I have been restoring an Autumn Bronze 66 back to original appearance. When I got her the paint looked like someone had polished it with bleach and a wire brush. As the body work started I had to go in search of rocker trim. The passenger front side was caved in just behind the front wheel well (someone must've driven over a curb or something) and the driver side trim was caved in behind the door (guess it was owned by an unlucky or bad driver). My search took a while but finally someone answered my pleas and i got a new-to-me set. They were kind of rough and had lots of road tar on them but were "fixable" according the man who ultimately repaired them.

Now the rest of the story:

Before I took the trim to be restored I noticed that the upper portion of the trim (the part that matches up with the trim that goes on the bottom of the doors) had been previously screwed to the car! I guess whoever had the donor car before didn't believe in the trim clips and decided it was easier to put two metal screws into the trim both front and back!

Several weeks later I got the rocker trim back heavily wrapped in protective paper. I parted with many hundreds of dollars and carefully took them home. By the time I got the trim home it was coming up on winter and I had to put the car in storage.

This year I have been looking for the right time to get the rocker trim installed. Today was the day... I had dropped the trim off at the shop where I have had the body work done (I wish I could do that myself!) several weeks back. Today I took the car out on a beautiful Sunday morning in Minnesota. The man greeted me with a sorrowful look and I got nervous.

Just that morning he had taken the wrapping off the rocker trim and guess what!!! The SCREW HOLES WERE STILL THERE!!!!! The trim is nice and shiny but wavy and the darn non-OE holes are still in the trim.

I am sooooo upset. It was such a buzz kill. The last exterior adornment was about to be put on and now I got screwed! Pun intended.

Lesson for me: No matter how nice the wrapping is ALWAYS CHECK THE WORK BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE SHOP!

I was told that the holes can be welded as the trim appears to be stainless. Can anyone confirm that the rocker trim is not aluminum? Just what I want...to have to have the trim welded and then repolished!

Last question before I end my rant:

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF OR HAVE ANY 1966 TORO ROCKER TRIM THAT IS NEEDING A NEW HOME?

I suppose all of you at one time or another have had issues with your restorations...kind of like remodeling a house. Its almost never a smooth process.

Thank you for letting me rant! I think I've calmed down now.

Jeff in Minnesota

 

Jeff,
Sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience. Halfway through the read when you said they were screwed on I had a premonition the restorer was going to leave them there because he didn't know better. Hindsight is precious isn't it? Should have mentioned all the defects that needed correcting. And yes they should be stainless.

One of the guys in Oregon (John McNeel - 2blu442) knows people in Colorado who have old Toros they were looking to get rid of. Maybe give him a shout. He also parts out cars and who knows? He might have one of the trim items you're looking for.

Don't worry bout the rant. We're here for ya in thick and thin.

 

If 68 will fit, I have a set. Unfortunately shipping will be a pain. $15 each piece, plus shipping $. If you're interested, let me know exactly what pieces you need. I'll get more detailed pics.

 

Thank you for the reply. To be quite honest I don't know which of the first generation toronado trim pieces are interchangeable. Since nobody seems to repop the trim I am not sure how to find out if they are interchangeable without setting them side by side. I'd hate for you to pack and ship them only to find out they don't fit. Then again I'd rather not buy something that might not fit either!

Hopefully someone in the know might read this post and add their knowledge to the thread!

I'll do some investigating and try to get back to you.

As for which pieces I need its the entire rocker minus the piece on the bottom of the door. The top pieces of the rocker that go behind the and in front of the door are the pieces that are "holy".

Jeff

 

I'd have to look at my 69 to be sure, but I remember there being two bevelled screw holes on the front fender portion of that moulding and the chassis sheetmetal section of the 69 CSM corroborates that.

Now, as for 66-67 I'm not sure, but 68-70 use the same rocker mouldings.

 

I have a few sets of 67 rocker trim and all of them have 1 screw hole at the front and 2 holes at the back in the location you have described. If you can add pics that might help.

Paul

 

This information is very interesting. As my original rockers were trashed I tossed them and can't remember if they had holes or not. The body man I am working with was convinced the holes on the upper portions of the rocker trim weren't original as are the ones at the very bottom. Since you are telling me they may be normal holes I am feeling MUCH better at this point. Maybe the holes looked odd because they were a little mangled. Maybe the original screws were tough to get out.

Wow, I am feeling really good now. Maybe I will just ask him to put them on now. I do believe there are two holes in both front and back of mine. Maybe just one of them is not original. Hmmmmmm.

Thank you all for posting your thoughts here!

Jeff

 

Now hopefully for the end of the story...

I took the Toro back to have the rocker trim put on. He showed me that the holes in the upper parts of the rocker definitely were not factory as there are 4 holes on the drivers side and 3 on the passenger side. When put next to eachother the holes are not drilled in the same place on the Driver and Pass sides. I guess that it was so common if there ever was body work to be done that the shops just screwed them on instead of getting the correct clips.

I asked to have the trim put on and if in a few years I can't stand the screws I will have the holes welded and the trim refastened. I just need the trim on so it doesn't look naked!

Jeff

 

The 66 /67s are the same but not with the second half of first gen. These pieces are so wide and long, getting them straight is impossible without waves. You would need to find an excellent pair and then trust the shop doesn't warp them in handling. I would have to look, but probably have a set without holes BUT would have to look very close to verify waves. My hunch is they will be indented. Honestly, they curve so fast to the underside that unless you get to the ground, you won't see the warp.

 

I might have those trims, I do have a couple 66-67 parts toros. Latest one is body #98 ever made. Reclining RH seat!

Funny them screw guys NEVER seem to bother to use a damn STAINLESS screw either. Big Fat Rust streaks ensue. :-(

You would have to be patient as the cars are an expensive drive away. They are usually dented at least a little.

Chris
517.449.0432 text or call

 

Thanks guys. I will see how the Toro looks and I bet the trim is so low to the ground I may not even see the screws!.. I will keep you both in mind if I decide to replace the trim in the future.

Jeff

 

The trim looks just fine. Unless you are down on your knees you can't see the screws holding on the trim. These Toronados kick ***!

Jeff

 

I have a 66, and have parted out a couple of others, and everyone of them has had screws in that piece in front of the door on the front fenders on that piece that matches up with the door chrome, I have always assumed they are suppose to be there. I just put a couple of stainless screwss in there and they are hardley noticeable.