Removing those chrome eyebrows
 

I am getting serious now in my 560sl quest. This site has given me a wealth of info on what to look for on these beauties. One question-some 107's have those aftermarket chrome "eyebrows" over the wheel openings-which I personally cannot stand. Some people must have thought they looked great-hence they bought them-but I think they are hideous, so much that I would probably not buy the car! I don't exactly know why, I actually like the look of the chrome plated factory rims, I just can't stand the chrome eyebrows. What if I find the perfect 560sl and it has the dreaded chrome things over the wheels? Can they be removed without having to repaint the area-which would probably mean repainting the car? I'm thinking they are applied with some kind of adhesive, maybe it comes off with some work-any ideas or has anyone removed these things before?

The are screwed on at the flange. Depending how long they have been on and the conditions the car saw, you may have some deviations in paint color or possibly rust due to accumulation of moisture over the years.

Fortunately I had no rust on the (discarded) ones that came with my 85, but the edge of the rubber seal had worn/eroded the clearcoat off to the point that a complete sanding of all clearoat in that area was required before the repaint.

Most people fit them to conceal wheelarch rust.

I'm always afraid that they tend to trap moisture and salt, etc. under them even if there was no rust there to begin with.

Unless I find an absolute steal, I guess I'll look for one that is chrome eyebrow free!

They only rust on my '72 is from the mouldings that were on it in the old days. It came from Belgium where apparently they salt the roads. The brine got behind the mouldings and rusted the wheelwell where the screws attached. Or so I'm told.....
When it's repainted, no mouldings will go back on.