Window garnish moldings - removal

[48Windsor]

I've searched and read a bunch of items on garnish moldings. Haven't found anything on exactly how these things are attached. After removing the screws, what else is holding them on. Mine need some refurbishment. I tried to lift the rear door ones off but they appear to be held somewhere on the door panels?? Do they need to come off. 

I get tired of wrenching sometimes and need a diversion like cleaning/painting up some bits.

Thanks 

Tom B

[casper50]

I have a coupe but once the screws were out they just lifed off.

[neil and ethan]

i got the back ones out easy enough, just all the screws ,  the front ones with the vent window , proved a little tuff.

  i gave up for now, not wanting to break a vent window. unless they   the vents come out first,  any tips would be appreciated.

[Bingster]

I've taken all of mine out and refurbished them.  They're in primer awaiting wood graining. They just lift off after taking all the crews out. It may feel attached by something else, but it's probably just stuck from rust or something.  At least this is the way I did it on my S-11. 

Do be sure to keep the screws in jars or something. Photograph the vent window handle mechanism and the upper pivot bar and any other part that comes off before taking them apart.  You know, how the vent handle springs are kept in place and stuff like that.  You're going to need this photo reference when you go to put them back together. 

There is a fuzzy on the garnish moldings along the lower edge to protect the window when its rolled up and down. That will need to be replaced, and there is a thread about methods to do this somewhere on this site.

I sandblasted the garnish moldings with a fine sand and then hand-sanded them with yellow sanding pads. 180 at first and then 220.  Tap out any dents.  You can sand out scratches that are not too deep with a more aggressive sandpaper weight.  Any larger dents I tapped out with a piece of steel coming in from the inside inside of the frame.  Then finish sand it on the outside.  If you have to, fill whatever cannot be smoothed out.  I had to get another frame from a salvage yard.  Mine was too rusted on the inside. 

Then primed them.  It's a toss-up where to replace the fuzzy strips before you paint the moldings or after.  I wanted to get everything primed first and deal with the fuzzies later.

[rb1949]

My '49 was grumpy too, but got them to lift up and out. Yes it's a tight fit under than vent latch.

Edited February 19, 2017 by rb1949

[knuckleharley]

6 hours ago, 48Windsor said:

I've searched and read a bunch of items on garnish moldings. Haven't found anything on exactly how these things are attached. After removing the screws, what else is holding them on. Mine need some refurbishment. I tried to lift the rear door ones off but they appear to be held somewhere on the door panels?? Do they need to come off. 

I get tired of wrenching sometimes and need a diversion like cleaning/painting up some bits.

Thanks 

Tom B

They have probably just "grown" to the openings after having been there for several decades. When you pry them away to break the "Age seal",make sure you use something like a putty knife with a wide blade to keep from damaging them.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I think it's the vent window spring and cam that causes the hang up.

Rotating the vent window and having the door glass down helps removal as I recall.

[48Windsor]

Thanks tips guys. I just hate it when I ruin something, and didn't ask about it. This is a great site with a lot of experience willing to help a novice like me.

Tom b