Fitting Body Mouldings/Trim

[Phil C]

I am about to start fitting the body mouldings/trim to my Vitesse restoration which can provide instant gratification (if it goes well) or misery (if you scratch your shiny new paint!).

It looks like a straightforward job but is there any specific issues I should be aware of?

Particular concerns include;

1. Having fitted new door skins I have to drill holes for the trim rivets - I was thinking masking tape and a string line from front/rear wings but this could go horribly wrong.

2. The short trim to the rear of the filler cap - how does this attach as its is too narrow to use the same rivets?

3. The holes for the bonnet centre trim are much larger than the rest. Is there a reason? My new clips have much smaller holes and I may have to fix with a washer on the rear side?

Any other experience to pass on would be most welcome.

Thanks

Car shown pre-scratched before trim fitting!!

 

 

[johny]

I seem to remember some are pop rivets and that the rivet gun always kicks as you operate it so jumping sideways onto the paintwork😭 Now I would try doing them through a hole cut in a piece of thick card!

[Colin Lindsay]

The side trim rivets do make the gun jump; mask them off well, and use a short length of brake pipe, maybe only 1/2 inch or so, over the shank of the river before putting it in the gun - this gives a bit of a gap and the gun may jump but further off the paintwork. A long strip of masking tape along the door works; align the trim to the bonnet trim and rear wing trim, or just draw a line between the two across the door skin and mark. Use a small Punch on the hole first before trying to drill.

The short rear trim might have its' own 'legs' or pins that go through the bodywork but I suspect if rivets are required they are a different shape to the other, larger side trim rivets.

Bonnet centre trim may use washers, depending on the trim clip used - my own Vitesse bonnet had large spring clips fitted, never saw them before, but I'll revert to the usual 'metal plate' type of clip with washers.

 

[Gary Flinn]

2 hours ago, Phil C said:

I am about to start fitting the body mouldings/trim to my Vitesse restoration which can provide instant gratification (if it goes well) or misery (if you scratch your shiny new paint!).

It looks like a straightforward job but is there any specific issues I should be aware of?

Particular concerns include;

1. Having fitted new door skins I have to drill holes for the trim rivets - I was thinking masking tape and a string line from front/rear wings but this could go horribly wrong. - A good idea, or possibly offer up the original Stainless Finisher for the door and draw a pencil line top/bottom then drill in the middle between each line, not sure if it's 6 or 7 clips for this piece though and don't put the ones at each end to far  apart (i.e. near the ends).  

2. The short trim to the rear of the filler cap - how does this attach as its is too narrow to use the same rivets? - 1 Normal and 1 x Special fixing clips for this if I remember correctly, the rearmost one is shaped to fit and is and interference fit I think (it's nearly 20 years since I fitted mine!) I can remember using superglue to hold the clip onto to the trim.  

3. The holes for the bonnet centre trim are much larger than the rest. Is there a reason? My new clips have much smaller holes and I may have to fix with a washer on the rear side? - The special spring clips for the Centre bonnet trim are no longer available, are you sure the new clips will work? (Again, going on memory here but I'm sure they are fixed with an 1/8" Pop Rivet) 

Any other experience to pass on would be most welcome. - Take your time and be careful with the drilling, a steady trigger finger and small variable speed battery drill is best, also coat the Rivet part of each trim clip and the hole  with a rust proofing fluid before fixing them (Dinitrol 3125 was my preferred rust proofer)

Thanks

Car shown pre-scratched before trim fitting!!

 

 

My answers and advice adjacent each Query above

Gary

[trigolf]

Just to add to all the good advice, I put a dab of waxoil on each trim clip head before clipping the trim on. It'll help keep the dreaded rust at bay over the next few years...

[Josef]

When drilling, do so through a bit of masking tape with a sharp bit at low speed. That’ll help keep your drill from wandering or skidding several inches over the new paint!

[Phil C]

 

On 20/02/2023 at 09:55, johny said:

Now I would try doing them through a hole cut in a piece of thick card!

 

22 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

and use a short length of brake pipe, maybe only 1/2 inch or so, over the shank of the river before putting it in the gun - this gives a bit of a gap

 

22 hours ago, Gary Flinn said:

offer up the original Stainless Finisher for the door and draw a pencil line top/bottom then drill in the middle between each line

 

21 hours ago, trigolf said:

I put a dab of waxoil on each trim clip head before clipping the trim

 

21 hours ago, Josef said:

o so through a bit of masking tape with a sharp bit at low speed

Many thanks, lots of good advice there.

The short length of trim to the rear of there filler cap has a special "hoop clip" listed in the parts book which appears to be unavailable. I can see superglue being involved at some point!

the bonnet clips do fit the trim so I think washers are the solution here.

 

 

[johny]

'and use a short length of brake pipe, maybe only 1/2 inch or so, over the shank of the river before putting it in the gun - this gives a bit of a gap'

Surely with this method theres then the extra length of the rivet shank sticking out of the gun which will still be close to the paintwork and with even more potential to damage it? 

[Colin Lindsay]

If you use the rivet gun tight to the paintwork, just the thickness of a rivet head away, then when triggered it may bounce and damage the paint. With a gap, there's a space to absorb the bounce and maybe keep it off the paint. There's no substitute for care and a steady hand, but it does help.

[johny]

yes but theres still not a gap is there as the broken off shank will stick out of the gun the length of the brake pipe spacer tube used? Instead of the gun hitting the paintwork it'll be the end of the shank😭

[PeteH]

I have often wondered, if it would be possible to bond the strips on? 1) it would take the "danger" out of drilling and Pop riveting. 2) if done right there would be less chance of corrosion behind and or to the clips?.

Pete

 

[johny]

Isnt that the way they do it on moderns now👍

[PeteH]

Not actually that "new" Back around 1978/80 we had a Chrysler 2L Auto. All the side trim was bonded to the car.

Pete

[Pete Lewis]

there are a few adverts on TV with a   Chrysler 2ltr  keeps appearing in odd shots  must be owned by the ad producer  there cant be many left 

had a lot as management cars nearly bought one but they had only just solved the cam wear (like fords ) and had a simca 1501 instead 

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

On 21/02/2023 at 17:18, PeteH said:

I have often wondered, if it would be possible to bond the strips on? 1) it would take the "danger" out of drilling and Pop riveting. 2) if done right there would be less chance of corrosion behind and or to the clips?.

Pete

 

The trims are C-shaped, hollow in behind, so you'd need to fill that space before there's anything to use glue on. Silicone sealer scraped flush might work; glue the flat face of the dried sealer to the paintwork.