Lumia 1020 color change surgery

[kertong]

Hey folks, thought some might be interested in this -

I bought a used yellow Lumia 1020 a month ago - yellow was the last choice I wanted for a color, but the price was right ($165!), so I pulled the trigger! I quickly fell in love with the phone and its incredible imaging capabilities, but over time the yellow started getting to me.

I ordered a new black rear housing shell replacement part, along with the matching SIM tray piece. Some careful reading and youtube video'ing after, I cracked the yellow phone open and swapped all the parts over to the new black shell. It went surprisingly smoothly - the hardest part was prying the screen out of the body without scratching the body or glass. A very easy phone to work with and service after that.

Now, I have it all working in its new black shell, and I love it! There are a few light scuffs on the screen from the previous owner's usage, so I'm thinking of replacing the screen with a new part (the one without the AT&T logo).

Here are some images from the "surgery" (or as a redditor put it.. plastic surgery):

<edit>d'oh, was going to put a link to my imgur album here but it says I don't have enough posts to post links, ugh.. just go to imgur.com/a/86wHG in your browser</edit>

If anyone is tired of their 1020's color, I'd highly recommend this route - a T4 and T5 torx screwdriver, a spudger or plastic prying tool, and about 20 minutes of your time is all you need. Tempted to get a white shell too, just to switch it up once the black gets boring!

 

[Skamath]

I should have know!!!!
I replaced the entire phone instead to black from white LOL JK

 

[ceeesquared]

Wow. How I wish they come up with a red casing.

 

[SlideWRX]

Now, I have it all working in its new black shell, and I love it! There are a few light scuffs on the screen from the previous owner's usage, so I'm thinking of replacing the screen with a new part (the one without the AT&T logo).

My 1020 had some bad scratches over the Nokia logo on top, and windows button on the bottom. I was going get it replaced, but I put a screen protector on it, and I haven't seen the scratches in a year! If the scratches are on the screen itself, I don't know how well it may cover them up, but it is worth a try!

 

[ssapre]

I ordered a new black rear housing shell replacement part, along with the matching SIM tray piece....... Tempted to get a white shell too, just to switch it up once the black gets boring!

Any recommendations from where to get nice cheap shell replacement? Any links for the video / HowTo?

 

[kertong]

My 1020 had some bad scratches over the Nokia logo on top, and windows button on the bottom. I was going get it replaced, but I put a screen protector on it, and I haven't seen the scratches in a year! If the scratches are on the screen itself, I don't know how well it may cover them up, but it is worth a try!

Haha wow, that's exactly where my scuffs are - right by the earpiece/logo up top, and right around the windows button on the bottom. This must be where things get scratched if you put your phone face-down often? Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give the screen protector a try

 

[kertong]

Any recommendations from where to get nice cheap shell replacement? Any links for the video / HowTo?

I got my shell replacement / sim tray from etradesupply.com - and I used this video guide: www<dot>youtube<dot>com/watch?v=BrryosfNp0c

 

[MikesChevelle]

Sent you a PM