This is a great chat room and I am a first time user looking for some help. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I have a 68 Camaro SS convertible grotto blue that I am almost finished restoring. I bought new clips for the pinchweld molding but have no idea of how they connect to the chrome or the car. I took them off about a year ago (only 3 on it at the time) and just can't seem to figure it out (after several new paint chips).

I would super appreciate any help anyone can give, pictures would be even better.

Thanks
Cory

Cory,
Welcome to TC!
First, read this thread by fellow TC member MARTINSR on installing a windshield. A lot of good info there. http://www.camaros.net/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=007007;p=0.
I just fininshed rebuilding the windshield area on my '67. I bought a bunch of windshield moulding clip studs from Classic Industries, but I wound up not using them because they are too long. I went with #4 sheetmetal screws instead. Chck my sig for a pic of a clip installed. There are three on each side and seven across the top. Of course the bottom clips are screwed into the inner cowl/dash pad. I'll see if I have any more pictures as soon as I get home.

Welcome to the site. I also have a grotto blue convertible. If you are talking about the molding that goes around the rear of the car where the top is stored when folded I understand it is quite difficult to get on tight. Others here will be will be able to give some advice. You might try a search on the subject. Here is a link to one of the threads I found. Good Luck. http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=53563&highlight=pinchweld+molding

Yes, I am talking about the pinchweld clips arounf the convertible well. thanks for the above thread but I still can not seem to figure it out. So it sounds like you install the clips on the car first, and then snap the molding over top. Does the part of the clip that sticks out in the center of the clip go up or down. If anyone had a pic or drawing of how it snaps into the chrome and installs on the pinchweld, it would bu super appreciated. Maybe even more details of how it holds everything tight. When I try to put the clips in the chrome molding to see how it fits once snapped on, they are very lose, do I need to squish the chrome together so they are tight or what is correct here?

Thanks again,
Cory

We test fit the ones on mine before we painted it so we would no how when the time came. The best way we found is to install the clips into the crome and then VERY CAREFULLY pull the clips onto the pinch weld. We did use a rubber hammer to get it to snap into place on some parts. We decided to use 6 clips total but I think the factory used more than that. I would tape up the whole area before I stared to protect the paint. This is one of the worst designs on the whole car if you ask me.

Thank you all for the help. It turned out the best way to install the chrome was to use the directions on a previous post, by putting the clips on the pinchweld molding first, and then putting the chrome on using a rubber mallet. After a bit of beating they snapped in place.

Now I have to ask about the 5 screw holes on the bottom side of the chrome everyone mentioned. There are no corresponding holes on the car to put the screws through, do I drill them? I wonder why my car does not have any, maybe the screws do not penetrate the sheet metal, maybe they just run along he bottom side or something, anybody know this one?

Also does the tab at the front of the pinchweld molding fit over the window felt chrome, or does the tab go under the window felt chrome. I appreciate all your help.

Thanks,
Cory

My car did not have holes in the body to put the screws into, so after some drilling I got the pinchweld mold screwed in and all fits very well. Also the felt did fit into the end of the molding and the tab from the pinchweld mold went under the felt after some convincing with a rubber mallet.

Here are Gene's previous instructions with a little more detail that I required for the install.

Put some butyl caulking on pinchweld to seal it
1. put some tape on paint to protect the finish, but do not put under where the molding will end up as the molding holds tight to the body and will make it impossible to get the tape off.
2. starting at the front put the 1st clip about 10 -12 inches from the front the end of the pinch weld.(any further forward and it it almost imposible to get molding on and clips engaged) The part that sticks out from the main clamp of the clip faces up.
3. Space the rest of the clips evenly around rest of pinchweld.
4. Put the 2 pieces of molding together
5. Have a helper to start molding at rear center (it helps to move front ends of moldings to center of car)
6. Push moldings rearward and slide the fronts over the pinch weld.
Now the fun part getting the clips to engage.
7.to engage clips use a putty knife with tape on it to push on the clips(from exterior of car), while pushing on moldings till the clip clicks into place (using a rubber mallet hit from the inside, but not too hard as the clip can dent the chrome from the inside)
8. finish by installing screws into moldings. I did not have screw holes in my body for the 5 corresponding holes on the bottom side of the chrome, so I had to drill the body holes once the chrome was installed.
9. The window flets slide into the slot at the end of the pinchweld molding and the tab from the molding goes under the felt chrome.