On the 1-10 scale, how hard is it to replace the belt line trim? Besides removing the door cards is there any other things to remove to get to tiny bolts to replace the trim?
belt line trim
- Thread starter Lawrence Platt
- Start date
I'd give it a 3 as projects on this car go. Rear axles being an 8-9, dash being 7-8...at least so far in my experience...
You do need to remove the door cards, the side liners in the trunk, and the rear arm rest panels, but those are pretty easy. I found the most challenging nut to undo was the one up in the aft end of the front fenders. It is hard to real with the door on, but obviously removing the door to undo it would be nuts.. Air the recommendation of @rsporsche I used a small ratcheting box wrench on it.. Still awkward, but it came loose.
You do need to remove the door cards, the side liners in the trunk, and the rear arm rest panels, but those are pretty easy. I found the most challenging nut to undo was the one up in the aft end of the front fenders. It is hard to real with the door on, but obviously removing the door to undo it would be nuts.. Air the recommendation of @rsporsche I used a small ratcheting box wrench on it.. Still awkward, but it came loose.
getting to the nuts through the rear window is tough - especially putting it back on. i used a flexible 1/4" drive carburetor adjustment tool (with a magnet inside) to keep from dropping the nuts. the nuts alongside the rear wheel wells is not easy, again easier to take off than to put back on. if yo have freshly painted car, putting the nose trim back on is a challenge to keep from scratching the paint. be sure to use the belt trim spacers from lajolla independent.
Oh my. Obviously I am going to have to do more homework. I have no clue about the spacers from lajolla. My paint is not original but a decade or two old. The trim just looks 50 years old. I got it from Maxillian.
i would call removal a 2 or a 3, i would call the installation a 6 or a 7 (for frustration reasons) ... not difficult, just a PITA
jmackro
Well-Known Member
If your paint is "seasoned" then the spacers probably aren't necessary. On fresh (e.g., still soft) paint, the spacers keep the trim from distorting the paint.
rsporsche said:
A 9 mm ratcheting box wrench with a hinged handle is another handy tool for this task.
I have one of these!If your paint is "seasoned" then the spacers probably aren't necessary. On fresh (e.g., still soft) paint, the spacers keep the trim from distorting the paint.
A 9 mm ratcheting box wrench with a hinged handle is another handy tool for this task.
Removal and installation of the same set already covered above. However, installing trim new to your car is likely much more complex to fit body lines. You didn't specify so thought I'd point this out.
Take care with the nuts going in at the rear windows. Drop them, and they end up inside the sill if you're unlucky; rattling away to haunt you, being virtually non removable as they scoot through a 5 mm opening into the abyss.If your paint is "seasoned" then the spacers probably aren't necessary. On fresh (e.g., still soft) paint, the spacers keep the trim from distorting the paint.
A 9 mm ratcheting box wrench with a hinged handle is another handy tool for this task.
exactly ... that's why i use a magnet inside the socket to hold it in place. the flexible carb tool has a big thumb wheel on the other end to turn the socket while you are holding everything else in place (looking down through the window slot. after all of the belt trim was in and i needed to adjust their positions (to make them align with others better) ... i ended up pulling the windows ... IF you do that, be sure to mark the exact position of the window mounts and ONLY remove the 2 bolts that hold the window to the body, not the nuts for adjusting.
Chris Macha and I used painters tape to secure the nut to the wrench. Those 2 nuts were definitely the most difficult to install.
Thank you for all the help. I think I will wait until after summer to take part my car. Drive it while the sun shines.