Trim strips

[Mark280SL]

I did some searching on this but did not see exactly what I was looking for.

Our cars have trim strips that run along the lower sides of the car. My car was missing the upper (chrome plated brass) trim on both sides when I purchased it and I have finally collected all the strips(yikes they were expensive!) for each side and am preparing to attach them.

Firstly how far apart are the uppers from the lower? or in other words what is the correct distance from the top edge of the bottom strips to the bottom edge of the top ones?

what size & type screws should I use? I'm thinking I should use stainless pan head screws...should there be some kind of plastic anchoring that I should use in the holes I drill or screw directly against the panel, seems like I should do something to protect against creating a potential rust opportunity. How were they attached originally?

[bogeyman]

Mark:
To my knowledge, they were originally screwed directly to the panel, that is probably why you see so many that are missing the rear quarter strips due to the holes rusting.  I would use the body crease immediately above the strip as a reference. Mine are directly below the crease, about 1/16".  I would check for parallel with the aluminum strips below, but wouldn't use them for reference as they are somewhat moveable on their anchors.  I used stainless panhead screws as you mentioned.

Rick

[lurtch]

Hello Mark,  

If I were you I would remove the inside door panel and locate them that way. The door skin had the trim  holes punched in it when it was manufactured. I expect you will find a glob of bondo that you can then push out through the hole. If some demented body guy brazed them closed the job gets more complicated but the location will still be evident. One caution: be careful to NOT oversize the hole, because the trim fastner is a push-in insert that must fit tightly. Also,  some doors use a 9mm insert, some have a 10mm insert.

Good Luck, Larry in CA

[Anfinn]

Hi Mark,
I purchased a car with neither the upper nor lower trim strips.(No sign of where they had been)
So far I have only fitted the upper ones.

I agree with Larry, check where possible on the inside of the panels for bondo blobs. But before you push the blobs out check that the spacing of the holes in your strips and panels correspond. Mine didn't for some of the holes. You then have the choice of either drilling new holes in the panel or the strip.
Enough of the previous holes lined up, to give me the vertical level of the strips.

[Mark280SL]

I see the logic of taking the panel off and looking for the original holes but trying to push out the bondo worries me a little because that could crack a bigger bit of the bondo if there is more on the exterior surface and damage the really nice paint job this car has. I'm hoping the holes don't line up and I can just drill new ones.

[bpossel]

Hi Mark,

Maybe a few pics will help also....


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Download Attachment: holes2.jpg
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Download Attachment: holes3.jpg
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Download Attachment: holes4.jpg
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Download Attachment: holes5.jpg
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[Mark280SL]

Perfect, Thanks Bob that helps!