My Rear Window Bay Sunbleaching Repair - 50¢
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 5
Likes: 1
From: Kentucky
1998 E-430
My Rear Window Bay Sunbleaching Repair - 50¢
My 1998 E430's rear window bay was pinkish-purple from sun bleaching. The Bose cloth-covered speaker covers were also pink. I looked at lots of solutions like sprays, and considered re-carpeting the bay.
Today, I thought, heck, wonder if I can just hand-paint it? Bought a 50¢ bottle of charcoal-colored acrylic craft paint at Walmart named "Pavement", and hand-painted it with a 1/2" artist brush. Took an hour. See the pink surface? That's the unpainted part. It took decades off the age.
I also re-attached the falling headliner, with 3M spray glue, which took right at 5 minutes to do. A lot easier than I thought it would be. Found directions on YouTube.
Finally, I also lubricated all the windows with spray silicone foam. Found directions on YouTube. The passenger window would not go all the way up before without pulling it up by hand, and then just barely. Now, it goes up and down easily, with no manual effort.
Today, I thought, heck, wonder if I can just hand-paint it? Bought a 50¢ bottle of charcoal-colored acrylic craft paint at Walmart named "Pavement", and hand-painted it with a 1/2" artist brush. Took an hour. See the pink surface? That's the unpainted part. It took decades off the age.
I also re-attached the falling headliner, with 3M spray glue, which took right at 5 minutes to do. A lot easier than I thought it would be. Found directions on YouTube.
Finally, I also lubricated all the windows with spray silicone foam. Found directions on YouTube. The passenger window would not go all the way up before without pulling it up by hand, and then just barely. Now, it goes up and down easily, with no manual effort.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,219
Likes: 94
From: MD
w210 AMG or S213
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 32
From: Austin Texas!!!
2001 E55 OMG
Ah yes, I remember that project
I must say for .50 that result is hard to beat. Looks good!
How does the material feel? One thing I noticed on mine is that after dying the fabric, it seems to become a lint magnet. The sun rot made my deck fabric more brittle so while mine looks new, it feels rough.
Where did you lubricate the windows at?
I must say for .50 that result is hard to beat. Looks good!
How does the material feel? One thing I noticed on mine is that after dying the fabric, it seems to become a lint magnet. The sun rot made my deck fabric more brittle so while mine looks new, it feels rough.
Where did you lubricate the windows at?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 5
Likes: 1
From: Kentucky
1998 E-430
The material just feels like slightly stiff carpet, but I don't ever touch it anyway. I just hated that pink bleached look, every time I looked in the rear-view mirror.
On the windows, you spray silicone along the tracks that hold the window, where ever the window trim touches the edge of the glass, inside and out. Run the windows up and down many, many times, to get them good and lubricated. Just so you know, the silicone leaves a dry lubricated edge, after it dries, so it is still working even after it dries. Keep a dry towel/rag ready to catch and wipe over sprays.
On the windows, you spray silicone along the tracks that hold the window, where ever the window trim touches the edge of the glass, inside and out. Run the windows up and down many, many times, to get them good and lubricated. Just so you know, the silicone leaves a dry lubricated edge, after it dries, so it is still working even after it dries. Keep a dry towel/rag ready to catch and wipe over sprays.
