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DIY Project 41

Adding Chrome Air Vent Covers
by GT Man              (Difficulty: easy)

I had been seeing these on some Korean cars and thought it might be a nice compliment to my aluminum dash, pedals and stainless door sills. They are available online from KSpec and Shark Racing, but I went the homemade route instead. I used TrimBrite chrome door edge molding that I purchased at a local auto supply store. I needed a bit over five feet so I purchased two packages of molding at a total cost of only $8 plus tax! This turned out to be a simple, very inexpensive and worthwhile little cosmetic mod.

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Tools Needed
 
Cloth for cleaning
Alcohol wipes
Tin Snips or Box cutter
Hair dryer
Ruler
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Installation of the Air Vent Covers
 
 
1. Using a ruler, carefully measure the length needed for each vent slat. Write all the slat sizes down on a piece of paper so you can keep track.
 
2. Cut the edge molding to the sizes needed. I used tin snips but a box cutter or even a sharp scissors should do the trick. Set the cut pieces aside. 
 
3. It's very important that the GT's plastic vent slats are clean and free of any wax or oils. Use a combination of alcohol wipes and a soft cloth to clean and dry them.
 
4. It's also important that the car's vent slats are warm (above 65-70 degrees or so). Use a hair dryer for about 30 seconds or so on the vents and on the pre-cut molding pieces (this step helps the molding adhere to the vent slats).
 
5. Now that everything is warm, it's time to install the vent covers. Simply press the chrome molding firmly into place and hold for about ten seconds. Repeat until all the chrome pieces are installed.
 
6. Allow about 48-72 hours for the adhesive on the moldings to bond to the vent slats.
 
7. Enjoy your stylish, sporty looking air vents!
 
- GT Man

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Click on the photo below for a close-up of the vents!