bobd1976 Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Started tearing down my 48 club coupe. All of the stainless looks to be still factory applied. Any tips on how to best remove the trim especially the rear quarter and door ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 (edited) Started tearing down my 48 club coupe. All of the stainless looks to be still factory applied. Any tips on how to best remove the trim especially the rear quarter and door ? The door and side trim both have nuts at each end. Once you remove those nuts the trim pops off easily by pressing down on the top of the trim while using somthing like a putty knife at the bottom to pop the bottom out. Don't use a screwdriver because you can kink the trim with something that narrow. BTW,this isn't unique to Mopars. Most of the stainless side and hood trim from cars back then were held on the same way. Edited September 3, 2013 by knuckleharley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 On my D-24, after removing the nuts that that knuckleharley pointed out, I used a piece of wood, placed lengthwise and parallel against the trim and rapped it with a hammer. I used some cheap trim removal plastic pry bars (the blue ones) I got from Harbor Freight to pry them out. Prying carefully on the opposite side I was tapping on. Worked my way from one end to the other. My car needs paint, so, my main concern was not denting the trim. I'm confident I could have gotten the trim off without damaging the paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Started tearing down my 48 club coupe. All of the stainless looks to be still factory applied. Any tips on how to best remove the trim especially the rear quarter and door ? BTW,if you break any of the trim clips or they are broken or thin from rust,you can buy new ones at http://www.restorationspecialties.com/ Make sure you save the ones you take off so you can match them up with the ones you are buying. That is also a good place to buy new oval head correct bumper bolts for your P-15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 When I repainted my 39 Desoto I buffed out the stainless stell with an old washing machine motor. Get the appropriate kit with the appropriate wheels and compounds and you can save some money. I did not use metal clips to attach my restored trim. I use plastic trim clips instead. If you go to any good autobile paint supplier they should have an assortment of plastic clips. Try them until you get the one that fits inside your molding and also has the proper sized button that will fit the holdes in the body. Even being a little bigger for the hole size is ok since you do not want the trim to come off. I recommend plastic clips since they will not rust and since this is hidden no one will ever know that you are using plastic and not the original metal. The pastic is easier to get and use. Always get extra clips incase you break a couple or even lose a couple. Nice to have some extras Just my two cents on this topic. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobd1976 Posted September 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Thanks for all the advice. The trim is coming off ok thanks to your input . I was wondering what clips to use as mine are all needing replacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 I recommend plastic clips since they will not rust and since this is hidden no one will ever know that you are using plastic and not the original metal. The pastic is easier to get and use. Always get extra clips incase you break a couple or even lose a couple. Nice to have some extras Rich,I really like the idea of the plastic clips,but how does the plastic stand up to the heat they get from the metal body and the bright trim in the summer sun? Do they melt or get brittle and crack? Arthur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desoto1939 Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 I have had the plastic trim clips on my car since 1996 when I had it paitned and have not had any issues. Your newer cars are using plastic clips instead of metal. So you should not have any problems. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 (edited) I have had the plastic trim clips on my car since 1996 when I had it paitned and have not had any issues. Your newer cars are using plastic clips instead of metal. So you should not have any problems. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com Ok,thanks. I know very little about modern cars,and care even less about them. They are just tools to me that sit outside in the rain so I have room in my shop for the old stuff. Edited September 4, 2013 by knuckleharley 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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