Removing trim

This is an educational thread but responses, requests, or additional information are welcome.

I have the pleasure of working on lots of old cars. Lately, quite a few simple "re-paints" are coming through the shop where I work. Well, aside from fixing all the rust holes and misfit panels, there is an abundance of teardown and reassembly going on. There are many other points I could touch on, but for now I'm going to show y'all how to take off some of the trim that can be problematic or puzzling as far as removal without damage goes.

Ever seen this tool kit on sale cheap? Just marked "auto trim tools".



Well it turns out this tool kit is for 60s cars. I bought it when I was working on late models doing collision repair. Thought I must need it because it said trim tools. Ha! Well until I started fixing old stuff I could never figure out what they were all for. Now I know, and here I'll share.

Left to right, the one first one is a simple door panel removal tool. But it is designed for the old cardboard panels with metal clips, and prevents ripping the door panel.

 

Next is the inside door handle and window crank removal tool. Position it like this, longways with the handle or crank. If there is a plastic "door panel saver" washer under the crank, push it and the door panel back, and slide the tool in with it held against the crank.


When the tool is fully inserted, it looks like this:



Then you remove the tool and wiggle the crank loose. Here, I'll flip it over so you can see how the clip sits when its on the handle. When you push in on the tool, it dislodges the clip without sending it flying into oblivion. Push the wire clip back down to the position shown, then simply push the handle on to reinstall.



Next is my favorite, the arrowheaded one! Thats for those chrome windshield and back glass moldings. Walk up to one and point the tool like this:



Slide it under the molding. Seriously, you gotta be a real goof to scratch the glass with the tool. Move the tool until you find a clip.



Heres what you're doing under there. The arrow point goes against the paint and you lightly pry on the clip with the arrow's ears to release the clip. If you have the angle right the trim pretty much jumps off of there. Careful with the paint.



A close-up of the metal clip, in case you haven't seen one. It slides onto a metal stud on the car body.



Oh and that last one, well it works good on those pesky door weatherstrip clips that just wanna rip the rubber. You may have to use side-cutters sometimes but this works usually. Tool has some other uses I ain't found yet, can you enlighten me?



Anyhoo, if I have the urge, I'll do a post about belt moldings and window fuzzies too, those are always fun. Whatever might be useful, I'll try to share that as well. Feel free to pitch in with your own tips and tricks. Wish I had some Firebirds to work on, I know thats about the most popular body on this site. Enjoy, knights!  

That's some good FYI.....ID

 
I got that Tin Indian GRIN!!

Thanks, big-G.    I almost forgot this one...

Drip rail moldings. They clamp themselves on, so to speak. No fasteners or adhesive involved. Often no tools required to remove them, once the front section is unscrewed. In this photo, you are looking up he windshield post. The roof rail weatherstrip and channel, and the front drip rail section have been unscrewed and removed. The tool you see is a nylon (flexible white plastic) "wedge" or "paddle", its for tooling urethane sealant when installing a windshield. I use it for scratch reduction rather than a metal tool, when a tool is required to get the drip rail molding loose. Once you get a section of it loose, carefully work the loosened section up and down to dislodge the remainder from the drip rail. Work slowly and be careful where it curves by the quarter window. Piece of cake!

 

Thanks for the info Junkman!   Man o man I cant even remember how many cardboard doorpanel clips that I ripped out, and had to rig them back on the door.

 Oh and I took that drip rail trim off of a 72 Cutlass one time and fought and cussed it for hours trying not to damage it !!!
I wound up using a small block of wood and a small tack hammer knocking it loose from the lower edge, it worked barely, I only slightly tweaked 1 spot that was no biggie.

 Yeah I wanna see you install  the lower side moulding that sticks on and show how to make it perfectly straight.  I know you prolly got some easy way to do it.  

Good helpful post ID!!

Funny, I've had the door panel removal tool in my toolbox for a hundred years and never new what it was for. I always used it for the door panels, but had no idea it was made for that - I just thought it was some weird carpenters tool.

Thanks for the tips!  

awsome tutorial I.d.j!! had to buy a re-pop body by fisher manual for 49-52 pontiacs for the chief" however, some of the info is "just described" and not as nice as your follow-up pictures to show the "function of the fasten" well done! thanks!  
Widetrack,Superduty,Ram-Air.The chief will never die!

Hey thanks guys. Just putting some basics out there y'know? Pics always help.

Chevelle, I know why you're asking! Done it many times, putting eight feet of three inch wide truck molding down a side in two or three pieces. There has been talk of vinyl moldings around here lately, too. Heres how I do them:

1. First I determine the distance from a reference point such as a body line or rocker panel to where the bottom of the molding should sit. I put a vertical piece of tape there and mark those points on the tape. Then I peel the tape and transfer that measurement to other points along the desired line, to establish an approximate height guideline. Put horizontal pieces of tape to mark the height in several places.

2. Then I use 3/4" masking tape and act like I'm laying a pinstripe with the top edge of it on the line where the bottom of the molding goes. It may not line up exactly with your tape marks but let those guide you as you visually lay the "pinstripe" in line with the body line that the molding lines up with. Make a straight, flowing "stripe". Check it visually from the front and back at oblique angles, then from the side at a distance.

3. Once you're happy with the stripe, peel the backing from the  bottom strip of tape on the molding, then walk up and sneak it onto the panel, exactly on top of your line. Be sure to get the  front- to -rear distance right first then do the bottom. If you get the bottom even, the top will be too. So just nail the bottom when you have it straight on top of your stripe, then peel the top strip of backing and stick that down. Check it again before you mash it on for good. I like to start in the center panel, the door or cab corner. Works for me! Of course it helps if you have a roll of attachment tape and a razor blade handy so that if one sticks before you're ready and tears off the tape, you can redo it.

Don't have any pics of doing that, sorry. I'll keep my eyes peeled for an opportunity though.  

ummmm i got a 6 pack that says you can do my window felts a lot quicker than i could......  
http://s1098.photobucket.com/albums/g372/instg8ter/1966%20Tempest/

"learning as i go, and going as i learn"

Brian

I hope its Bud!  

Hey I just did those on two '67 Novas. On the first one I destroyed the inner belt moldings taking them off. Second one I noodled it out and damaged nothing. Theres definitely a trick to that type of retaining clip. Talking about the three-legged type that just pushes on but grabs like crazy. I want to make a post for that but its hard to show in a pic. I'll try to next week. Gonna be mostly filler work for awhile, theres two more Fords coming in for mud and paint baths, a stock black 58 ragtop and a green kustom '31. The Bronco is shiny now and the F-100 is getting close.

 

Always Bud for a Bud....  
http://s1098.photobucket.com/albums/g372/instg8ter/1966%20Tempest/

"learning as i go, and going as i learn"

Brian