[Silver69Camaro]

When you buy yourself a new set of repro rocker moldings, how do you get the inner rail out without damaging the molding? I tried to pry it out (the opposite way you put them on) but I made a little dent on the molding. Needless to say, I stopped. Any ideas?


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1969 Base Camaro
Vortec 350, Perf. RPM, Demon Carb., TH-400
All sheetmetal is NOS GM
http://www.geocities.com/compuboy007/

 

[Silver69Camaro]

Any ideas?

------------------
1969 Base Camaro
Vortec 350, Perf. RPM, Demon Carb., TH-400
All sheetmetal is NOS GM
http://www.geocities.com/compuboy007/

 

[Kyvox]

If the design is the same as the original, I think the rail would be loose inside the molding, and it would turn sideways. Have you checked to see if it is taped on anywhere?

 

[Silver69Camaro]

No, it's not taped anywhere in there. It is sort of loose though, but I just can't really turn it enough without prying against the molding itself (creating damage...). I hate to ask such a mundane question, but I don't want to buy another one of these things...

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1969 Base Camaro
Vortec 350, Perf. RPM, Demon Carb., TH-400
All sheetmetal is NOS GM
http://www.geocities.com/compuboy007/

 

[Mark C]

How did they get put together when their not on the car? Did they come to you that way? the only reason I ask is because they are hard to get apart without bending one or the othere when the inner rail is attached to and supported by the rocker panel. The only way I know of to get them apart is to insert a screw driver into the two rectangular openings near each end of the outer trim on the bottom edge and start prying. Obviously without the rocker to support the inner rail it's going to be real easy to bend it. just get a thin bladed screw driver behind there and once you get a big enough gap slowly draw a second blade down the length of the molding.

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Mark Canning
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11
My 69 L48 - 350/300HP Engine

 

[Silver69Camaro]

Yeah, the rail is in the molding, they're new. I guess that's what I'll have to try to do. Are new GM pieces like this too?

------------------
1969 Base Camaro
Vortec 350, Perf. RPM, Demon Carb., TH-400
All sheetmetal is NOS GM
http://www.geocities.com/compuboy007/

 

[mebe_epp]

I got mine in a few week's ago and after reading this I looked and mine are the same way ,
after you bend your's and figure out a nice simple way to do it let me know ,

 

[Kyvox]

Silver
I'm having a hard time trying to visualize why these would be so difficult to remove.
Are the rails similar to the originals in shape? Kind of like an elongated "C",or"[".
If you have a pair of snap ring pliers, you may be able to spread the molding apart enough to get and end of the rail out. Once it is started, just pry under it with a putty knife or small screw driver.
Hope this helps.

One more thought;
Are there notches cut at the ends of the molding where the rails may have been slid in from the end?

[This message has been edited by Kyvox (edited 02-25-2002).]

 

[Silver69Camaro]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kyvox:
Silver
I'm having a hard time trying to visualize why these would be so difficult to remove.
Are the rails similar to the originals in shape? Kind of like an elongated "C",or"[".
If you have a pair of snap ring pliers, you may be able to spread the molding apart enough to get and end of the rail out. Once it is started, just pry under it with a putty knife or small screw driver.
Hope this helps.

One more thought;
Are there notches cut at the ends of the molding where the rails may have been slid in from the end?

[This message has been edited by Kyvox (edited 02-25-2002).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I could take them out very easily if I wanted to, but I'd ruin 'em.

As far as I know, these are exactly like the originals (but may not be as sturdy). The snap ring plier idea is pretty good. That may work without bending everything, I hope. I'll give it a whirl.

------------------
1969 Base Camaro
Vortec 350, Perf. RPM, Demon Carb., TH-400
All sheetmetal is NOS GM
http://www.geocities.com/compuboy007/

 

[bonecrusher67conv]

Once you've got the two end screws out, then lift and tilt-up one end and pry with a flat screwdriver to create an initial gap between the spear and the mounting strip. Then slide the screwdriver down the length between the two until it pops off.

Now, even though it sounds easy you will probably put a small dent in the spear where you start the prying. The good news is the original GM spear won't dent much because it is made out of pretty stout metal. The bad news is if you buy repro spears. The repro's are made out of really soft metal and will even dent with finger and thumb pressure when trying to get them to snap over the fastening strips. I ended up screwing up one repro spear before deciding to sell the other one and buy GM's instead.

 

[Silver69Camaro]

Well guys, got the repro rocker spear moldings on no problem. I found that that you can press very hard on these and they wont bend or dent. For half the price of GM units, these are well worth it.

Getting the inner rail out was the hard part, but I used the method mentioned above (putty knife, drawing it down). Then the suckers just slid out.

------------------
1969 Base Camaro
Vortec 350, Perf. RPM, Demon Carb., TH-400
All sheetmetal is NOS GM
http://www.geocities.com/compuboy007/