Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings (Read 2371 times) previous topic - next topic

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

I'm looking for a couple NOS or used, flat, metal backing intact, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings. They must be NOS and unused or used, flat, metal backing intact. I'm  planning on having my Thunderbird painted in the spring of 2017 and I want to replace the moldings on the car. I have 4 pieces I'm having a hard time finding. They are as follows:

Driver side: the door molding and the molding in front of the rear wheel on the quarter panel (circled in yellow in the picture).

Passenger side: the molding behind the front wheel on the fender and the molding in front of the rear wheel on the quarter panel (circled in yellow in the picture).

I want NOS unused parts or used, flat, metal backing intact, moldings and I'm willing to pay for them :D. If you have used molding I want pictures ;)
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #1 –
Bump
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #2 –
These are the part numbers of what I'm looking for:

E7SZ-16003-AP molding, fender, right (passenger) side

E7SZ-6320939-AP molding, door, left (driver) side

E7SZ-6329076-AP molding, quarter panel, right (passenger) side

E7SZ-6329077-AP molding, quarter panel, left (driver) side
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #3 –
I have tried Green Sales, Stilwell, and NOS Ford Parts. They don't have the molding pieces I need. So at this point it's you guys or hope for eBay.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #4 –
I saw a couple pieces on eBay the other day. They were new old stock. They are still there. I was looking but am just going to fix the one piece on mine.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-OEM-Ford-1987-1988-Thunderbird-Quarter-Panel-Moulding-Trim-RH-Lower-/401173773041?hash=item5d67d1faf1:g:RcIAAOSwe7BW1fCE&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1984-88-FORD-THUNDERBIRD-RH-FRONT-FENDER-MOULDING-/300618644158?hash=item45fe447abe:m:mgy2z00rq6XTgw03hFosxJQ&vxp=mtr

I have an 87 5.0 bird. How do those trim pieces come off and go back on? I could not find a site link or you tube video.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Car Ride;456927
I saw a couple pieces on eBay the other day. They were new old stock. They are still there. I was looking but am just going to fix the one piece on mine.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-OEM-Ford-1987-1988-Thunderbird-Quarter-Panel-Moulding-Trim-RH-Lower-/401173773041?hash=item5d67d1faf1:g:RcIAAOSwe7BW1fCE&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1984-88-FORD-THUNDERBIRD-RH-FRONT-FENDER-MOULDING-/300618644158?hash=item45fe447abe:m:mgy2z00rq6XTgw03hFosxJQ&vxp=mtr

I have an 87 5.0 bird. How do those trim pieces come off and go back on? I could not find a site link or you tube video.


I've seen those but they are of no use to me.

The plastic moldings between the bumper and tires (front and back) bolt on. The rubber moldings between the tires are held on with 2 sided tape. The only way to get them off with out damaging the rubber molding is to put a drywall joint knife between the body and molding and gently hammer it through the double sided tape holding the molding on. You have the go from top to bottom. Reason being that you can bend the molding if you go from front to back length wise. The molding is backed with a metal strip. Once it is bent the molding is pretty much done for. You can remove the metal strip to straighten the molding however the molding will shrink length wise (about 3/4" for the door pieces) if you do. The metal backing is there to keep the molding at the correct length.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #6 –
Out of curiosity why are those parts useless? Do you want to get all of them at once. I would have figured piecing them together would be the only hope.

I am serious when I say this. I called 5 Ford dealerships yesterday and asked them if they had any left over NOS 87/88 Tbird trim pieces for you and none of them did and only one laughed. I called the one where my wife and I bought the one for my in laws 40th wedding anniversary present in 1987 that my mother-in-law still has. I told the parts guy that it came from there new and my 89 years old mother-in-law is expecting them to still have what ever part it needs. He laughed.

Thanks for the trim info. I got the one off I needed to get off to tap out a dent under it and fix the crack in it.

This made a decent thread bump for you.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Car Ride;456999
Out of curiosity why are those parts useless? Do you want to get all of them at once. I would have figured piecing them together would be the only hope.

I am serious when I say this. I called 5 Ford dealerships yesterday and asked them if they had any left over NOS 87/88 Tbird trim pieces for you and none of them did and only one laughed. I called the one where my wife and I bought the one for my in laws 40th wedding anniversary present in 1987 that my mother-in-law still has. I told the parts guy that it came from there new and my 89 years old mother-in-law is expecting them to still have what ever part it needs. He laughed.

Thanks for the trim info. I got the one off I needed to get off to tap out a dent under it and fix the crack in it.

This made a decent thread bump for you.

Those molding pieces are useless to me because they don't match the molding on my car. There is no point in me buying them if they don't match what is on my Thunderbird ;)

Dealers don't have any of the trim pieces for these cars. The best bet is online, eBay, or these forums.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #8 –
Bump?
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #9 –
Well
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #10 –
These make me laugh.. (free bump)
'88 Thunderbird LX
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Engine:  FR B303 cam, GT40P heads w/ Trickflow valve springs, Explorer upper/lower intake, SR cold air intake w/ MAF
Exhaust:  shorty headers, BBK O-R X-pipe, glasspacks w/ turn downs
Misc:  8.8 rear, Saleen SC replicas 17x8/17x10, Mach 1 front springs/SN95 rear springs
&
'74 F100 Custom 351W

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #11 –
You dont want ours,, they are not in the shape you need.

ive studied these molding pieces a long while now, and fixed them with to look nice and new but you have to paint them.

you aren't going to find the "correct center stick on chrome trim either.
just an fyi,,
everyone has silver inserts.,, everyone.
ford made the color change to red or gold by adding plastic covers over the sliver trim parts

my 20th has the gold trim but it was fading.
i discovered after pealing away in an area i was safe to do, the clear cover was colored with gold on the inside ,, and the actual molding itself was silver.

my remedy was.......
buy 3m vinal tape best quality
peel off long strips
spray paint the exposed side with the color "sunburst gold"
stick tape on top of the existing center trim.
razor knife off the excess and now its good to go.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #12 –
As long as the pieces are removed correctly (i.e. not bent) they can be restored, many times without painting as long as there are not any large nicks/abrasions to deal with. Automotive rubbing compound, followed by polish, then wax, will make the moldings appear almost new. As far as removal goes a large trowel can be used to run through the moldings from top to bottom, cutting the tape. If you run from front to back you will bend the moldings. Also the key is to not remove the aluminum backing. Removal of the backing causes the molding to shrink up to 3/4" in length.

As far as restoring the chrome insert, yes it can be done. I used a method similar to yours but a different 3m product. It's called metalized film tape: https://www.grainger.com/product/3M-Silver-Polyester-Metalized-15C477?functionCode=P2IDP2PCP

It's weather proof and looks exactly like the factory chrome insert. You just cover the insert with the tape (like your electrical tape method). It is virtually indistinguishable from the original insert and has the same chrome sheen.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #13 –
Bump?
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

NOS or used, flat, 87-88 Thunderbird/Cougar body side moldings

Reply #14 –
Bump
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.