FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

I was taking my LH front door off yesterday to replace the weather seal.  In the struggle I opened the door too wide and stuffed up my front spear and the retaining clip closest to the door  >:(  >:( :-[ :'(.

Can anybpody help me out with a spear and/or one clip?

Please PM or email me if you can help.

Thanks.

Martin

I should have something in my box of trim bits, just a matter of finding it  ::) Can you post a picture and I'll have a look.

G'day Glenn,

I hope you've got one.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/lewis1411/Spear1.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v451/lewis1411/Spear2.jpg)

I'll be away for a week from Thursday, but will check the board to see if you've found one.

Many thanks,

Martin

Good News, Bad News
I have the spear but it is damaged in the exact same place as yours  ??? matter of fact the two sets that I have (FE and FC) are all damaged in the same way  ::)

Martin - I would try repairing yours - It's not that hard.

Ken

Martin, an old panel beater showed me how to repair a trim like this with a wedge shaped piece of timber about an inch and a half wide and slightly rounded on the end and useing a flat piece of timber as an "anvil" with a very slight smear of grease on the face. Place the trim on the anvil face down and from the back use the rounded wedge to tap the stainless steel back into shape, finishing with a very fine file to bring down the high spots down, then polish to a finish.
Hope it helps, and as Ken said - it can be repaired.

regards
Weddo

Thanks for looking, Stinky.

Ken, that was already on the agenda if Stinky couldn't help.  I actually took it out to a fellow last week, but he's closed for another week.

Weddo, thanks for the tip. I was gunna pay some-one (a good crash repairer who's done a few jobs on my wife's cars over the years (not that I'm making any suggestions here   ;) :D ), but before I do that I think I'll have a bit of a play around with your instructions - although I'm not very confident in my abilities here.

Will heating it make it easier to straighten?

But if anybody who reads this has a good spear available, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Regards,

Martin

don't ever heat stainless unless ya have to
it will warp so bad you wont realise till its too late(you'll be binning it)
i do a  ???lot of stainless work and always do it cold if i can.
to cut this answer short use lots of rags and weddos technique 8)

I bought and use an excellent book called "How to restore metal auto trim". It was advertised in Australian Hot Rodding.
These are the chapter headings;

Tools for trim removal
Clips & trim removal
Cleaning & Inspection
Straightening dents
Marking & sanding flaws
Buffing techniques
Repairing & welding
Working with aluminium
Diecast, chrome, copper & nickle

I would recommend it

Ken

Thanks, Waynos.

Ken, thanks a lot.  I've located the book at Graffiti Publications.  Looks like it will be a good purchase.

Martin

Yes! Graffiti publications, I remember now - I saw it in Hot Rodding and then bought it directly off Larry O'Toole at Castlemaine swap meet.

Ken

Hi Martin,

how did you go finding a replacement or fixing the original ?

Cheers
Peter.

I've been offered a replacement.  Haven't seen it yet. I'm also going to have a go at knocking the ding out of mine, but I don't hold up much hope.  It will be a long job - I'm not that quick.  (It's taken me 3 weeks to replace all the door seals (among other commitments) and I've only just finished that job.  Made up some of the special sections and that took a bit of time.

Peter, do you know of a real good one?

Martin

Hi Martin,

I don't have a spare spear - I think they are getting thinner on the ground.

The damage that yours has appears common as mine had the same damage as well as others I've seen. 

I managed to get a spare from one of the guys from the club a couple months back.

Cheers
Peter.

H i Martin, may be able to help you. Found a pair of spears in the shed but not sure if they are identical. Do utes have same? I'll post some pics.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tmors/IMGP1745.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/tmors/IMGP1746.jpg)
Cheers Glenn