Trim and fastener questions

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  I could use some help. 
  My Gran Torino was originally a vinyl roof car. When it got the paint redone, the painter pulled the top and the trim. They then proceeded to fill the stud holes with Bondo, which must have shrunk a little. I am bothered by the fact that in certain light and from certain angles, I can see the places where the trim was fastened. I am contemplating reinstalling the lower edge trim. It has been polished up and I think it would look decent, due to all of the other bright trim on the car. Better than the old trim fastener impressions do now, anyway. What do you guys think about the vinyl top trim on a fastback without the wrapped top?

  Here is the main reason I haven't done the trim thing, yet. There was not enough of the fasteners with the trim to install it. While I don't think it to be the OEM type, they used push in clips that didn't require access to the back for a nut like a lot of Ford trim. I'd have to pull the headliner to do that, which I do not wish to do. I took a picture of what was with the trim and a plastic one I modified that I could use, IF I can not find more of these. The local body shop didn't recognize them and I scouted 2500 different options I a couple of huge websites, yet to see anything like what I want. Does anyone have any ideas?

  Thanks, Les

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Speedway 650 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 25-December-2005 Location: Clarksville, MI Status: Offline Points: 54	Post Options Post Reply Quote Speedway 650 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Trim and fastener questions Posted: 15-August-2013 at 3:56PM
	I could use some help. My Gran Torino was originally a vinyl roof car. When it got the paint redone, the painter pulled the top and the trim. They then proceeded to fill the stud holes with Bondo, which must have shrunk a little. I am bothered by the fact that in certain light and from certain angles, I can see the places where the trim was fastened. I am contemplating reinstalling the lower edge trim. It has been polished up and I think it would look decent, due to all of the other bright trim on the car. Better than the old trim fastener impressions do now, anyway. What do you guys think about the vinyl top trim on a fastback without the wrapped top? Here is the main reason I haven't done the trim thing, yet. There was not enough of the fasteners with the trim to install it. While I don't think it to be the OEM type, they used push in clips that didn't require access to the back for a nut like a lot of Ford trim. I'd have to pull the headliner to do that, which I do not wish to do. I took a picture of what was with the trim and a plastic one I modified that I could use, IF I can not find more of these. The local body shop didn't recognize them and I scouted 2500 different options I a couple of huge websites, yet to see anything like what I want. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks, Les

legend onirot Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member METAL GOD Joined: 18-January-2009 Location: hattiesburg ms Status: Offline Points: 3038	Post Options Post Reply Quote legend onirot Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15-August-2013 at 5:24PM
	so you had him remove the vinyl roof? and he just filled in the holes with bondo? he should've welded them closed. when I removed the trim for my vinyl roof the holes were 1/4 inch around... I don't know how big they are for the trim you are talking about because mine is a formal roof. now on to your question. its a fast back so the trim your talking about is just one piece on each side right? its all your preference if you wanna re-add it. I don't think it will look bad or anything. but realize it will pool water when it rains and might allow rain to run inside your quarters if you don't seal it. I haven't seen clips like that either. I am running into the same problem with car. some of my clips broke when I broke it down. I am either gonna have to find something to work or fabricate some up. but you may run into space issue if you use a bolt in system, ala getting access to tighten the bolts. I know I didn't help much but I hope I helped a little.
	--------------------- malcolm 1973 gran torino sport (formal)... "Stacy Lynn" 1972 gran torino (formal)... "Mackenzie" 1973 gran torino sport (sportroof)... "Leela"

Speedway 650 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 25-December-2005 Location: Clarksville, MI Status: Offline Points: 54	Post Options Post Reply Quote Speedway 650 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15-August-2013 at 6:17PM
	I didn't have the car repainted. It was painted before the guy I bought it from got it. Sometime between 2001 and 2005. As I have said elsewhere, the prep work was really bad. The trim that was left was just masked off. There are sanding marks here and there. A few runs in the paint. A couple of door dings that were painted over. And the vinyl roof removal thing. Not just the trim holes, either. They used filler on the transition or seem where the roof and quarter meet. The body man I went to said the factory never really finishes that seem when they are going to put a top on the car. Bean counter corner cutting, I guess. Well, the "painter" didn't do a very good job, either, but it is not as obvious as the holes. I was wondering if that trim would lay flat enough without material under it. And, honestly, I never even thought about sealing the holes. Basically, the car look too nice to spend several grand and months of work repainting right now. But the details bug me. Somebody could have done so much better than they did, and still only half been trying. The car's body is truly nice. Too nice for the paint that was applied to it. Thanks for the reply.

madmaxtorino Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Zombie Killing Training Instructor Joined: 04-August-2010 Location: Lawrenceburg Tn Status: Offline Points: 971	Post Options Post Reply Quote madmaxtorino Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16-August-2013 at 8:42AM
	put them on with two sided 3-m tape it will hold better than those fasteners and no holes to leak.
	Allan Revelation 6:8 When there is no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the Earth.