A pillar trim moulding re-install - '88 Camaro hardtop

I ran a search. Lots of hits for A-pillar trim. Seems like "A-pillar trim" is almost a dirty word. Somebody says it and the thread dies quickly. Not finding any info on the issue that has presented itself to me.

When I received the car, the drivers-side A-pillar trim (moulding) was just flopping in place.

Held down only by a crumbling white moulding button stuck into the A-pillar and wedged under the separate piece of trim at the back edge of the door.

White clips that are supposed to hold the trim to the body are still very much in place, but were not engaged with the trim.

Here's what it looked like before I removed it altogether for a better look.



I want to re-install the trim, but the little white clips are giving me the devil.

Looks like it should just fall out. Don't you believe it!



I had figured I'd use a screwdriver to depress the lever(?) on the clip, and they wouold just pop right out.

Wrong.

I even used TWO scredrivers. One to depress the lever and the other to try to pry it out from behind.

I can move it around for sure, but its just not coming out for me.
I'm pretty much at the point where I think the only way to get it out is to BREAK it out, and replace it with a new clip.

Anybody else have this experience, or do I just suck so bad at doing even the simplest body-work task that nobody is willing to admit that they are as inept as me?

Would I be correct to believe that this clip is the same clip that Hawks is selling at http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/pr...rd-New-GM.html ?



Here are some pics of my A-pillar trim.

The (used to be soft) rubber moulding that is supposed to seal the edge of the trim to the top edge of the window glass is absolutely rotted.



Anybody have ideas/experience on replacement of the rubber moulding? Sources?

It looks like the white clips are supposed to go in the rectangular slots in the trim.



Most of my rectangle-slots have one side of the slot torn out. Which is probably a good thing, since I'm not sure how the larger-than-the-hole rectangle heads of the white clips get into the slots otherwise.



Lastly, how about that crumbly round fastener that goes right at the very front-end of the trim piece? I don't think its the same thing Hawks is selling at http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/pr...rd-New-GM.html Those pieces look like they are for door panels. Anybody have thoughts on source for replacement of this one-of-a-kind round fastener? The one that's on the trim piece now is about to crumble into dust.

 

Good luck with this thread! I've also been trying to locate a source for the rubber molding. Numerous thread searches turned up no results. I picked up some door weather sealing for housing and tried to repurpose it for the correct look. Wasn't quite successful.

As for the round fasteners, definitely do not use the door fasteners in their place. You are correct that they are different. I tried using door fasteners and they do not stick the pillar trim in correctly. There is more of a gap and they actually shake and squeak a little bit on bumpy roads. Altogether frustrating.

 

 

Actually, some of the door panel fasteners ARE the right ones. If their heads look like a wheel of cheese with a large chunk missing, they're the right ones.

As for the other clips, I think that when it's time to do mine (long time away yet as I don't even have a headliner ATM), I'm going to try using a hex key to pull the locking tab of the clip towards the clip body as I pull it out. And then I'm going with the round fasteners. I just don't see a way to make sure that the clips align with the slots in the pillar trim while you push the trim up over the end of the clip while sliding the trim back into position. With the round clips, you just line up the trim and push it into place.

 

They fasteners will fit, but they aren't the same, at least on my car. The pillar trim didn't fit quite right when I tried the ones that were on my door.

 

Well, they're what was factory on my 87 t-top... At least I would tend to assume they were never replaced. I never had a problem with them rattling.

Keep in mind there are 2 different styles of clips used on the door panels... One has a straight T clip on the end and the other is the "cheese wheel" clip.

 

The half wheel of (crumbly) cheese is what is in place at the very front-end of the trim piece. I think it IS the same fastener as the door-panel fasteners on the Hawks site after all.

I intend to get some of the rectangle-shaped clips when I order the cheese-wheel fastener.

Looks like the trick with the rectangle fasteners is to first install them in the trim-piece, and then snap them into the top of the door frame all in one-fell-swoop, already attached to the trim piece.

I'll do pics and maybe some vids when I get to it.

For now, I still need new rubber to attach to the trim piece. That crumbly rubber on there needs to go away. I'll check with the Chevy dealer tomorrow to see if they know anything about it.

 

http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/GM_...0_p/a16865.htm
These are the clips that you need,
http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Doo...as1716-100.htm
These clips are used for door,trunk trim and trim panels
The ones that Hawks list,are the ones you need,you can buy them individually from them
Clips and Fasteners you have to buy in bulk.

 

Some time ago someone got the rubber seal from JCWhitney.
Maybe take a look & see if they carry something you can use?

 

Thanks!

Those are EXACTLY what are used on the '88.

 

Poking around on the internet for automotive closed-cell door moulding reveals that "3M" is likely the brand that manufactures what I want. Problem is, the "manufacturer" is in China. Big surprise.

Market for small amounts of it is slim.

Evidently "alibaba.com" (Google it) is a source if you want to buy a full kilometer of the stuff. I kid you not.

Then there's this guy (Ali Baba's son) who lives in China who will hook you up with a delux door-gasket kit for your car. 3M products out the wazoo with this guy. Chinese tweaker.

Ali Baba Jr. will even deliver the stuff TO YOUR DOOR.
(if you live in his home-town in China)

Check out his Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/3mWindStrip/info

Meanwhile I get to go visit Earl in the parts-department at the Chevy dealer. *sigh*

 

I needs me one of these.


Its hard to not get distracted when doing this research on youtube. Evidently, the folks at 3M realized they were on to something with this squishy rubber product. Appears that they've come up with glue-on product for the ladies. Use your imagination, or google "nubra."

As for the fella's, if you're trying to make out the door without paying for your door gaskets, and the clerk says, "Is that door gasket in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?," you might be in trouble.

searching...

 

There are various "profiles" of this sealing tape.

Some profiles defy verbal description, you just have to look at the pictures, 'cause they look more like Chinese alphabet letters than anything the average fella with a Budweiser in his hand is gonna recognize.

For the rest of us, there seems to be several "conventional" profiles that describe the stuff by a Roman alphabet letter. Such as "D-profile" stuff is shaped like the letter "D." Then there is "U" and "V" which are shaped like what you would expect.

Its anybody's guess what was the original shape of the crusty stuff that's still stuck on my trim-piece. My guess is "V." But honestly, I think U or even D would probably work for the repair.

Anybody know where I can get a few feet of this stuff?

 

OK... homing in on something maybe.

"Ali Express"

Why is it everything gets "Express" tacked onto it with these folks?

I ate at a place in the food court at the mall that was something-or-other "Express."
Nasty.

Ali Express:
http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale/...roducts&isdl=y

Im actually kind of digging the "P seal" product.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/15-12...457734310.html

But, 100 meters of it for a minimum order?

 

Whoa!

Check this out!

140 inches of the stuff.
What is that in feet?

I guess that's like 11 feet.

$11.58 with FREE SHIPPING FROM CHINA!!!

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/prod...361338564.html

Product description:
Right on dude!

I wouldn't expect it would be possible to ship a matchbox full of air from China for twelve bucks!!!

I'm in like Flynn!

 

Mother lode of Ali Baba Express door-gasket links:

http://www.aliexpress.com/category/2...-sealants.html

 

Arrived today.

Looks like just the right amount to do both A-pillar trim panels.

 

I got mine from JC Whitney. Don't remember which cross section though. Check out their website and you should be able to figure out which one works best...

 

just curious, how did this stuff work out?
any after installation pics?

 

Subscribed... throw up some pics once you get it installed!
I looked / searched for this previously too...

Rafael

 

my car is 1990 iroc coupe, the forward fasteners disengage by sliding the piece back after the top fasteners are released by pushing up and in and then down, the holes on the body for the forward fasteners have a relief (larger opening) at the rear which allows them to disengage.

 

 

Yeah i am curious how the ali baba seals went W.E.G??? mine are cactus.....

 

I confess.

I'm a lazy no-excuse.

I haven't installed it yet.

Warm weather is coming. I'm going to try to put the interior back together before Memorial Day.

I'll try to post an update on this (if the glue on the 3M stuff hasn't all dried-out by now.)

 

That 3M strip could be the proper width if you cut the center section.Allowing the V to spread more like the OE profile.

 

Found this at the local home depot.Little larger, but should work well.Only drawback, no self adhesive

 

Use that double sided tape they use for the plastic that goes around the windows,you know the clear plastic you use a hair dryer to shrink.
this tape.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-62-in-...oor-Window-Kit
It's not letting me copy and paste

 

This one? How thick is that double sided tape?

 

Very Thin, thinner than scotch tape

 

Looks like home depot has to special order it.So it'll be a while til I can try it.Looks promising though.

 

I have a roll, were you located?

 

PM sent.

 

Try Mcmaster.com or Green rubber. Mcmaster has pages of styles and most are in stock and available by the foot.

 

This is the tape,I have a few rolls of it.

 

Well, here it is.Had to trim quite a bit, but I'm very satisfied with the results.

 

Man, I've been looking on and off for that rubber trim stuff forever. That HD stuff looks promising. Thanks for the effort, and pictures.

 

No problem, this should be pretty reliable stuff.It's much thicker than the OE material.The 3M tape also helps alot.

 

Needed a set of the door fasteners, so threw in the other type too. We'll see how well they work. Maybe I can sell the rest off in flat rate envelopes or something, certainly don't need 25 of them like comes in the pack. I'll have to try out that garage door stuff if I can find it.

 

I replaced my headliner last year and used the same Garnish clip, but used A13461 panel clip for the front and they worked fine. When I removed the trim some of the tabs broke off the back. I used JB Weld to glue the pieces back on and that worked well too. I could not get the Garnish clips out of the roof, so I had to cut them off and the inner part fell inside the body. I read on another forum that nobody had a good way of removing them. My headliner sagged so I will be replacing it again in a couple weeks. I bought it from StockInteriors.com. They already shipped the replacement at no charge. Good luck with the clips. They were frustrating to line up.

 

Here is the weatherstrip I used for my A pillar trim.

http://www.steelerubber.com/door-wea...rip-70-0491-73

It is a little wider at the base so you have to trim it around the mounts for the garnish clips, otherwise works well.

 

Late to the party....not sure if I should have made a new post so sorry in advance for resurrecting this old thread....dude I've been searching for a thread like this thank you. I have to do a headliner install (hard top) and this might be an easy question for somebody, but I do not have the existing headliner in the car (or the clips that hold the headliner in at the front towards the windshield). I believe for hard tops there's three of these clips and two needed for t-tops.

Can someone confirm for me....the clips that hold the a-pillar in place are not the same as the ones that hold the front of the headliner up? I'm getting mixed results when I look on the web so I'm confused.


These I think are HEADLINER clips

These are a-pillar clips (there's a slight lip at the top). (I know the a-pillar also uses some of those 'cheese wheel' clips). Correct?

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