Replacing Beltline Molding on 46 P15 Special deluxe

[3046moparcoupe]

Thanks in advance to all whom might take the time to share their insight regarding the restoration of these awesome PLymouth Cars. I've just started dis-assembly of a 1946 special deluxe coupe. Have the front end off the car, and have been killing rust, welding where needed, priming in urethane, then wrapping in bubble wrap, boxing it up in a labeled box,...piece by piece.... trying to kill as much rust as I can before the cold weather sets in on me (woking out of my attached 2 car garage) and my above 50 degree window for shooting urethane primer goes away until next spring. 1st items to come off the car was the stainless molding, (fenders, doors hood, grill, etc),...and when not phyisically working on the car at night, I have been able to locate new replacement OEM type trim clips. Mostly off of ebay, and some pretty pricey !!  Obviously I'm not there yet, but wanted to ask about the side body beltline clips that hold the long molding sections down the side of the car...my new clips are replicas of the original oem clips that push into the molding hole. This metal clip is held in place by (2)ea short lips that when looked at from the side, resemble an open ducks bill,...when I was removing the molding, it was a first for me, so I just worked slowly at it, and the molding popped right off leaving the clips attached to the body of the car...then a pair of pliers was all it took to grap the clip from their centers, and with a slight rocking motion they came free from the car...it would seem that common sense would dictate that for re-installing the molding, the clips would have to be 1st attached to the car, then the molding attached to the clip....and it looks as though when the new clip is inserted into the hole, you are to use a bit of plier pressure to expand those duck bill shaped lips inside the hole to secure the clip to the car,....then the molding is attached to the clips..popping the molding off, with old paint, and old rusted clips was one thing,....but getting the new molding on without doing lots of paint damage (at this point) seems like it could really be tricky....any tips or help would be greatly appreciated....I'm thinking was ahead of myself here - but this is one of those things I lay in bed and think of at night....I did note which direction the clips were oriented/clocked vertically when installed, before I removed them, thinking that would be imporant in re-assembly...also - the clips I am talking about make up the bulk of the clips that hold this molding on,,,the extreme end and front sections of this molding (1st and last hole down each side of the car) used a different clip that had a threaded post secured with a nut on the inside...

[Don Coatney]

I had to replace one piece of belt molding on my car. I used the pictured clips. If I recall I got them from Niel Riddle (seaplym on e-bay). Not original but easy to use.

 

Where is Hurst?

 

[3046moparcoupe]

Hello Don, Hurst is in the Dallas Ft Worth Texas Metroplex mid cities area....on the north east edge of Ft Worth...thanks for the reply, I've seen the type clips you were good enough to share the pic of - on ebay and have also purchased some items from seaplym (small world huh the oem type clips (like what I purchased) are appealing in that you don't have to remove your interior to secure the trim nut, they just insert into the hole from the outside -  but then the idea of snapping/pressing the molding on to a metal clip sure sounds like an easy way to scratch things up, and if a scratch is just deep enough to get down to metal, what a mess/waste....that would be....I'm wondering if laying down some masking tape against the body, running horizontally along the top and bottom edge of the molding, to act as a protective cushion,....that could be peeled off and away from under the edge of the moulding once it's attached to all the clips...would be possible..??...Yesterday via this forum's chat, a member called Young Joe, told me you just start at one end, by pressing in and up, on the middle of the molding,.. I'm not a purist at heart, so it's not like I've got to use the oem type clips, (and even tough I did pay a lot for them - cutting through the paint even once, just isn't acceptable - talk about shooting yourself in the foot),.. even though I'm quite a ways away from re-installing the molding, my head keeps going back to this,...and hopefully it's as simple as Young Joe described,.. maybe some more folks with experience in this area will have some helpful info to share...thanks again for your reply...S.

[Don Coatney]

I think Young Joe is actually Young Ed but he gives good advice.

[steveplym]

Hello Don, Hurst is in the Dallas Ft Worth Texas Metroplex mid cities area....on the north east edge of Ft Worth...thanks for the reply, I've seen the type clips you were good enough to share the pic of - on ebay and have also purchased some items from seaplym (small world huh the oem type clips (like what I purchased) are appealing in that you don't have to remove your interior to secure the trim nut, they just insert into the hole from the outside -  but then the idea of snapping/pressing the molding on to a metal clip sure sounds like an easy way to scratch things up, and if a scratch is just deep enough to get down to metal, what a mess/waste....that would be....I'm wondering if laying down some masking tape against the body, running horizontally along the top and bottom edge of the molding, to act as a protective cushion,....that could be peeled off and away from under the edge of the moulding once it's attached to all the clips...would be possible..??...Yesterday via this forum's chat, a member called Young Joe, told me you just start at one end, by pressing in and up, on the middle of the molding,.. I'm not a purist at heart, so it's not like I've got to use the oem type clips, (and even tough I did pay a lot for them - cutting through the paint even once, just isn't acceptable - talk about shooting yourself in the foot),.. even though I'm quite a ways away from re-installing the molding, my head keeps going back to this,...and hopefully it's as simple as Young Joe described,.. maybe some more folks with experience in this area will have some helpful info to share...thanks again for your reply...S.

 

I used the above type of clips and attached them to the molding first, then put the nuts on the back side.  You can get to the most of the holes for the quarter panel trip through the trunk. 

 

I would avoid the masking tape if you can as it can leave residue on your moldings and as you are trying to get that off with a razor blade you end up scratching the paint anyway. 

 

With that wire on the above mentioned clips it keeps it tight against the molding and goes on easy. 

[Young Ed]

I think Young Joe is actually Young Ed but he gives good advice.

 

I've been called much worse.....

[3046moparcoupe]

Thxs guys for the info, and sorry about the name change Young Ed, I hadn't had my coffee yet that morning and wasn't firing on all 8 cylinders yet...S.

[Chester Brzostowski]

3046moparcoup,

 

I have just recently reinstalled my body belt on my 48 Plymouth.  All the clips are available except the offset clips for the front fenders.  Also the rocker clips at the time I bought them were hard to find. The body stainless just snaps back on after the clips are installed.  See the following link for what I did concerning the front fender clips.  The hood side trim clips are also available.

 

PS... Make sure you install the molding in the correct orientation or you will wind up doing it twice like I did.

 

http://www.1948plymouth.info/1948p15/reports/20145/07042014.htm

 

I hope this helps a little,  Chet...

Edited September 16, 2014 by Chester Brzostowski

[3046moparcoupe]

Many thanks Chet....I appreciate the info,...beautiful car you have there, I like that deep corsair blue paint....my hood side trim clips are the wire type, and the old ones are still in pretty descent shape,...I soaked them in evaporust to clean them up - and there not pitted to badly, still since I think t's a total of 10 ea to do the hood, I've been looking for new ones. I've found them on a few different web sites, but the dimesnions are never correct. mine are a larger rectangular shape than all the ones I've found listed so far...my old hodd side clips are basically a 1 1/4" x 1" rectangular curved wire shape, then the diamond shaped ends of the wire (that protude through the hood hole also measures at 1 ". Does this description sound like the same hood side trim clips you have found available somewhere ?

[Chester Brzostowski]

The hood clips you described sound correct.  I purchased replacement clips from Restoration Specialties.  I don't remember the part number but I am sure if you called them they would know what you wanted.  If they don't.., I have a bag of old receipts which might have the part number.

 

Here is the link to their catalog, very helpful.

 

http://www.restorationspecialties.com/Catalog-PDF.html

 

Good Luck,  Chet...

[3046moparcoupe]

Awesome Chet, tahnk-you  - I'll check with Restoration Specialties.....I was aware of a half dozen or so internet providers to obtain old Mopar items, but I had not yet found these guys....many thanks. Steve.

[3046moparcoupe]

Chet, I couldn't find anything that matched up with my hood clips at restoration specialties looking through their on line inventory, I have not tried to call them yet....I'll try giving them a call tomorrow and see if that produces something.....sorta figured if they had it, I would have found it in their ordering info,...anyway - a call is quick and easy enough..if you do stumble across that receipt, send the part # this way...many thanks..S.

[3046moparcoupe]

Chet, I called Restoration Specialties today and spoke with Jeff at #814-467-9842 - and he did have the exact NOS Plymouth push in wire type P15 hood side molding clips like I was looking for, exactly as you thought he might...many many thanks my friend. I purchased 16ea of the clips so I'd have a complete new set plus a couple of spares. Jeff said that regarding his NOS inventory items, which do not get listed in their catalogue,...one must check with him direct,....and for anyone else out there whom might be needing some of these type clips - he said he had enough left for about 2 cars, then he'd be out and there would be no more....so many thanks Chet, you hit a homerun on this for sure I appreciate it. Steve'g....the clip part # is B1108, it is a wire push in type clip, the slightly curved section of the clip is a rectangle that measures 1 1/4" x 1", with the push in section of the clip being slightly off center by about 1/16th-1/8th ", the push in portion of the clip meaures 1" deep, and slightly over 1/2" wide.....Jeff's price for these is $1.25 ea.

[48ply1stcar]

I have ordered from them and have been very satisfied.

[Chester Brzostowski]

Chet, I called Restoration Specialties today and spoke with Jeff at #814-467-9842 - and he did have the exact NOS Plymouth push in wire type P15 hood side molding clips like I was looking for, exactly as you thought he might...many many thanks my friend. I purchased 16ea of the clips so I'd have a complete new set plus a couple of spares. Jeff said that regarding his NOS inventory items, which do not get listed in their catalogue,...one must check with him direct,....and for anyone else out there whom might be needing some of these type clips - he said he had enough left for about 2 cars, then he'd be out and there would be no more....so many thanks Chet, you hit a homerun on this for sure I appreciate it. Steve'g....the clip part # is B1108, it is a wire push in type clip, the slightly curved section of the clip is a rectangle that measures 1 1/4" x 1", with the push in section of the clip being slightly off center by about 1/16th-1/8th ", the push in portion of the clip meaures 1" deep, and slightly over 1/2" wide.....Jeff's price for these is $1.25 ea.

 

I am glad I could help and yes I know that not everything they sell is in the catalog.  I am very glad that you were able to get the items you need.  Restoration Specialties have been a big help to me also.   

 

Cheers Chet...