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My 60 passenger side bottom cove chrome is either upside down, or wrong. All the other chrome has the wider side in matching directions. The piece marked in the photo is opposite and makes it line up wrong. It appears that there is some sort of silicone or adhesive under it. Anyone know what needs to be done to remove this piece and how to reattach afterwards? Thanks for any help.
Yes - if installed correctly (many pieces aren't) there are two types of clips as shown, "C" and "D"; one is a 'thru' clip with a nut on the back and the other a 'blind' clip with a screw into the body. You have to carefully 'pop' the molding up and off the clips...a couple of plastic bondo spreaders sometimes does it without damage working from the bottom and rotating the trim upwards gently. Sometimes you will need to put a thin blade screwdriver on top of the bondo spreader and under the trim's lower edge and work the part off...
If there is adhesive or silicone under the trim piece that's incorrect and prob to overcome a missing clip.
If you pull out a "D" type clip accidentally do NOT put it back with a larger screw - you'll dimple the molding for sure on assembly. Glass the hole over and use the original hardware. To reattach the trim piece merely position over the tops of the clips and 'pop' it downward back onto the clips.
Leave that small gap exposed at the rear edge as that area is what lets the mating trim on the door clear when the door is opened.
Worst case, the repro trim is pretty nice now...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 11-25-2016 at 06:43 AM.
Be careful when 'tightening' the nuts on those clips.. 'just past snug' is what I did. You don't want to pucker the stainless.
Also, carefully check the clearance when you open the door for the first time. Lots of weird geometry going on there.
It looks like that molding is correct but just installed upside down from your photo. It's a bit of a project to gain access to the retaining nuts. The front one is easy, the second one you can reach your hand up through the splash pan and the rear ones you will need to remove the passenger side kick panel to get to. As mentioned, no adhesive is used. Pilot Dan
I think Dan is right about it being simply reversed.
Here is a photo to show you where the clips are.
Note:
- The 2 clips closest to the door are "D" type - the other 2 are "C" type. So you won't have to mess with the kick panels to get this piece off.
- I used blue painters tape to try to protect my (original) paint.. It ended up causing more damage than protection (stuck too hard and removed some paint). Not recommended!
I got it off and reversed. Thank you for the help. There were no nuts on the clips on the inside, just silicone. I put it back the same way for now, going to Ray Evernham's Americarna Show tomorrow. I don't relish trying to get inside there to put nuts on. I need new clips too, these are corroded. This is how it looks now:
Nicely done - but I swear, I don't know how anybody could put that on, step back and look at it and not realize its wrong...oh well, fixed now...
What do you think about those nylon push in clips made for 55-62 Chev and Pontiac? They slide into the 3/4 chrome and have a spring like arm that keeps then from sliding in the trim, and have a push in leg like you'd see on a newer car plastic interior trim holder. I'll copy a link, see what you think.
I took out handfuls of those style clips from my '61 before painting it; only mine were the steel versions. If you aren't fanatical about originality the spring clips work, however I just can't say how tightly the nylon versions would work in holding the trim up against the car's body. You could certainly buy that 20 pack for a few bucks and report back on the effort.
For all that bother I'd just get the original stuff - (and I did)...
I think those plastic push clips are for thin sheet metal,and will not fully grab on the thicker fiberglass. You may be able to use them with some adhesive.
Yeah, the pass side kick panel can be a bit of a pain to take off, since the package tray has to come out also, but it isn't THAT bad. (says the guy who needs to take his own out for some service work, but finds reasons to put it off.)
Frankie - aren't you going to tell your story of the nice 'round' that one of those clips did. I know I think of it every time someone discusses use of them!
Frankie - aren't you going to tell your story of the nice 'round' that one of those clips did. I know I think of it every time someone discusses use of them!
Hmmm....you must have a better memory than me; but unlike those nylon spring clips (as shown above) the metal ones can have the spring wire come loose out of the trim piece and scratch a nice half circle in your paint...
Perhaps I confused the author.. thought it was you.. but someone turned one of those clips and it popped out of the trim and cut a semi-circle into their fresh paint job.
Chrome installed. The nylon clip didn't work, it was too big for the 1/2" trim. I got another that said it was for 1/2", but it was way too small. I got some metal push in clips that fit perfectly and worked great. I still used a metal threaded one and put a nut on the inside of the fender on the only one I could get to, just so it wouldn't be tempted to pop off at the wrong time. I don't think it would, it snapped in with some authority, but now I know it won't. Here's a picture of the one's I used. I have 17 left if anyone needs some.
The square end slides snugly into the chrome moulding, fitting under the lips in the moulding, slide them to where the holes are in the body panel, push the spring end into the hole. It snaps in and spreads to hold tight. If you want the moulding off, you can pull it back out and the "spring fingers" in the end will give enough to snap back out. They really do pop in nice and firm and hold tight. As I said, I did put the original threaded bolt and nut type on the one I could get to without disassembling the interior.
11-25-2016, 06:25 AM
Cove chrome removal question.
Pilot Dan
