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Topic: Chrome on Side moldings (Read 8916 times) previous topic - next topic

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #45
I just ordered my roll of tape from Grainger.  $7.xx for the tape, $10.xx for shipping!  Oh well I figured if I can spruce up the car for less than $20, it'll be worth it.  (Still seems high for tape, lol).
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #46
The chrome strip on my '83 is replaceable but it is no longer available from Ford as far as I know. What can be used in lieu of the factory strip? I have this feeling I should use the search function....

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #47
Quote from: Aerocoupe;459574
The chrome strip on my '83 is replaceable but it is no longer available from Ford as far as I know. What can be used in lieu of the factory strip? I have this feeling I should use the search function....

At one point I was doing heavy research on it but life got in the way. I haven't found a good aftermarket substitute yet but that doesn't mean it's not out there. It's just a 1/2" quarter-round chrome piece. In theory, that shouldn't be difficult to find...although what I was seeing was a lot flatter, which I don't think is a good alternative.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #48
Quote from: 50tbrd88;459572
I just ordered my roll of tape from Grainger.  $7.xx for the tape, $10.xx for shipping!  Oh well I figured if I can spruce up the car for less than $20, it'll be worth it.  (Still seems high for tape, lol).

. I just ordered it from a local Grainger (there's one a little over a mile from my house) and picked it up there. Apparently I saved $10 by not shipping the tape to my house....
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #49
Quote from: EricCoolCats;459581
At one point I was doing heavy research on it but life got in the way. I haven't found a good aftermarket substitute yet but that doesn't mean it's not out there. It's just a 1/2" quarter-round chrome piece. In theory, that shouldn't be difficult to find...although what I was seeing was a lot flatter, which I don't think is a good alternative.

Following this thread for solutions.  My poor lady had a grill fire get a bit too close a couple of years ago and about a foot of this little chrome strip melted :(    I've been trying to figure out a way to replace it ever since :(
1986 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Turbo-charged 5-speed.
Owned 22 years.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #50
From a quick glance it looks like a 1995-97 Grand Marquis bumper impact strip molding *might* work on the 1983-86 bumpers...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=chrome+bumper+impact+strip+95-97&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xchrome+bumper+impact+strip+95-97+grand.TRS0&_nkw=chrome+bumper+impact+strip+95-97+grand&_sacat=0

I don't know the dimensions but the quarter-round profile looks pretty close.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #51
I bought some many years ago on ebay and it was a perfect match. Here's the profile.  I should have bought more but think it was around $80.

X
X
tbirdregistry.com
26480
27373

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #52
I ended up painting over mine for a sportier look, but it was a bit of a process.  My pictures are not the best but I ended up switching from the thin body side moldings to the thick ones to accommodate the ground effects.  My original moldings were starting to pull away from the car around the wheel wells, nothing serious, but the usual thing you'll see or find with these cars.  I ended up pulling all of the molding off of my car and a donor car with the thick molding.  I then removed the top and bottom metal backing strips from all of the thick molding that I was going to reuse on my car.  In addition, I also peeled away all of the protective clear covering that is on top of the chrome strip.  In many cases, this will discolor or get cloudy and sometimes it will even crack or peel around the edges.  When I peeled that all off, I just lightly sanded the entire molding to scuff it up for paint.  I'd like to re-do them since I rattle canned them close to 20 years ago, but they are still going relatively strong.  I bought the automotive grade 3M gray double sided tape to re-adhere them back to the car.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #53
Quote from: thunderjet302;459599
. I just ordered it from a local Grainger (there's one a little over a mile from my house) and picked it up there. Apparently I saved $10 by not shipping the tape to my house....


The price I pay to live out in the country I guess!  I couldn't even tell you where the closest Grainger store is to me.  We had a Fastenal not too far away but it's closed up now.
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #54
Sometimes living in a major metro area has its advantages.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #55
Quote from: 50tbrd88;459526
I am so ordering this today!  Thanks for figuring it out for the rest of us!!

I've had the tape on one of the moldings on my car since August of last year as a test. After several washings it has shown no signs of peeling or fading. However, I hand wash my Thunderbird and don't expose it to the elements so that may make the tape more durable. The tape is outdoor rated so it should last for several years. If it ends up not lasting I'll replace it with some chrome vinyl.

When you install the metalized film tap clean the chrome strip on the moldings with wax remover to get any gunk off of it. Dry the molding, then just apply the tape over the chrome strip and trim the edges. Done.

Quote from: Aerocoupe;459528
Post up how it works on the front and rear bumper covers.  My concern is with going around the corners and staying flat and not bunching up.

I haven't tried it on the chrome strip on the 87-88 bumper covers as there is no need to. The chrome strip is replaceable, unlike the strip on the rubber moldings between the wheels. I'll just end up installing a new chrome strip in the front and rear bumper cover after the car is painted in a couple of months.
Is the Cougar bumper chrome replaceable as well?
Mike

Re: Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #56
Yup. Front and rear bumper chrome is replaceable. Just peels right off.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.