I'm getting my 68 LeSabre 400 prepped for paint, and I'm having some issues with the chrome trim on the outside of the car, on the top half. I believe the chrome strips that go on the roofline over the doors are called scalp trim in the shop manual. I can't see to figure out how to remove the trim... Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, as I don't really want to tear anything up that I don't have to. All of the trim on the lower have of the car is removed except the piece that runs the length of the body under the doors, and all of the trim on the top half of the car, around the windows, scalp trim, etc, is still on. We're planning on shooting primer tomorrow if I can get this stuff off... please help!
I used a rag and carefully with a bottle opener lift off from the bak side they snap on al have taken a rag and my fingers and roled them off butt thats tough on the fingers
I'm dead set against using a can opener. The drip rail moldings (scalp trim) are very delicate and dent real easy. If you can't get them started with your fingers, and yes, it will definitely be hard on your fingers, then use a thin putty knife to get them started. They hook on from the top and snap into place on the bottom, so pull from the bottom at the rear of the molding. Once you get it started, carefully work it out and then it up. They come off, just be patient. The trim around the windows requires a tool specifically for that job. The tool will have a hook on both ends. You have to slip it under the molding and slide it until you feel each molding clip. Slide the hook behind the clip and rotate the tool so it releases the clip from the molding and it will pull up. Again, use patience with these.
When you put them back on (...after paint), use a little grease on, and under the rain gutter, it will help them slide on a lot easier !! Make sure they are positioned properly (front to rear), and be gentle as they do dent easily. :TU:
If the LeSabre's scalp trim is anything like the Riviera's, it is too wide for the bottle/can opener trick.
Man, I'm a bit skeptical about taking a can opener to my car... I'm gonna see if I can get them off with my hands first. They're on there pretty solid though. But if by chance I ruin this trim, how hard is it to find replacement trim? I looked in the C.A.R.S. catalog and didn't see it.
If you damage the trim removing it, you'll have to find another set used off another car. I had to buy another car to get the replacement drip rail trim for my Riviera. if you do a search, I outlined how to successfully remove the trim from a Riviera. My best advice (if its like the Riv trim) is to leave it on and paint around it. Believe me, that is experience talking
yeah dude, the whole "buy another car to get the drip rail" doesn't sound too promising lmao. But it needs to come off, as there is rust spots that need to be taken care of. I'm documenting the whole process with a lot of pics, so if I screw it up real bad, you'll see. It already looks like at one point in time somebody might've sprayed it with the drip rails on... they gotta come off.
ok, I just went out there with a small, thin screwdriver, and got it to start to budge in the back, being ever so careful not to bend up the trim. I think there's hope, although at this rate it will take the rest of the day lol. I guess while my buddy preps the body, I'll fool with this trim...
OK so we decided to leave the drip rails on... with the front and back windshield trim off, we can work around it. got pretty much everything off but the door handles at this point. coming along nicely...
Well mabe i just got lucky with the bottle opener and rag or a rubber sandiiing block to pry on . , But i see your point , non the less they are a pain to remove and reinstall after painting . Oh and i have also used a wood paint stick to get them started after that fingers once started a couple of inches the rest seemed easy to remove on all the ones i have done . I have done 4 this way and only bent the first one i did . but was able to fix the lip . CAUTION is the word SLowly work it fist sign of damaging take a time out and give it a rest . . Just my 2 cents
OK, so is there any trick or easy way to remove the outside window sweep? The glass is in the way of the screws, and I don't really see an easy way to pull the window... I don't want to take a chance on breaking the glass that I'll never be able to find a replacement for....
It should have a lower stop for the window. It'll be along the bottom of the door (inside). Loosen it up or remove it and you will be able to lower the window enough to get to the window fuzzy screws.
There should be some kind of bump stop at the bottom. I've seen them as a removeable bracket with a rubber stop and I've seen them as a fixed bracket with a removeable rubber stop. Either way, roll the wondow down until it stops and look around to see why. What stops it from going further down? There has to be something there. I'm not familiar with a LaSabre but I'm confident that GM wouldn't design a window to hit the bottom of the door inside. Find that and you'll find what you have to do to to remove it.
Getting the glass low enough to remove the fuzz may require more than removing the window stop, i.e., removing the glass completely. Yeah, it's a pain. Then, you have to pull the staples without denting the door, so when it goes back together, you don't have to look at a series of dimples. Easy does it, all the way.
Ok, I've found what's stopping the window from coming down further... There's like an upside down L bracket in the bottom of the door, in the center, with a rubber stop on it. And there's a little bracket on the window channel sticking down. The metal piece on the window channel hits the bump stop. But both appear to be welded in. I'm playing with the idea of cutting the piece off thats hanging off the window channel with a cut off wheel, and then maybe using epoxy to put it back on. I only need about 1/4" to get to those damn screws, but on all 4 doors. *Maybe* if I take the rubber stop out of the L bracket, I might get clearance, but I'm not sure, as the top of the bracket is kinda dished, and if I remove the rubber stop, it looks like the piece on the window channel might still catch the edge of the bracket... Having to pull the glass to change a wear item like weather stripping sounds pretty stupid to me. That ranks right up there with some other dumb stuff that GM did. For instance, I have a brand new Impala. The battery went bad in it. Most people carry jumper cables in their trunk right? Well, my trunk doesn't have a keyhole; it pops with the electric button on the dash or the remote. So battery goes dead, you can't get in the trunk to get you jumper cables...
Dont cut anything off!!! Why would you want to hack up your window mechanism? With a cut off wheel no less. ou: Thats just dumb. The Fisher body manual says removal of the lower stop bumpers are all thats needed. If you dont understand what to do, go get someone that does to help you.
We're talking about 2 pieces of metal that are both welded in... Now how does Fisher recommend I remove that? lol The top of the L bracket in the door is shaped like a U, and the rubber stop sticks up just enough to prevent the 2 pieces of metal from colliding. Unless I completely missed something, the manual I have doesn't have any instructions for changing the sweep, and only has instructions to remove the window, which I do not intend to do.
