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Topic: Chrome on Side moldings (Read 8914 times) previous topic - next topic

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #15
I'd buy NOS side trim (between the fenders) if I could find those 6 pieces.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #16
I'm just taking my side molding off I really hate the look of it.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #17
Quote from: vinnietbird;262776
I'd buy NOS side trim (between the fenders) if I could find those 6 pieces.


its prolly just me, but your car looks great without the trim between the wheels.  you have the trim to fit the bumpers :evilgrin:
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
:america: An American Restoration. :birdsmily:
1987 Ford Thunderbird Sport (resting)
1993 Mazda Miata 1.6l (daily driver)

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #18
Quote from: EricCoolCats;262707


P.S. I'm with Brent...NOS is the way to go. But we're about the only two people that we know about that are nuts enough to pay what we did.


Quote from: vinnietbird;262776
I'd buy NOS side trim (between the fenders) if I could find those 6 pieces.



I'm with Vinnie if I could find the side trim between the wheels I would pay $$$ for it. I don't know where the hell I'd find it though....
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #19
Side molding pieces should really be prime candidates for reproduction IMO. But fiberglass or ABS plastic instead of urethane, and with replaceable universal quarter-round trim. That would solve all of our problems virtually forever.

Anyone with money to invest in this? ;)

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #20
Quote from: EricCoolCats;262812
Side molding pieces should really be prime candidates for reproduction IMO. But fiberglass or ABS plastic instead of urethane, and with replaceable universal quarter-round trim. That would solve all of our problems virtually forever.

Anyone with money to invest in this? ;)


How much would something like that cost to have tooled up? I have $$$ ammount of money not $$$$$$$$$$:hick:

You know I have an uncle who is a mold maker by trade (he and my grandfather used to have a shop they ran together). I wonder if he has any idea of how much it would cost to make it.......
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #21
Can you re-use molding? Sounds stupid I'm sure but I'm curious.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #22
Quote from: 86XR7project;262828
Can you re-use molding? Sounds stupid I'm sure but I'm curious.



Yes you can but:

1. It gets a little wavy after it's removed and put back on, especially the long piece on the doors.

2. Most molding that we want to replace is weather worn. Good luck trying to find minty replacement molding at the wreaking yard.


The black part of my molding is pretty much ok it's just the chrome that looks worn. It looks good in pics and from a few feet away but up close not so much. Plus when ever I get the car painted I'd like to put brand new molding on instead of 21+ year old molding on a freshly painted car.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #23
Paint it all one color, looks like it belongs that way, skip the chrome.
Ford should of thought about that.
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #24
If you peel off the molding from a car and it's curled but otherwise in good shape, it is possible to peel the aluminum backing from the urethane molding itself, and then reuse the molding using double-sided 3M tape directly on the back. I usually recommend laying the molding out in a blacktop driveway or parking lot on a really hot day (80 degrees +). The aluminum will practically peel itself off after that. A heat gun can also help, although I've had less success doing it that way. I let nature do the work for me. ;)

The idea of painting the chrome parts either body color or the same color as the molding appeals to me as well. It gives a sportier look, and it's something that I've always advocated. BUT, if we're going for an all-original look, then that does no good. I have one of each on my cars (convertible=painted, '84=stock) and I can see the appeal of the chrome from a stock point of view. But that wouldn't have cut it on the convertible, with everything else painted. So it's a matter of discretion.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #25
Eric, in your case it's understandable. For guys and gals its what ever you like, In my case there's no way I will be stock. That changed a while back. If you want to keep everything stock you better buy what you can now, I don't see a future build of the things we need.
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #26
How do you guys go about removing the double sided 3M tape on them and the car? This is a pain.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #27
Heh...yeah, I agree and haven't really found a really good solution for that. Lots of wax/grease remover, and even more elbow grease. I've tried heat, lacquer thinner (not recommended LOL), all types of other solvents...nothing did the job like hard work.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #28
I've had alright results with a light grinder but its long leaves a little residue and iritates the hell out of me.

Chrome on Side moldings

Reply #29
Quote from: 86XR7project;262903
I've had alright results with a light grinder but its long leaves a little residue and iritates the hell out of me.

Are you for real!, How do you lightly "gind it" out?
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +