Help with Ranchero trim and identifing wierd pieces

[VwDrvFnd]

The previous owner of my 57 Ranchero had taken the liberty of having a considerable amount of the interior garnish modelings chromed along with the glove box, ashtray and others. However as I have got more fimiliar with the car and comparing it to others it appears that he did not take liberty in reinstalling most of it correctly!
There is a chrome surround along the inside edge of the front windshield that is scredwed into place but it has gaps behind it where the screws are visible when looking down on it from the outside of the car. Is there supposed to be some kind of seal that goes inbetween the chrome trim and the window.


Also There is this wierd little clip or clamp just below the drip rail on the passager side of the car and a hole for what looks like another one should be on the drivers side. Anyone know what this is for?



Thanks in Advance!

[BWhitmore]

I don't think the holes or the clamp in the drip rail are stock.  My Ranchero was bone stock when I got it and did not have these holes.  I will post a picture of my inside trim moulding at the bottom of the windshield soon. 

[BWhitmore]

Picture of interior trim below windshield. As you can see the trim screws are visible from the outside.  There is a rubber gasket at the front side of the trim piece.  The opening at the rear is to allow hot  air to defrost the windshield. 

[RICH MUISE]

Vw...My guess for the bolts on the driprail is that the car at one time had a sunvisor. There is suppose to be a gap at the windshield...that's where your defroster air exit. I was aware of that when I redid my dash, and although I don't have my windshield installed or the garnish rails, I tried to keep that area neat as posible 'cause I knew it was going to be visible....LOL... and now for the rest of the story...Years ago when I first started working on my car, I had planned on just keeping it a driver and fixing it up a little. I went to the tri state swap meet in Denver, my first ever car swap meet. In the car coral was a '57 2 dr custom, tan and white. It had a full body off restoration that impressed the heck out of me. I remember looking at it real thorougly, and , seems trivial, but noticing that even looking into the space on the garnish rails/windshield, I could see shiney screws and clean paint. On my way home I decided I just wasn't wasn't going to be happy with anything less. The following weekend I began disassembling my car. I'll bet your sorry you asked.

[BWhitmore]

Rich - as far as I know the sun visor was aftermarket and not from the factory.  I think that is correct. 

[RICH MUISE]

Agreed, I just couldn't think of any other reason for them...unless to hold parade flags.

[VwDrvFnd]

I can't believe Ford wouldn't try to hide those trim screws back then, They stick out like a sore thumb to me!
Maybe for a sunvisor (i would love to put a sunvisor on it just haven't found one) or what about those little mirrors i see sometimes up in that area?
I was even thinking maybe it was to hold a long whip antenna that may have been mounted on the rear of the car and arched to the front for cleaance. My dad usta to do that with a 26 foot CB antenna attached to the rear bumber of his 1979 Explorer back in the 80's

[BWhitmore]

The "peep" mirrors actually clamp to the top of the doors.  I agree with Rich - the holes and clamp must be for a sun visor. 

[Ford Blue blood]

I can't believe Ford wouldn't try to hide those trim screws back then, They stick out like a sore thumb to me!

They did kinda, the stock screws were very short, 1/2", seen a lot of cars with the same length screws all the way around the lower trim.  I put 3/4" back in my Edsel and they show some, just didn't feel like going to the store for shorter ones while in the throngs of assembly.