kick panel retainers

[Contibob]

Hi guys, anyone have an extra set of kick panel retainers or know of a supplier that sell them? Bob

[Contibob]

Guess I should have researched this before posting this. Sounds like they are almost unobtainium, (my own made up word) or very costly, Bob

[RICH MUISE]

Nobody is making them, hard to find. We had a guy on here who thought he could make them by hand...I don't think so unless you've got a lot of hours on a shrink/stretch machine.
I found one side that I needed in Colorado. I have to make some specialy shaped kickpanels to fit around my wiring panel..not even sure if I'll need the ones I've got, but it's way down on my priority list at this point. I would think a couple neatly placed screws/finish washers would do the trick and not be that noticeable.

[rmk57]

This is something EMS should be looking at reproducing, they'd sell a thousands!

[BWhitmore]

59 Ford kick panel retainers are the same shape just a little long.  I cut down a pair of no rust retainers from a 59 and they fit my 57 Ranchero perfectly.

[lowrider]

I saw a pair on ebay the other day.

[jumping jack flash]

Hows your welding skills? I cut the rusty bottoms off of mine and cut the good tops off of another rusted set and welded them to the bottom of the keeper set. a  bit of grinding and on to the next cut and weld job.  I did the same thing to the door panel retainer on the bottom of the door. Can't tell either one after painting.

[Contibob]

My car doesn't have any at all, nothing there to try and fix. Someone before me removed them. I think I found a set, but they want 125.00 a pair plus shipping. I guess if they are that hard to find that isn't all that bad.

[RICH MUISE]

Hard to find, yes. $125. ? way to high I would think. Let me look tommorrow to see if I can decide whether or not I'm going to use mine. My thinking is they won't work with what I've already got going with the rest of the interior look wise.

[jumping jack flash]

Wow! $125.00 Now I have sticker shock. I'm going to look through some upholstery suppliers and see if there isn't something we can do about this. Would like to find out where the hearse makers get their trim pieces.

[Contibob]

Rich, If you decide not to use yours and want to sell them let me know. Bob

[RICH MUISE]

Bob..totally forgot about this...sorry. I had decided I was not going to use them. I haven't looked at them for years. I'll pull them out tommorrow and post or send you pics. I know they're gonna need sandblasting/stripping.

[gasman826]

The area kick panel retainers protect is one of the first two areas where the windlace will be pulled!!!!  These pieces not only retain the kick panels but also assist securing the windlace.  No one likes windlace flapping in the wind.

I just bought a Ranch Wagon with updated interior.  The kick panels go over the top of the retainers and doesn't even use them.  Improperly installed windlace.  Yup, flapping in the wind!!!!!!!!!!

[RICH MUISE]

I've got wood strips in that area, as most of the door periphery, that the windlace is stapled to. I'm going to make panels from abs that are formed to have a bubble (for lack of a better word) to go over wiring and whatever else I end up with there. The abs panels will be covered, then screwed to the wood strips over the windlace. Even now, without that panel, my windlace is staying tight. I didn't have a chance to look for them today...I'm on my way to see if I can find them

[RICH MUISE]

I found them, Bob. The one on the right in particular has some surface rust in the lower portion, but I think a good sandblasting and rust treatment should take care of it. Let me know if you're interested. They're sure not as pretty as Gary's.