If you own a 240 with old, cracked door vinyl, this page will help with that.  To those of you who thought that black piece was painted on, no, it wasn't. It's simply black vinyl that was stuck onto the paint. It first appeared on 240 Turbo models beginning in 1981 (except for black cars, since black cars did not get this door vinyl).  Later it also appeared on many other 240s through the 1993 production run.

OLD VINYL REMOVAL
Your first step is to buy a special VINYL ERASER WHEEL that will fit on your drill. A pneumatic drill is shown here, but any drill works.  Vinyl eraser wheels are easy to find these days.

Here's one for about $15 from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Remover-Stickers-Minutes-Wheel-toolkit/dp/B00VFACQRE/

Here's a YouTube video on this eraser wheel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=IJLIvxmB7e4

You can go through TWO of these eraser wheels on a large job like a typical 245.

Work slowly and try not to allow too much heat to build up on the paint.  This wheel will buff the vinyl off and it'll do a much better job that any other method.  In fact it will usually remove the vinyl without leaving any damage to the paint underneath.  And if there is still some glue residue on the paint, you may do some final cleaning with a mild solvent, such as Goo-Gone or some paint polish, rubbing compound or cleaner wax. 

Take your time to clean your paint surface well. If there are any chips or scratches in the paint, they will probably show when the vinyl is put on.  So do everything you can for a smooth surface.

DOOR VINYL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
For the front doors, I recommend removing the mirrors because it will give you more room to work. On some 240s they will simply be in the way, but it's up to you.

It will be best to remove the window rubber scraper molding metal strips. Those simply pry UP and OFF. There are instructions below.

The scraper trim has a metal tab that wraps around the end of the door. On early models built before 1986, this tab hooks around the door on the front AND rear of the front doors.  On front doors for later 240s (built after 1986), there is a tab at the rear only, because the front end tucks under the mirror on a later model.

Carefully, use a flat screwdriver to bend these tabs out just a little and away from the door.  It will not take much bending.

Now place the blade of a flat screwdriver or a strong plastic trim tool (or any flat tool) under the metal strip near the rear of the door.  Be careful to avoid damaging your car (below the screwdriver). You can help avoid damage by placing a piece of cardboard or scrap metal under the screwdriver to protect the door.

You do not need to remove the trim around the FIXED rear glass (any glass behind your front doors on a 2-door car, or any glass to the rear of your rear doors on a 4-door or wagon).  Removing that fixed glass trim is a difficult task, so I recommend that you leave it alone.  You may cover that trim with some masking tape to protect it while you're removing your old vinyl.

Most stripes are about 2.5 to 3 inches wide, when measuring the width of your stripes, measure from the window scraper metal trim strip to the bottom of the black vinyl stripe. Most 240 Turbos had 3 inch wide stripes, but the stripes got a little bit more narrow on many cars in later years. 

The correct installation method in my opinion is the WET method, however it can be done wet or dry. The wet method involves wetting the paint surface and vinyl adhesive surface with slightly soapy water. The water solution allows you to slide the vinyl into the precise position and to squeegee out any air pockets.  Mix a 16 ounce spray bottle with water and 1/4 teaspoon or less of dish soap (something like Dawn. Not dishwasher soap).  There are a number of YouTube videos showing the installation of vinyl decals using the WET method.

When your car is ready for the new stripes, use some masking tape to mark positions along the door where you want the BOTTOM EDGE of the new stripe to be. I recommend laying down a straight masking tape line. This will help keep your new stripe straight and even during installation.

When installing a vinyl stripe, install these pieces one door or one section at a time.  

A plastic squeegee with felt on one edge will come in handy.  The felt edge helps prevent scratches on the black vinyl surface when you're smoothing it out.

When you're ready to begin installation, peel the backing off the vinyl stripe and then spray the adhesive side of the stripe with the soapy water solution.  Also spray the car paint surface. 

Lay the vinyl stripe on the car, adhesive side down, and slide it into place.  Then spray the top of the stripe and carefully squeegee or smooth it down while pushing out any trapped water or air pockets.  If needed, you may still lift sections of the vinyl and re-spray underneath to help in case things begin drying before you finish, but once you begin squeezing out the water, the adhesive will begin to get stronger.  The soapy water being sprayed on the top surface of the vinyl will help minimize scratches in the vinyl from the squeegee.  You can also wrap the squeegee in a soft cloth to eliminate scratches if you don't have a felt lined one. Once the vinyl is in position and firmly set, if there is any trimming needed on the glass side or under the scraper trim strips, between doors, etc., this can be done then.  A sharp hobby knife works well for that.

If you run into any difficulties during installation, or if you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!