CHROME INSTALLATION

[NES304]

I have holes in the car from a detroit kit which are being migged up and the FC Special chrome is going on.
Any tips on how to install or mark out where new holes will go? A mate of mine suggested using the same tape that holds the plastic door moulds on in the new cars? I may not have to drill new holes then....
Any ideas?

[graham_fuller]

The original holes should be in the panels maybe just look inside the doors and guards. I think you will find that tape won't hold the stainless strong enough and especialy seeing the strips are hollow at the back.
Cheers,
Graham

[Blown_FC]

NES138, I have just been through this same dilemma.
My Special FC had all the holes welded up by the previous owner...a real pain in the R's, as I had to redrill 100 odd holes.

Anyway, as far as the tape goes, graham is right...hollow trims make it hard to attach, however if you fill the hollow trims with a resin or filler, that would make them solid and you could then use tape....but at the end of the day, the best way is to get handy with your drill I'm afraid.

I did the deed, and haven;t looked back.

As far s knowing where to drill the holes, the best way is to get out all your trim pieces, and attach them to your car with masking tape.  Line them up until you are happy with the whole lot.....them with a pencil, trace around all the trims....pull the trims off leaving an outline of where your trims will go.

As long as you drill the holes vertically in the middle of the outline it doesn;t really matter where abouts horizontally you drill the holes ( for side trim only ).  The only trims you need to be spot on with, is the door belts, as these bolt on not clip on, and you can;t adjust the bolt location.

All the side trims have clips that can slide pretty much anywhere  left or right, just space 4 or 5 of them evenly on the longer tims.

I do have some diagrams and measurements I took off an old special.  These lined up pretty well.

If I can find them I'll post them too you, but best bet is to find someone with an old rusty FC special, and give em a carton or 3 to measure and draw you up a template for exactly where the holes go and what size.

I have done this complete template, but just need to find it, as it's in my donor car which I have now given away.

If you want it, let me know, and I'll start looking for it !

Cheers

mark

[nes139]

If you can find it that'd be great, but if you cant...
cheers for the input

[RET]

Anyway, as far as the tape goes, graham is right...hollow trims make it hard to attach, however if you fill the hollow trims with a resin or filler, that would make them solid and you could then use tape....but at the end of the day, the best way is to get handy with your drill I'm afraid.

Mark's right: the other problem with the glue/resin approach is that the clips pull the trim into the car, and force it to follow the profile of whatever they're being attached to.  Getting the  longer trims to sit flush will be difficult if you're gluing them.

cheers
RET

[surferboy]

gday guys
i've buggered the chrome trim piece on the front right fender of the wagon
(the chainsaw comes out on the weekend and that tree goes !! )
i've got good chrome i can steal from cathys ugly duckling sedan.
whats involved in pulling it off and swapping it over ?

[Ed]

put your head up inside the guard you will notice the nuts holding the clips in.

undo those nuts and gently remove the chrome.

Cheers

Ed

[surferboy]

bugger !
Ed,
It sounded simple.... remove a couple of nuts , swap the trim over, and then fasten a couple of nuts.... EASY

You forgot to mention...some designer thought it would be a good idea to use SIX nuts and bolts to hold a one ounce piece of trim to the body...two ofwhich are bound to be rusted stuck...one is stuffed up inside the guard where the average hand doesnt fit....you start looking in places you havent seen before and discover MORE RUST..... removal of marks off the paintwork with compound means cleaning ALL the paintwork ( cos it looks really silly with just one shiny patch)...no matter how hard you try, the old clips that fell out of the trim WILL NOT stay in place when youre trying to put it back together..... at least one nut will drop off and land somewhere in the bermuda triangle.....what appears to be a 30 minute job takes 30 hours....normally placid people transform into cursing swearing spanner throwing monsters


next time I think I'll just pay somebody to do it for me


( he with a very short frustration threshold )
( he who very broke cos he pays people to do things for him )

[Addo]

bugger !
.....what appears to be a 30 minute job takes 30 hours....normally placid people transform into cursing swearing spanner throwing monsters

Yes............... and your point is?
Oh!!! you must be new to old holdens!
Some things never change- old holdens and what they do to their owners!
Thats why when you see someone driving one around you know they're one hell of a guy(or Gal) and they MUST really love their cars!