Drip Rail moulding

[areibel]

I was digging through the box of trim I have for my 69 and I noticed something odd.  One of the drip rail mouldings (passenger side) looks fine, nice and straight.  But the drivers side looks kinda like it's tweaked, the section from the back corner up looks OK but the long section over the door has a twist to it.  It's no where near straight, it's probably deflecting about 8 inches up and anout a quarter to a half turn in it.   There aren't any real dings or kinks in it though.  It also had a bunch of hardened up goop on the inside where the passenger side is clean.  I cleaned the gunk out but it's still twisted, do you think it will clip back down on the rail and straighten up or should I start shopping for a replacement?
Thanks!
Al

[twodko]

Hey Al,

That's a curious thing. I striped my car of all molding to save body shop labor. My DR molding came off easily gently using a blue tape covered bottle opener. Neither piece had any adhesive on it.......maybe some needed it at the factory...some didn't.
When I was reassembling my car the DR side was nice and straight but the PS side had the same twist you describe. What a PITA! I thought it would seat properly when I put it back on. I spugded mine up a bit at the "j" molding end because I started laying it back on at the pillar post. Big no no. My DR went on like butter so I thought the PS would too and then I saw the twist. I was hesitant to try and twist the twist out so i fought it but in hindsight I should have tried it. It's SS so it won't crumple/crimp like aluminum. I would also have a buddy help help you with it and do it AWAY from the car to avoid any paint gawd dammits.  Work it a bit at a time.

[tan top]

 have you got a picture ?

[twodko]

Hey TT,

Pix of the spuged end or the twist? I didn't take a pix of the twisted one. 

[68blue]

That stuff is pretty sensitive to pressure when reinstalling. I had my best luck greasing it up and using a firm shove. Even a rubber mallet will dent it, I know to my sorrow.

[Chatt69chgr]

My bottle opener with tape on it still made marks in the drip rail moulding when I took it off.  I don't know how I'm going to get these marks out.

[areibel]

OK, a couple pics-

[areibel]

The top pic shows the pass side and drivers back to back, the pass side is upside down in the pic.  The lower ends (towards the quarter) are together, you can see how the driver's side starts to curl up on the long side over the door.  There are a few small puckers here and there along the back edge where it clips over, but no kinks in the outside.

[areibel]

The more I dig into it, the more I think the last "resto" is the root of the problem!
The trim must have been off at leat once before, at least on the passenger side.  Everything I've taken off so far has about one clip in place and the rest is half assed glued down with silicone- there must literally be two or three tubes of silicone between the rear window trim and the windshield!  But it's a bad news/ good news thing, I saw a lot of bumps and blisters under the paint- some of it was actually the goop, not rust!

[tan top]

Hey TT,

Pix of the spuged end or the twist? I didn't take a pix of the twisted one.  

just curious  , of how twisted  ,  mine had  been on an off a few times  ,  before i got the charger , & took them off a few times to change top ( colors   )   since  !!  last time i removed  them once they were off , were  sort of a flatish banana shape  ,  but clip back down on  , little wiggles in them  ,  but thought about changing them for better or repop ones , but decided original to the car  
when removing  i used & on any trim like this  , just hands , fingers , get it started by using a thin flat blade  screwdrive , pry up the end  , then with combination  of  fingers , bondo spreader or windshield rubber push stick , carefully un clip it from the drip rail bottom edge first ,
the J shaped rear top  of rear quarter stainless trim , think your supposed to slide it on first ,
fitting the drip rail trim , it  clips over the top first , then slap it down  with the palm of your hand  ,

The top pic shows the pass side and drivers back to back, the pass side is upside down in the pic.  The lower ends (towards the quarter) are together, you can see how the driver's side starts to curl up on the long side over the door.  There are a few small puckers here and there along the back edge where it clips over, but no kinks in the outside.

they will go back on ok even if a slight banana shape  , as long as there are no kinks , i can see a few ,  they will show up once fitted 

[Lord Warlock]

If someone replaced the top at some point, the installer may have used silicon along the inside seam of the top/trim, thats what my installer recommended to do, to ensure that no water got under the vinyl.  It wasn't intended to seal the trim in place, it was to protect the top from getting moisture underneath the vinyl.  (clear silicon)