyed. It makes me wonder if they weren't cracked to hell before they even went into the box and the crappy packaging was just a cover.

Rustoleum textured bronze #7226 is a good match for the dash color your arrow is pointed at.

Thanks - I will look for that at my local HD tomorrow!


Side bar: Where can I buy SEM locally? I am trying to wrap up as much as I can today (Sunday, March 26) and Amazon doesn't show either of the SEM products arriving until after next weekend.


Jackpot! I think these new garnish pieces will be huge improvement - right now it just lets the whole interior down IMHO. I had a piece of rear door sill molding out anyhow and I laid it down for a color reference to see if I would like it.

 

[Kernal]

You could try a local AutoBody paint supply store, some carry the SEM line of paint. Consider a can of Plastic Adhesion Promoter like 38363 to use before the color coat. It's basically a mixture of solvents that soften the plastic surface before spraying on the color. Practice first on some other piece of plastic if you haven't used it before. FWIW

 

[TX FJ80]

You could try a local AutoBody paint supply store, some carry the SEM line of paint. Consider a can of Plastic Adhesion Promoter like 38363 to use before the color coat. It's basically a mixture of solvents that soften the plastic surface before spraying on the color. Practice first on some other piece of plastic if you haven't used it before. FWIW

Thank you! I was planning on using the remnants of my old garnish as test material so I didn't booger up brand new trim, but I was wondering if the adhesion promotor/plastic paint prep was really necessary or if I could just scuff it and wipe down with alcohol - looks like I have my answer. Thanks for all the help.

 

[TX FJ80]

Thank you! I was planning on using the remnants of my old garnish as test material so I didn't booger up brand new trim, but I was wondering if the adhesion promotor/plastic paint prep was really necessary or if I could just scuff it and wipe down with alcohol - looks like I have my answer. Thanks for all the help.

Has anyone used or tried to use this stuff, and what was the result? I know I’m probably pushing it because I’m time constrained and today I have time. :-/

Dupli-color Desert Sand

 

[Kernal]

You can scuff/sand it but that particular adhesiion promoter is designed to eliminated that step and allow the color coat to bind tighter onto the plastic.
Take your pick.

FWIW to decrease a bit of heat into the cabin I placed a sheet of reflectiive aluminum foil / bubble wrap type insulation into the space above the sliding door (there's also another type that has a foam core). You can cut it long and shove it rearward over the sunroof assembly.

 

[White Stripe]

I am just going to leave the pieces out. I don't really notice they are gone. They are very very fragile and only noticed missing by well...nobody so far in my experience. I've ran into very few guys that pick apart a cruiser to such a high degree and I'm not too worried about what they think. I think Toyota used the incorrect panel clip style for such fragile pieces.

 

[Kernal]

@TX FJ80 : no experience using the Duplicolor product in this application but seeing that the trims pieces are hidden up there you could give it a try.

Or, if you're short on time to install the new trim pieces now, why not just wait until you have the time to do it later?? I've been driving my 96 model
for about 15 years without that trim, don't notice it and don't miss it as the sliding door is closed virtually 100% of the time.

White Stripe said:

"I think Toyota used the incorrect panel clip style for such fragile pieces."

Agree. I have a set of new trim pieces in my parts stash but left them out of my 96 model for the same reasons as mentioned above.

 

[TX FJ80]

@TX FJ80 : no experience using the Duplicolor product in this application but seeing that the trims pieces are hidden up there you could give it a try.

Or, if you're short on time to install the new trim pieces now, why not just wait until you have the time to do it later?? I've been driving my 96 model
for about 15 years without that trim, don't notice it and don't miss it as the sliding door is closed virtually 100% of the time.

White Stripe said:

"I think Toyota used the incorrect panel clip style for such fragile pieces."

Agree. I have a set of new trim pieces in my parts stash but left them out of my 96 model for the same reasons as mentioned above.

I just took the old half broken pieces out and I agree with both of you gents - wrong clip for the material, location, and application - holy smokes! I just "chewed" the old brittle nastiness out of each clip with a pair of needlenose and a dental pick until I could crush the clip enough to get it out...

When I do get the new trim ready to install I am going to try and use some Magic Lube (pool equipment grease) or on the mounting points - a couple of the clips appear to be nearly bonded to the frame.

Does anyone know if it is a PITA to re-align the sunroof if I take it out and work on the clips on my bench? I feel like I might be more successful standing over the glass than looking up at it at an awkward angle.

Thanks for all the help gents, especially you @Kernal and a h/t to @White Stripe - sheesh those clips suck big time.

 

[TX FJ80]

Rustoleum textured bronze #7226 is a good match for the dash color your arrow is pointed at.

A can of this arrived via Amazon this AM - hoping to get the time tonight to paint some test pieces (what's left of the old and busted garnish).

Thanks for the info/help!

 

[Kernal]

If you're going to use a grease on the clips I'd pick something that is not petroleum based, a swipe of dielectric grease (which is silicone) or Molykote 33 (lithium base with silicone) maybe.

It is not difficult to re-align the sunroof but does take some fiddling. IME the most common issue is that the runroof glass assembly tends to sag and when that happens it allows more water past the seals. So using extra or thicker shims to raise the sunroof up a bit can help. Shims are available from Toyota, there are generic aftermarket shims also.

After removing, cleaning, then reinstalling the glass assembly I used a garden hose (at low pressure, no nozzle)) to check to see if the sunroof was sealing, checking front and rear then each side separately for leaks. Had to move it around a couple of times until I got it right.