Taking her top off
3 posters
Taking her top off
I think I'm ready to commit. I've had the car up for sale now for almost a month and have shown it three times and everyone wants to pick it apart and try to get it cheap. Funny how that works, so much wrong with it but they want it. Anyhow, removing the window trim I've done a bunch of them and have the tool. The trim around the base of the vinyl, I have found only four studs with bolts. I'm going to assume I remove those and then it will slide off? What about the drip molding? The molding around the side windows looks like it will just pull out? Then heat it up a little and hold my breath? I can see a few bubbles here and there and when I press on them I cannot get them to sink and I've pressed on the roof in places with my hand and it feels solid so hopefully it will be some surface rust and pitting at the worst.
Am I missing anything?
Am I missing anything?
Damon23- G3GM Member
- Street Cred : 5
Re: Taking her top off
The trim around the top of the door window you have to take weatherstripping off first then there are little Philips screws under the weather stripping. If that's what you are talking about but maybe that helps.
ant7377- G3GM Addict
- Street Cred : 36
Re: Taking her top off
Ahh, that sucks cause the weatherstripping is in great shape. I bet it is glued and it will be ruined pulling it out.
Damon23- G3GM Member
- Street Cred : 5
Re: Taking her top off
You might be able to save the w/strip if you modify/narrow a stiff-bladed putty knife and work it under it as you gently pull it away from the channel starting at one end.
As you've discovered, the lower vinyl trim does have just two retaining nuts in each corner area that need to be removed from inside the trunk. Once removed, you need to be careful prying up on the trim in those two areas to free them. The goal is to keep each side & connecting corner piece together as a single section of trim. There is a pot metal "tongue" on each corner piece that connects it to the side piece that is crimped so that it won't allow separation by just pulling them apart. Problem is, they have become brittle over the years and are easily snapped off. What I do is gently pry the section of trim that runs below the back window off the clips once I've removed the (4) corner nuts. Then, do the same on the side pieces. Lift each corner trim w/side piece attached straight up and off the car while sliding the other end off the trim that runs below the back window once the corner studs clear the qtr panel. Support the side/corner trim when removing it so as not to flex them at their junction. If you do this, you'll avoid breaking that pot metal "tongue".
As you've discovered, the lower vinyl trim does have just two retaining nuts in each corner area that need to be removed from inside the trunk. Once removed, you need to be careful prying up on the trim in those two areas to free them. The goal is to keep each side & connecting corner piece together as a single section of trim. There is a pot metal "tongue" on each corner piece that connects it to the side piece that is crimped so that it won't allow separation by just pulling them apart. Problem is, they have become brittle over the years and are easily snapped off. What I do is gently pry the section of trim that runs below the back window off the clips once I've removed the (4) corner nuts. Then, do the same on the side pieces. Lift each corner trim w/side piece attached straight up and off the car while sliding the other end off the trim that runs below the back window once the corner studs clear the qtr panel. Support the side/corner trim when removing it so as not to flex them at their junction. If you do this, you'll avoid breaking that pot metal "tongue".
Mcarlo77- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 77
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|
Sat May 18, 2024 1:56 pm by REVINKEVIN / Mr. 600+HP
» Pate Swap Meet - Texas Motor Speedway - G3 Parts Goldmine
Sat May 18, 2024 12:20 pm by g3chevy / Mr Pontiac
» '73 Laguna coupe - factory 454- SoCal $2500
Fri May 17, 2024 4:38 pm by Mcarlo77
» Dash Solutions
Fri May 17, 2024 3:22 pm by 76 Malibu
» Rusty's progress Done stuff again LOL
Thu May 16, 2024 12:56 pm by Limey SE
» 1973 4 door laguna frame same as 1973 2 door chevelle
Tue May 14, 2024 4:39 pm by chevelleman
» Anyone good at photoshop?
Mon May 13, 2024 12:50 pm by 76 Malibu
» '77 Monte Carlo Landau - Parting out - 61k miles on car
Fri May 10, 2024 5:02 pm by Matchstx
» Dash assembly for 73-77 Malibu/Monte/El Camino,etc.
Fri May 10, 2024 2:48 pm by Limey SE
» Window louvers
Fri May 10, 2024 12:47 pm by JCervantes10