68442Convertible

My convertible boot cover has plastic pieces that slide under the chrome pinchweld molding. They don't stay in place - slide out, boot flaps in the wind, etc. I have discovered that if I wedge numerous small pieces of cardboard under the plastic to tighten it up it helps.

My pinchweld molding is not very tight against the car body - particularly in the center. I think that if the pinchweld molding was tight against the car body, and the plastic pieces were thicker and possibly longer, it would work better. Maybe if I tighten up the molding and glue some thicker material to the plastic pieces it would get better. Installing a few regular snaps in the corners and across the back would probably help.

How is the pinchweld molding held in place, and what can I do to tighten it up? I can't even find it in the Fisher Body manual - what manual is it in?

I don't think the original boot cover attached this way. Were there some kind of plastic clips that snapped over the chrome pinchweld molding? Does anyone make these clips? Can I put them in my boot cover?

What have other people done to make the boot cover easier to install, and stay in place?

I prefer to ride with the top down, but I spend way too much time trying to get the boot cover to stay in place.

68442Convertible

I found some plastic boot clips on ebay - for chevelle, camaro, GTO, etc. Not for my car. They all look the same. Some say 1966 - 1967. Others say 1967 -1969.

Wondering if any of these will work?

How do they attach to the boot cover?

Fun71

The cover is installed just as you initially described - the plastic tabs slip under the chrome trim. Mine are so tight some are really a PITA to get under there.

The trim is held on by short philips head screws under the trim. You could probably remove the trim and bend it slightly so it's flatter/tighter against the body. That's what I would do.

68442Convertible

How do I remove the trim?

pcard

Mine are fairly tight also, but I would not know how to get there from where you are. Sorry.

allyolds68

In 68 the pinch weld trim didn't have all the screws like later years had. I slip a folded piece of cardboard under the trim next to the clip location before trying to snap the clips in place for the hard ones. If you park the car in the sun and warm the boot up it makes it much easier. I think the lips on the clips begin to wear a little too. I have one clip that doesn't want to stay on.

rcorrigan5

The pinchweld is held to the car by metal clips. If you put your top down just part way and then look underneath and inside, you can see where the metal clips are located and the screw that holds them in place. I don't recall the exact numbers but there are supposed to be some 11 or 12 clips that hold the pinchweld in place, which I believe is addressed in the body service manual. HOWEVER, I have never seen a convertible with all of those clips in place. On my '68, there were only 7 clips in place - I'm guessing the assembly plants took short cuts when it came to the number of those clips installed on each convertible.

The clips are secured in place, and then the pinchweld is pressure-snapped onto the clips - or at least that's how I did mine when I reassembled it during restoration.

The original boots had the plastic clips you mention. I still have my original boot and a few of those plastic clips are broken.

When I bought a new replacement boot, it has the flat plastic strips just like yours. My boot stays on pretty good but the boot fit is real tight in the aft turn on the driver side so it starts to work its way out at that position. It doesn't come out all the way most of the time but I do have a little trouble in that corner.

I'm thinking about buying the new replacement plastic clips for my old boot and using it again!

Randy C.

68442Convertible

So there is a pinchweld molding clip that is screwed to the body. I see these on the OPGI website.

Maybe I should remove my pinchweld molding and install more clips?

Is there a trick to removing the molding?

How do the plastic clips attach to the boot cover? Can you add some of these to a boot that has the plastic that slides under the molding?

68442Convertible

I found these instructions on the Chevelle forum. Looks like the clips slide on to the car body, and the screws secure the molding to the car body - prevent if from sliding forward when the boot cover pulls on it. I am thinking I need more clips.

Instructions:
There are small phillips head screws that go through pre-drilled holes in the trim piece, and then into the edge of the body around the convertible top.The rest of the trim was held in place with the molding clips. After removing the one screw, I just had to pull upward and towards the front slightly, and the molding pulled off. EXCEPT there are two screws on each end by the rear quarter window. These are only accessible by removing the rear armrest and hydraulic arm covers. It shares a screw hole with the rear-most inside window "fuzzy". So Basically the trim-piece "tilted" forward on these two screws (until I figured out what was going on). To install the molding, the trim clips have to be installed first. Then you push these clips over the upward-pointing edge of the pinchwell, until the entire trim is seated and held in place. THEN you screw the trim in place with the sheet metal screws.

So the "trick" to removing the pinchwell molding in a 68 convertible is:
1. remove the rear armrests and covers, to remove the screw holding the ends in place with the window fuzzies.
2. remove any phillips-head screws that are on the underside of the trim inside the pinchwell
3. Pull up and slightly forward to release the internal clips from the body panel. Pinchwell molding should come off. These clips have little sharp angled edges holding them in place, so it'll take some effort.
4. To remove the trim clips, slide them to the middle where there is a small cutout in the stainless steel and tilt them out. I guess if you separate the pieces this would be even easier to slide out the clips.

allyolds68

The trick is getting the molding to stay up off the deck while pushing down on the clip. That's why I place a folded piece of cardboard about the thickness of two credit cards under the trim while pushing the outside edge of the clip down. Everything else you posted about how the trim is attached is correct. I don't agree that you need more clips though it can't hurt. The clips simply keep the trim centered. What holds the trim in place is the two little screws at each end (at the end of the window fuzzies). These hold the trim rearward so it can't pop off. In later years (I know 69 for sure) they added a screw or three (I think what you are referencing above) through the trim, into the lower metal below the pinchweld to help hold the trim. I'm guessing that's because the pinchweld trim has a tendency to rip the holes at the ends where those little screws are.


I think you should start by removing the boot from the slide track behind the seat and see if the clips work when there is no tension on the boot. If you can easily pull them off then I'd say the clip isn't grabbing around the trim because it's worn or old. The pinchweld trim HAS to be slightly off the deck for the plastic clip to grab

Yellowstatue

If your boot has plastic slides that go under the trim, then you cannot put the '68 plastic clips on instead, because there is a square hole for the clip in the '68 (main sewn in plastic bar) with another small flat clip that holds that plastic clip in position. Randy, or somebody, give us a picture of your plastic clips. Mine are buried somewhere.

rcorrigan5

And mine are buried, too...If I get a chance to get into my shop in the next week, I'll see if I can find that boot and take some shots...I personally like the plastic strips more than I like the clips, BTW...just sayin'...!

Randy C.

allyolds68

Here's a pic of mine. This boot was from a 26,000 mile 68 convertible that hadn't been used since the late 70's. The car was left outside to rot but all the trim and this boot were stored away. I'm 99% sure this is an original 68 boot:

rcorrigan5

That's exactly the same clip on my original '68 boot! I understand through a local upholsterer that they are still available.

Randy C.

Yellowstatue

Thanks for the pic Ally, but we also need a pic of the opposite side to show the small retainer clip that holds the big clip in position. I also prefer the plastic slides. It holds the boot down tighter.

68442Convertible

Here is a pic I found on ebay of a 67-69 Camaro boot clip. Shows how it mounts.

I have not found a boot clip for a 68 GM A-body. Only 66-67.

Here is the OPGI listing. They are also on ebay.

http://www.opgi.com/cutlass/CL5201/

68442Convertible

Another attempt for the picture...

Indy_68_S

Same here & I'm positive my boot is original.



I looked long & hard many years ago for '68 clips ( a couple of mine are cracked) & struck out. I too have heard that '67 and/or f-body clips might work, but have never tried. The " '67 clips " seems promising because '68's have a fair amount of oddball/'67-ish parts that the '69-'72s don't.


Please keep us posted as to what you find....