[Dee Dub]

Can anyone give me some ideas on side molding installation for my 1966 Impala? I cannot figure out how to use these bath tub clips! Is there any drawings showing which type of clip goes where? I did all the clips on my’55 pretty easily, but this is driving me crazy!

 

[62BillT]

If they are factory type plastic clips, I believe the clips just push in and I believe the molding just pushes on, but let us see a picture of the particular clips you are using.

 

[Dee Dub]

Thanks for responding Bill! This is the supply of clips that came with the side molding set from Classic Industries. It is quite a collection; too bad they don't send a drawing indicating which is supposed to go where. The bathtub clips are the one type I have never used and I suppose you would install them on the car, clip the top of the molding and then tap the bottom with some sort of hammer until it clicked over the clip?

 

[62BillT]

I believe that would be correct, but you need to be careful tapping them on, especially if the moldings are reproduced and not the originals. Also, the ends use the different type of clip that takes a screw, on the doors and possibly the fender. This is just general info. Maybe someone will jump in with some more specific help. For a little extra info, the type of hole in the side of the body should help you determine which clip goes where.

 

[62BillT]

I only watched a few seconds of it, but this may help:

 

[Dee Dub]

Thanks again for your response. I am going to take the info you have supplied and go contemplate this a bit more outside. Any additional knowledge sharing on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

[craig32]

Dee, I just did my 66 moldings two years ago after I finished the car. The bathtub clips you speak of slide into the moldings at the openings near the ends. Hold the piece next to the car and mark on the inside of the piece where the holes are, and slide the clips to the marks. As stated, the end clips have studs that go through the holes in the ends of the doors. The corner pieces on the 'quarter panel extensions' all are studs, and the long quarter trim slides into the end. You may (probably) need to massage the piece a bit to get it right. I understand your apprehension, as any chance I have to screw something up, the longer it takes me to get around to doing it.
I might also add, when I got my 66, it had no side trim on it, and the elongated holes were welded shut. I had to drill new holes and find clips that had a stud instead of the standard ones for the application. AFTER I got everything painted and pushed it outside, I noticed that every hole that was welded shut puckered up above the crease. There is a thread in this section of my resto, if you want to see all I had to go through!
Good luck, take your time and you'll do fine. That old adage about 'measure twice, cut once' is off a bit, we measure about 10 times before we do anything permanent.

 

[Dee Dub]

Dee, I just did my 66 moldings two years ago after I finished the car. The bathtub clips you speak of slide into the moldings at the openings near the ends. Hold the piece next to the car and mark on the inside of the piece where the holes are, and slide the clips to the marks. As stated, the end clips have studs that go through the holes in the ends of the doors. The corner pieces on the 'quarter panel extensions' all are studs, and the long quarter trim slides into the end. You may (probably) need to massage the piece a bit to get it right. I understand your apprehension, as any chance I have to screw something up, the longer it takes me to get around to doing it.
I might also add, when I got my 66, it had no side trim on it, and the elongated holes were welded shut. I had to drill new holes and find clips that had a stud instead of the standard ones for the application. AFTER I got everything painted and pushed it outside, I noticed that every hole that was welded shut puckered up above the crease. There is a thread in this section of my resto, if you want to see all I had to go through!
Good luck, take your time and you'll do fine. That old adage about 'measure twice, cut once' is off a bit, we measure about 10 times before we do anything permanent.

Thanks Craig, this is great information. I am going to try and slide the clips in and then clip on the quarters. I'll post my results.