There is no denying it. The E30 chassis is getting over 30 years old, parts are faded, cracking, rusting or just disintegrating in your hands! Unfortunately, it's not as 'cheap' an option anymore, with the popularity of the E30 rising sharply, to buy the replacement parts you need for a few bucks. I went searching for an option for the E30 trims. There had been a few people talking about Bowden's Mr Black and I thought it would be a great opportunity to check it out and give it a shot.
One of the worst trims on the E30 was the rear plate surround. It's seen some better days. A perfect candidate.
The Bowden's Mr Black guide is straight forward. Wipe over the panel with their 'Flash Prep' to remove any wax, grease or oils - I also gave my parts a hit with 'Orange Agent' prior to loosen up any dirt.
Once it's prepped. It's as simple as wiping on Mr Black, overlapping where you rub with the applicator. It's amazing how little product you actually need! Once you have good coverage, allow to dry before hitting it up with a second applicator to smooth out any high spots.
While I was at it, I thought it would be a good idea to give the number plate lights a birthday. While they didn't turn out perfect, there is definitely a noticeable difference. Again, using 'Agent Orange' and a detailing brush - I scrubbed in and around the lights carefully as they felt fragile. The result is 100x better than they were!
And the finished product.
There is an amazing difference. It definitely looks better in person then these photos show off. Such a difference for so little time and effort.
Can't wait to tackle a few more pieces around the E30, especially the mirrors! It will be interesting to see how it holds up to the weather over but at the moment, I am nothing short of impressed by Mr Black!
Before
After
