Custom 300 Side Trim

[fdlrc]

Has anyone had any success in messaging the rear side trim to correct curvature? To be precise; I need to add curve to a piece without messing it up. As the picture shows I have 1/4" to make up in order for it to contact both ends. If I apply pressure on the bottom it pulls the top out so I can't just draw it in. It appears that it was damaged in a previous accident. I just want to ask before I search for a new piece.

[RICH MUISE]

To be honest, my Custom check marks  just gap, just like your pic, on both sides. A replacement piece I got from Roger in Kansas did the same. Drives me nuts(when I notice it again), but whadyagonnado.The trim piece is actually stronger than the expanse of sheetmetal it's mated to, so if you try to draw it in with the fastener, it'll distort the sheetmetal in doing so. Ask me how I know.
Les, email me your phone number. I lost alot of my contact info when my wife washed my jeans with my wallet still in them. Also, please let me know about any upcoming Colorado shows...........seems like there were some that I always missed because they were right after the Green Mountain show that I always did.

[lalessi1]

On my Custom, I bought another side trim to replace the right side trim on my car. I managed to make a clip with a nut on the inside that fit at the very bottom of the check mark and it happened to be where a reinforcement was inside the quarter panel. I was able to pull the part down nicely. Now the other side is aggravating me... not sure if that would work on the 300 trim.

[Tom S]

Has anyone had any success in messaging the rear side trim to correct curvature? ....

I've tapped out dents, sanded & polished quite a bit of this stuff but have never run into this problem.
I have a very small gap there on that same type of trim on my Ranchero, but it's hardly noticeable.  Maybe only a 1/8" gap if that.
I also have a couple of those pieces that are loose. I see that when I lay them on a flat surface that they lay completely flat from the pointy end of that check-mark to the rear end of the piece.
I took hold of the rear end of it with my left hand & at the pointy end with my right & twisted the pointy end down. (Careful not to go crazy & kink it.)
That stuff may be stronger than some think & it tends to spring back.
Not entirely sure of the result except that after doing that once or twice it only seemed to raise the very front of the piece a little & it took very little force to hold it back down. The trim clips would handle that with ease.
This *may* be what you need to do to get what you're looking for. If not it would be very easy to twist it back so may be worth a shot.
There is very little of that piece that is vertical & I don't see how it could be bent to fit the vertical curve of the body. Tried it a little but could see that it would not work.  Risky too! Don't want to kink it.
       
 

[fdlrc]

Thanks all; yep I don't want to distort it, and I know I can't just draw it in. I'll leave it in place for now and not ever look at or wash the passenger side! I bet nobody in my family will even notice.

Working on getting the rear together this weekend.

[Tom S]

... I don't want to distort it ...

Sounds like it's distorted now. Like I said, it's easy enough to twist it back.
Sure looks to me like the pointy end of that piece would fit closer to the body after I put a little twist into it.
It's your call but if there is no interior in the car & you could get the piece off easier now why not give it a try. It will probably keep buggin' you so what do you have to lose? 
Your '57 looks real good!