Has anybody ever gone thru this process? I'd like to get mine off, painted, and put back on... was wondering waht the difficulty level was in a proj like this. I figured I'd do it when I re-paint the chrome window surrounds for the shadowline look. Not interested in covering the pillars with the ebay chrome or CF covers, unless it can be done in the flat black (or stock black).

*Window pillars.

It's pretty easy - Bentley manual section 512-2 figure #4.
What is problematic is pulling the rubber window channel piece off of the edge. That has a tendency to get dried out and brittle, and may come out in more than one piece.

I did my pillars on the car and they came out great. Stripped em, primed and painted followed with 3 coats of ppg clear, wetsand with 1000-2000 and high speed buffed at 3000rpm with triple pack of 3M compounds.

It's pretty easy - Bentley manual section 512-2 figure #4.
What is problematic is pulling the rubber window channel piece off of the edge. That has a tendency to get dried out and brittle, and may come out in more than one piece.
Haven't got the manual, unfortunately. Online, by any chance?
Would the interior door panel have to come off, as well as the rubber window channel? I see on realoem.com a picture of how they might be held on with a few screws.

I did my pillars on the car and they came out great. Stripped em, primed and painted followed with 3 coats of ppg clear, wetsand with 1000-2000 and high speed buffed at 3000rpm with triple pack of 3M compounds.
Dude, I haven;t got that kind of equipment. But based on your response, and reading your other posts about paint/body work...your ride better not have a freakin fleck on it!!

Haven't got the manual, unfortunately. Online, by any chance?
Yes, I've got a copy hosted HERE! (http://www.badstreak.com/BMWE34/BentleyE34ServiceManual.zip)

Haha. It's not perfect by far. It's a constant work in progress. All my cars have been and will be. The moment they are truly done, is the moment you move on to something else. I guess if your doing well for yourself, then you just add to what you got though.