Questions about chrome trim at top of door

[jmackro]

I have two questions regarding the chrome trim that goes on the outside top of the doors.

1) The rubber seals that go against the vent window frames (adjacent to the cross hatching in photo below) are cracked and brittle, so I’d like to replace them. Is this part #9 or 12 in the diagram below? I hope it is #12, as #9 is NLA.

2) I have had this chrome trim off and on several times in my 35 years of e9 ownership, and understand that it is held on with clips (#10 in the diagram above). My old clips are rusted, so I am getting new ones. But, even without the clips, I can’t readily get the chrome piece to fit down over the sheet metal lip at the top of the door. Am I missing something obvious? I can’t imagine that it will fit on more easily with the clips present. I thought I would consult the brain trust here before I try pounding on it with a mallet.

 

[rsporsche]

i think #12 is the sweep for the glass that goes up / down - its a small / trim piece. i think what you are looking for is #9. the pic below shows the 2 separate pieces where they juncture at the window channel.

#9 is a narrow "T" shape piece that is about 3/4" tall. don't really know if it clips on or is glued on.

 

[eriknetherlands]

The rubber bit in the last pic is glued on.
I used a bunch of metal clothes pegs, it was stubborn to hold in place.

 

[Jim Stone]

I just checked my spare door covers and agree with what has been shared above. In addition the sweep is attached with four clips while the chrome trim is attached with five clips. The clips are of two different sizes between the two parts, sweep and chrome trim.

 

[HB Chris]

The large clips you need to attach the chrome window sill are NLA, the skinny ones will not work.

 

[jmackro]

Are both of the parts I asked about, the rubber seal and the "U" shaped clip, NLA? I sure hope not!

The rubber seal I can live without. Mine look pretty bad and I though it would be easy to replace them while I have things apart. But the car will still run with my old seals (luckily, I haven't scraped them off yet).

But the clips seem kind of essential. And my old ones aren't in the box where they should be; I'll hunt some more. I am still wondering if the clip that is available, p/n 51211803685, isn't the one that I need to secure my chrome strips to the door. Here's why:

- The photo of that clip on the W&N site kind of looks like my memory of what had been in there (I wish I could re-post the photo from the W&N website, but they have blocked this. The pertinent page is: https://www.wallothnesch.com/en/clip-41-14-10.html).

- W&N say that ten of the available 51211803685 clips are required per car, which matches the # of scars on my chrome strip where its attaching clips had been.

- Jim Stone noted above that the each side needs four - not five - of the clips that hold the sweep.

So, is it possible that the sweep clips are the ones that are NLA?

 

[Jim Stone]

I’ll send a photo to help with this. Also, I recall buying clips from, I believe W&N so let me check on that.

 

[Jim Stone]

Here’s a few photos. I’ll research inventory later for what clips I purchased later.

 

[eriknetherlands]

this is what the Walloth link in post 6 points to:

 

[jmackro]

Thank you Jim - I appreciate any help that I can get. But I think the part in you pictures is the inner trim for the top of the door; the one that has the walnut panel. What I am working on is the trim on the outside of the glass.

Here is a shot of where one of the five clips holding the outside trim goes:

 

[jmackro]

this is what the Walloth link in post 6 points to: View attachment 205334

Yes! That is part 51211803685. For the life of me, I couldn't grab a picture of it. So my questions becomes: "Is that one of the five clips that goes into the slot where my pencil is pointing in the above photo and secures each outer door trim?" I hope so, because part 51211803685 is still available.

 

[Rek]

They work, but they scratch the paint on the top of the door.

 

[jmackro]

They work, but they scratch the paint on the top of the door.

When you say "they work", are you saying:

1) That part 51211803685 is not the correct clip to hold the chrome trim to the top of the door, but that it will work?

OR

2) That part 51211803685 is the correct clip, but it scratches the paint (where you can't see it)?

Either way, I can't see that I have a lot of options here other than using part 51211803685.

 

[Rek]

It is the correct clip. It scratches the paintwork. I know of no options either.

 

[eriknetherlands]

I would say it's your answer #2.

But as @Rek points out, this solution by bmw was a bit of a rust invitation.
I set them in a generous lump of grease.

I've been wondering if i cannot create a hook ("pin in hole") on the chrome trim near the A pillar, and create a mounting hole on the other end, in the top edge of the door jamb, then drive a screw through the squared end section of the chrome trim.
A bit like the construction of the outer chrome on the rear windows that screws into the black plastic block.
But that requires a bit of engineering, and it's to low on my priority list.

 

[jmackro]

I would say it's your answer #2.

I've been wondering if i cannot create a hook ("pin in hole") on the chrome trim near the A pillar, and create a mounting hole on the other end, in the top edge of the door jamb, then drive a screw through the squared end section of the chrome trim.

Thank you for clarifying that 51211803685 is the correct clip.

I agree that holding the front door top chrome trim with those clips is not a great solution, and that the attachment of the corresponding piece at the rear is more elegant. But I am not about to re-engineer this. I live in a dry climate, don't take my coupe out in the rain, etc., so, I doubt that rust in that area will be a major issue in my lifetime.

 

[HB Chris]

I still think Walloth is selling the interior clip with the exterior part number. The smaller clips would not hold my chrome sill trim on. Good luck.

 

[rsporsche]

this is what the Walloth link in post 6 points to: View attachment 205334

i am was pretty sure these clips are for the inner felt ... but they are not. i just took the clips off of one of my inner pieces

 

[rsporsche]

i checked my outer pieces as well as the spare set of outer pieces ... and i don't have any clips attached to them, so i can't verify the outer clips. but i did just buy them from W+N, so i hope they are right.

 

[eriknetherlands]

I looked at an old knackered outer chrome trim and it had the exact same clips for bitting into the painted edge of the door as the pic in post 6, the W&N image.

Here's what was mounted in my chrome exterior trim:

it has two distinct pressed teeth, like Christmas trees , pointed inwards. These two grip the inner flange of the chrome trim.
On the outer edge of the clips are half triangle shaped teeth that dig into the paint on your door's upper edge. In the pic you see them.in front of my nails.

As you can see from my dirty hands my e9 is getting some attention again...