To drill or not to drill -or how to find my original trim holes '68 Polara

[HWYCRZR]

That’s part of the issue. I don’t have one perfect one. The other thing that is key. Is the very thin small backing tab that goes between the trim and body.
I think the tiny thin pad would be a bugger to mold consistently.
I have an idea to re- create the tab with the clear gorilla tape. That stuff is pretty amazing and has a long life span.

The clips themselves are usable and all there. 12 for each side. I just need to add anti rattle characteristics to them.

 

[Zymurgy]

Chrysler uses those thin tabs on many of their clips. The first one that I reproduced has them and I have reproduced hundreds of them and those tabs come out perfect every time, kind of surprised me.

I bet your gorilla tape idea would work

Here is a clip I made last week. The first clip mold I made, and like I mentioned, I have used it to make hundreds of them.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Chrysler uses those thin tabs on many of their clips. The first one that I reproduced has them and I have reproduced hundreds of them and those tabs come out perfect every time, kind of surprised me.

I bet your gorilla tape idea would work

Here is a clip I made last week. The first clip mold I made, and like I mentioned, I have used it to make hundreds of them.

View attachment 358664

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I saw those in your other posts. That’s exactly what I need. If I had some good ones. I would definitely send your way.
For now I think the gorilla tape may do it. It may also add a little extra gripping surface as my trim has been pounded around enough that I may need the little extra grip where the edge cuts in.

 

[HWYCRZR]

I found an old picture of my clips on. Tried to scale the picture. I found they are not evenly spaced. If I start 3” in they are 7” apart doing straight spacing. But in reality they must have had the first two a little closer together as my picture shows spacing a little over 8” and up to 10”. I probably want to have them closer together at the ends so they don’t come flying off.

 

[Zymurgy]

Good luck finding your holes, you have your work cut out for yourself, but at least you found a reference picture.

The good thing is the portion of your clips which do all the work and keep you trim atteched appears to be in great shape.

 

[HWYCRZR]

With the irrational spacing I may give up on the original holes. With two pictures for reference I can only get within a 1/4” of each other. Quite a ways for a small drill.

 

[live4theking]

A way to get elasticity make in your clips is to boil some water shut the heat off and soak your clips in the water for say 20 minutes while the water cools. Anytime I share this people call BS on it, honestly I would too except that I've done it.

A number of years ago we had some clips for strapping at work. When the shop went to install the strapping on a tower the clips were breaking, everyone of them. I couldn't get more in for days and the unit was due to ship. I started googling to try to find a solution. WI didn't have boiling water but I got as hot of water as I could and soaked them everyone looked at me like I was nuts, but the clips that were soaked in the water didn't break when installed.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Ok have my layout spacing defined.
Front and rear edge 3” apart, then 6-1/4 twice to get past the front fender then 7-7/8” after until the rear with two 3” apart. Thought process more clips towards the front to handle air flow, then close towards the rear to prevent buffeting.

 

[HWYCRZR]

A way to get elasticity make in your clips is to boil some water shut the heat off and soak your clips in the water for say 20 minutes while the water cools. Anytime I share this people call BS on it, honestly I would too except that I've done it.

A number of years ago we had some clips for strapping at work. When the shop went to install the strapping on a tower the clips were breaking, everyone of them. I couldn't get more in for days and the unit was due to ship. I started googling to try to find a solution. WI didn't have boiling water but I got as hot of water as I could and soaked them everyone looked at me like I was nuts, but the clips that were soaked in the water didn't break when installed.

I believe that. When working with some of our roto-molded (plastic tank) suppliers, humidity is key to the curing process. If too dry the tanks get brittle and won’t cross link. So re- introducing moisture into 50 year old plastic could possibly help.

 

[HWYCRZR]

I made a template using my favorite tool.
It is a Track-Saw. It is great for sheet goods when you don’t have a panel saw.
Anyway cut it to size, marked out the holes and drilled.
A little double sided tape on the back and some masking tape to hold firm, I am ready to drill. For the other side I just need to flip it over.

 

[300rag]

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Looks good - just cover the template with bare metal foil use that!!

 

[live4theking]

That wasn't the way I envisioned making a template, but it will surely do the job. Track saw... oh how I wish. I'm slowly collecting woodworking tools, my wife might say quickly...

 

[HWYCRZR]

You know as I was laying out the template it did cross my mind that in a pinch a guy could jus do some chrome tape. Or a flat piece of stainless.

 

[HWYCRZR]

One side on. I did use some gorilla tape to make the tabs. I think It will work fine.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Most excellent!

 

[HWYCRZR]

Let me try this picture again. The phone shows ok but rotates when I load it.

now it went the other way

 

[300rag]

Let me try this picture again. The phone shows ok but rotates when I load it.
View attachment 358790
now it went the other way

 

[HWYCRZR]

That wasn't the way I envisioned making a template, but it will surely do the job. Track saw... oh how I wish. I'm slowly collecting woodworking tools, my wife might say quickly...

I started out thinking simple template, but in the end this was easier and almost guaranteed to keep them straight.
On the Track-Saw it was actually a Christmas gift between my wife and neighbor. My neighbor and his Father in law, who is an exclusive custom home builder was building them a garage with a bonus room next door. I went over and helped numerous Saturdays and Sundays. Ultimately I wanted to learn some skills from an expert, plus we are like extended family. Anyway he had a Track Saw and I fell in love with it and did most of the cutting. Come Christmas time they bought me the saw for helping out and my wife bought the tracks.

Here’s the garage from my back porch.

 

[live4theking]

Cool story. Those are the kind of gifts that I find meaningful, because they paid attention to something that excited me. Looks like a nice garage.