Clips for stainless trim

[mtwilsonboy]

Im getting to the point where I will be putting the stainless trim on my 57 skyliner. The problem is I didn't take it off and don't know what clips I need or how many of what. Where could I get good imfo on what sizes and kinds of clips I will need? I know some of you guys have been through this and can give advice and experience. Any help would be appreciated.

[gasman826]

I'm kinda' in the same boat.  I took the trim off.  I'm not doing a restoration and don't want to use the OEM fasteners.  The first step would be to get an assembly manual!  I've been browsing the generic fastener catalogs but haven't pulled the trigger.  Input is appreciated.

[Zapato]

? ASSEMBLY MANUAL ? Wasn't aware there is one for 57s sure would like to know more myself not just on the clips but the manual.

Zap-

[petew]

Just went through this with my wagon. I called one of the better known vendors and had him "assemble" all of the clips necessary to get the trim on my car. My experience was the the repro clips are expensive and junk as they needed modifications and were not as flexible as the originals which led to me damaging a couple of trim pieces.

First thing is you really need access to the back sides of the clips to set them in order to have tight trim without gaps . With that said I would either use universal clips the fit the trim or make my own. A piece of sheet metal cut to the appropriate size with a screw pushed through it with the screw either glued or tack welded in place can be slid onto the rails of most pieces of trim and secured on the backside with a nut once slid into the appropriate hole.

If you hunt around ebay the universal clips are all over the place and reasonably priced , they also don't care if they are going on a Ford, Chevy or Dodge . Just measure up the trim to see what you need.

Just my 2 cents......

Pete

[Zapato]

. With that said I would either use universal clips the fit the trim or make my own. A piece of sheet metal cut to the appropriate size with a screw pushed through it with the screw either glued or tack welded in place can be slid onto the rails of most pieces of trim and secured on the backside with a nut once slid into the appropriate hole.

This is just the idea that has been rattling around in my head, been thinking stainless would be best in our wet climate. Thanks!

Zap-

[RICH MUISE]

My 2 cents goes along with what Pete said. I just went to our local auto body supply shop and grabed some the correct sizes. I also used a combination of metal and nylon. I would have gone nylon the whole way if they had them in both types needed. The nylon ones are the ones that snap into the square holes.
A note of caution...this is a great job for an extra pair of hands...even with tons of masking tape I still managed a scratch when I was paying more attention to lining a clip up in a hole near the tailight than I was the other end 6 feet down the car.

[Jeff Norwell]

A piece of sheet metal cut to the appropriate size with a screw pushed through it with the screw either glued or tack welded in place can be slid onto the rails of most pieces of trim and secured on the backside with a nut once slid into the appropriate hole.


Pete

That is a great Idea Pete. Repro clips are crazy pricey.

[Jeff Norwell]

My 2 cents goes along with what Pete said. I just went to our local auto body supply shop and grabed some the correct sizes. I also used a combination of metal and nylon. I would have gone nylon the whole way if they had them in both types needed. The nylon ones are the ones that snap into the square holes.
A note of caution...this is a great job for an extra pair of hands...even with tons of masking tape I still managed a scratch when I was paying more attention to lining a clip up in a hole near the tailight than I was the other end 6 feet down the car.

Agreed Rich.

[gasman826]

.... some the correct sizes. I also used a combination of metal and nylon. I would have gone nylon the whole way if they had them in both types needed. The nylon ones are the ones that snap into the square holes.

PICTURES man....PICTURES!!!!!!!! 

I was considering the ones that look like a mouse...body with a tail...like of OEM ones that are used on the ends and at the pointed ends of the hockey sticks on the sides of a Custom.

[gasman826]

maybe something like this??

[Frankenstein57]

I would recommend using a fastener with a nut wherever you can reach the backside, as far as the others,,,, I found a company in Florida, I seem to remember it was Althea fastener co. They had much better pricing than the big name vendors. As the guys said , measure your trim and order accordingly. The big name catalog outfits couldn't tell me what I needed, I actually mailed them a sample of what I wanted, to get the size down pat .  Good luck, go slow, if you use a fastener with a nut, sneak up on the tightness as it is easy to kink a piece of trim,    Mark

[SkylinerRon]

Get a Dennis-Carpenter.com 1952-59 catalog. They are free and there is a  trim clip location chart for 57 in it.

Goodluck,

Ron.

[RICH MUISE]

I would recommend using a fastener with a nut wherever you can reach the backside, as far as the others,,,,     Mark

I think the"others" are the snap-in nylon ones I liked. The square holes get the snap-ins, the round holes get the studs with nuts. The ones I got at my body shop supply house were made by "wee-pak".

Ron.....I thought I had recently seen a diagram somewhere, I just couldn't remember where.

Don't forget to put a non-hardening putty/sealant on every one of those mounting holes.

[mtwilsonboy]

Thanks for all your input. It is much appreciated.

[Limey57]

I'm pretty much at the same stage and noticed that one of my front fenders has round holes for the stainless trim, the other square holes, were there different fasteners used at the factory?