How can I remove the trim

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Hey,
does anybody know how I manage to remove the trim on the c-pillar between the body and the vinyl roof on a 71 Cutlass S because I want to weld a rust spot underneath. Do I need a special tool to do that? I don't want to damage it.
Thanks
Julian

[jims2000lt]

I've heard that a bottle opener dipped in that rubber tool coating works. Never tried it myself, just passing on a tip I heard or read.

[Bluevista]

The bottle opener deal is for the drip rail trim, good tip to use the tool dip stuff on it in any case.
I think Julian is talking about the trim on the C pillar between the vinyl top and quarter?
I don't have a '71 S but I have the Fisher manual so I'll give it a try.

There are nuts that go on threaded studs that are parts of the pieces at each end if those have to be removed to get that one off.
The piece you want to remove shows clips with nuts and weld studs with clips or screw retained clips, the screw retained are screwed on then the molding is attached, probably has welded studs with keyholed slide on clips if I remember correctly.
Check behind the molding very well from the inside for nuts and once they are removed if there are any it should just pry and pop off with a putty knife, tape the blade to prevent damage and work it off slowly from one end. The bolt and threaded stud and clip type attachment clips are usually on each end of the molding if they did it like other parts of the car.

On most older cars if there aren't external screws, nuts or push in clip type fasteners through holes in the sheet metal they usually pry off.
The front fenders had the trim installed before assembly so sometimes they have to be removed or loosened to gain access to nuts.

The 1971 Fisher Body service manual shows all the moldings and attachment devices for Olds and the other GM divisions for that year.

I think I was clear as mud so hopefully somebody who has a Cutlass S and has done this before will chime in, book-smart ain't nearly as good as hands-on experience.

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Originally Posted by Bluevista

The bottle opener deal is for the drip rail trim, good tip to use the tool dip stuff on it in any case.
I think Julian is talking about the trim on the C pillar between the vinyl top and quarter?
I don't have a '71 S but I have the Fisher manual so I'll give it a try.

There are nuts that go on threaded studs that are parts of the pieces at each end if those have to be removed to get that one off.
The piece you want to remove shows clips with nuts and weld studs with clips or screw retained clips, the screw retained are screwed on then the molding is attached, probably has welded studs with keyholed slide on clips if I remember correctly.
Check behind the molding very well from the inside for nuts and once they are removed if there are any it should just pry and pop off with a putty knife, tape the blade to prevent damage and work it off slowly from one end. The bolt and threaded stud and clip type attachment clips are usually on each end of the molding if they did it like other parts of the car.

On most older cars if there aren't external screws, nuts or push in clip type fasteners through holes in the sheet metal they usually pry off.
The front fenders had the trim installed before assembly so sometimes they have to be removed or loosened to gain access to nuts.

The 1971 Fisher Body service manual shows all the moldings and attachment devices for Olds and the other GM divisions for that year.

I think I was clear as mud so hopefully somebody who has a Cutlass S and has done this before will chime in, book-smart ain't nearly as good as hands-on experience.

Thanks a lot!
But thats a whole lot of information for a German. Did I got it right that there possibly are screws, or studs with nuts on it that can be reached from the inside of the car by removing the panel or headliner?

[Jamesbo]

I think its called a cudical pusher. It's a flat oblong plastic thing-a-jig my wife uses that rouned at both ends.

S-l-o-w-l-y slide it under the chrome beginning at one side and s-l-o-w-l-y twist it. It should pop the chrome off the fasteners.Then work you way down closer to the next clip. The clips are plastic [nylon] and are held to the body with pins. You can buy new clips at Fusick etc. when you're ready to reinstall the chrome. They just slide on the pins.

For the hood chrome at the rear of the hood. Lay [or is it lie] a paint stir stick flat againist the chrome and gently tap. again, begin at one side and work your way to the other s-l-o-w-l-y.

How this helps

[442garage]

Originally Posted by Jamesbo

I think its called a cudical pusher. It's a flat oblong plastic thing-a-jig my wife uses that rouned at both ends.

S-l-o-w-l-y slide it under the chrome beginning at one side and s-l-o-w-l-y twist it. It should pop the chrome off the fasteners.Then work you way down closer to the next clip. The clips are plastic [nylon] and are held to the body with pins. You can buy new clips at Fusick etc. when you're ready to reinstall the chrome. They just slide on the pins.

For the hood chrome at the rear of the hood. Lay [or is it lie] a paint stir stick flat againist the chrome and gently tap. again, begin at one side and work your way to the other s-l-o-w-l-y.

How this helps

Jamesbo,

I am guessing that cudical pusher must be a regional dialect type of thing. Out here in Washington state, my wife would call that a cuticle pusher. LOL.

[cutlassgal]

[Jamesbo]

Pall Mall can't spall

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Thanks!
I guess it's thing to remove dirt underneath your fingernails? And where do I begin? From above the trim or from the quarterpanel side? Does it pop out straight or sideways?

[stlbluesbrother]

I dont' know what the heck a C-Pillar is, however the Fisher Body manual has good information on this topic (as previously mentioned by Bluevista). The attached pic is a snapshot of a tool recommended in my 1970 manual for trim removal. I have no idea where someone could get a hold of one of these, though.

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Originally Posted by stlbluesbrother

I dont' know what the heck a C-Pillar is, however the Fisher Body manual has good information on this topic (as previously mentioned by Bluevista). The attached pic is a snapshot of a tool recommended in my 1970 manual for trim removal. I have no idea where someone could get a hold of one of these, though.

Thanks for the nice image.
Did you understand what is up with the self sealing screw. And it seems like these Clips got to be replaced when you remove the trim, did I got this right.

PS: C-Pillar is a word I looked up. It's possible that it is just wrong.

[Jamesbo]

Yes, You should replace the nylon clips that slide onto the stud welded to the body.
Fusick sells them

I've tried resuing them but the used ones won't hold the trim tight.

On another occassion I had too much paint around the studs and it spread the nylon just enough to make the trim not go on. Had to get rid of some excess paint around the studs to keep from spreading the nylon clips

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Originally Posted by Jamesbo

Yes, You should replace the nylon clips that slide onto the stud welded to the body.
Fusick sells them

I've tried resuing them but the used ones won't hold the trim tight.

On another occassion I had too much paint around the studs and it spread the nylon just enough to make the trim not go on. Had to get rid of some excess paint around the studs to keep from spreading the nylon clips

That's really bad. It's really hard to get them to Germany because those mailorders mostly don't like to ship worldwide.
I thought about getting rid of the vinyl top and get the top painted in body color. Is this possible? My vinyl top has a lot of tears in it anyway.

[Jamesbo]

Originally Posted by Autobahnzerreisser

That's really bad. It's really hard to get them to Germany because those mailorders mostly don't like to ship worldwide.
I thought about getting rid of the vinyl top and get the top painted in body color. Is this possible? My vinyl top has a lot of tears in it anyway.

If Fusick won't ship to ya I will. it wouldn't be much of a package.

Sure you can ditch the vinyl top, but you're gonna have to grind down those studs. You're gonna need new clips for the front fender chrome also.

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Originally Posted by Jamesbo

If Fusick won't ship to ya I will. it wouldn't be much of a package.

Sure you can ditch the vinyl top, but you're gonna have to grind down those studs. You're gonna need new clips for the front fender chrome also.

That would be great, thanks for the offer! But I hope Fusick will ship, I'll give it a try.
I didn't quite understand why I need new clips for the front fender chrome?
Could you or somebody else send me a photo that shows from which side you begin to loose the trim? That would help me a lot because I still don't know if they pop out straight or to one side.

[Jamesbo]

Originally Posted by Autobahnzerreisser

That would be great, thanks for the offer! But I hope Fusick will ship, I'll give it a try.
I didn't quite understand why I need new clips for the front fender chrome?

Only if you're going to paint the entire car


Could you or somebody else send me a photo that shows from which side you begin to loose the trim? That would help me a lot because I still don't know if they pop out straight or to one side.

It's been a while but I want to say there's one screw on the vinyl top chrome close to the rear seat. Anybody here can help us?

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Originally Posted by Jamesbo

It's been a while but I want to say there's one screw on the vinyl top chrome close to the rear seat. Anybody here can help us?

Seems like I got to find out the hard way. I hope I wont screw it up. But the informations already given will help me a lot. I will take some photos and document the whole process for the community.
Is there a possibility of getting hold of a 71 Fisher body manual?

[68Tom]

Are you talking about the horizontal piece on the quarter panel? If the 71 is the same as the '68, and I'm guessing the vinyl top trim is, you need to remove the rear seat and the the rear side panel. Heck, you might even need to remove the rear quarter window, but hopefully not. At the least you definitely need to remove the rear panel unless you can somehow stick your hand above the rear wheel well from inside the trunk and get it.

In '68, they used these awful plastic cap screws that are really difficult to take off (or at least that's what was on mine). The screw is only on the end nearest the door, I believe. There might be another screw on the other end, but I don't recall one.

[70 cutlass s]

You can buy one from http://www.faxonautoliterature.com

[Allan R]

Originally Posted by Bluevista

The bottle opener deal is for the drip rail trim, good tip to use the tool dip stuff on it in any case.
I think Julian is talking about the trim on the C pillar between the vinyl top and quarter?
I don't have a '71 S but I have the Fisher manual so I'll give it a try.

There are nuts that go on threaded studs that are parts of the pieces at each end if those have to be removed to get that one off.
The piece you want to remove shows clips with nuts and weld studs with clips or screw retained clips, the screw retained are screwed on then the molding is attached, probably has welded studs with keyholed slide on clips if I remember correctly.
Check behind the molding very well from the inside for nuts and once they are removed if there are any it should just pry and pop off with a putty knife, tape the blade to prevent damage and work it off slowly from one end. The bolt and threaded stud and clip type attachment clips are usually on each end of the molding if they did it like other parts of the car.

On most older cars if there aren't external screws, nuts or push in clip type fasteners through holes in the sheet metal they usually pry off.
The front fenders had the trim installed before assembly so sometimes they have to be removed or loosened to gain access to nuts.

The 1971 Fisher Body service manual shows all the moldings and attachment devices for Olds and the other GM divisions for that year.

I think I was clear as mud so hopefully somebody who has a Cutlass S and has done this before will chime in, book-smart ain't nearly as good as hands-on experience.

Allan H. This would work if the trim was held in place by a barrel clip. It's not. The "S" emblem is attached the same way the end pieces of the vinyl molding is. There are piercings in the sheetmetal. The 2 studs go through the sheetmetal, and are held in place with "speednuts". Those darling little cheesy nuts that GM uses a lot of for emblems and such. Prying on the emblem from the outside can either bend the sheet metal, or break the stud on the emblem. Either way, something has to give. 68 Tom has it right. See below.

Originally Posted by Autobahnzerreisser

Thanks for the nice image.
Did you understand what is up with the self sealing screw. And it seems like these Clips got to be replaced when you remove the trim, did I got this right.

PS: C-Pillar is a word I looked up. It's possible that it is just wrong.

The self sealing screw is for clip replacements on the window trim or places where a plastic trim clip is used. The self tapping/sealing screw is usually stainless to prevent rusting. If you need to replace the clips, it's probably because they got broken (age factor) by less careful removal. If you need new plastic fasteners for trim, web search will get quick results.

The term C Pillar is usually reserved for a sedan. The front pillar is the A pillar, the B is the middle door frame and the C pillar is the rear one. I think everyone knows what you are talking about, especially since you put a nice photo with an arrow. Good job. Pics are sometimes better to describe something than words.

Originally Posted by 68Tom

Are you talking about the horizontal piece on the quarter panel? If the 71 is the same as the '68, and I'm guessing the vinyl top trim is, you need to remove the rear seat and the the rear side panel. Heck, you might even need to remove the rear quarter window, but hopefully not. At the least you definitely need to remove the rear panel unless you can somehow stick your hand above the rear wheel well from inside the trunk and get it.

In '68, they used these awful plastic cap screws that are really difficult to take off (or at least that's what was on mine). The screw is only on the end nearest the door, I believe. There might be another screw on the other end, but I don't recall one.

What he said X2 for the vinyl trim chrome/stainless. The long piece does have those god awful plastic clips. When my vinyl roof goes on, I'm making sure that the clips get a good dose of sealant outside and inside. If GM had sealed those trim pieces good during production, there probably would have been less rusting from below the trim line. Good thing is that you can get repros from Florida Fasteners, Fusicks, YEar one, Parts Place, OPG, Supercars unlimited etc

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Thanks a lot guys. I really appreciate that.
On Sunday I'll see if I get along with removing the rear seat and the panel. If not that would be my next question.
I 'll make some photos of it maybe that will help you to describe this difficult process if there are some issues. It will take some time for the 71 Fisher manual to find its way to Germany...

[Autobahnzerreisser]

Since I unfortunately didn't have the time to continue fixing up my olds, it would be easier and a lot faster to know how to remove the rear seat and the two panels before starting to work. Yesterday I took a short look at it and I didn't instantly had a clue how to do it.
Thanks