I've got a 53 Chevy - ***led with matching VIN plate says it's a Bel Air. If this is true, at some point in it's life, the trim was removed. I'm trying to decide the best way to add the trim back? Should I try and find the factory holes and open them back up? Strip the paint where the trim goes or just say screw it and drill new ones and hope my placement is correct? I've been able to find several existing holes that have been filled on the belt line, but nothing on the doors or fenders. the car:
Perhaps try to locate a stocker that the owner would allow you to take measurements from as to position of original trim. Also, photographs of like models would allow you to closely replicate the trim position. If you have the trim in hand, take some masking tape and attach the trim where you think it belongs, stand back 20 feet and take a look. It should not be difficult to get it in it's correct position......and a 1/4" up or down from stock isn't going to be consequential. Ray
Doors and fenders may have been replaced. Did you look inside the doors for clues? Maybe a shop manual would have the measurements. Or gird your loins, get a laser level, some string, and some masking tape and a tape measure. Use the holes in the quarters (if that's all you have to work with) and lay out a pattern like Hnstray said. I would get all the trim in hand before I started drilling holes.
Get the bumpers chromed, and leave it as is. did you look at the body tag (on the cowl) and see if it's really a Belair? or is the tag missing? http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/models/cowl.htm
I like Squirrel's suggestion, the chrome bumpers would really help set it off. To me, the side chrome makes it look heavy. If you dont like it plain, a little pinstriping would break it up a little. Good Luck, nice car as is.
I forgot about checking the cowl for a body tag - I'll look tonight bumpers are definitely getting chromed - already got a chrome grill and most of the trim ready to go on. I was thinking doors and front fenders might have been replaced... I haven't pulled anything apart to see. The only holes I've been able to find so far have been on the belt line of the doors.
As Ray stated. We used masking tape years ago and placed 1/2 over the rearmost or frontmost hole and worked to the other end of the car. Pull it out and step back letting it unwind under very light tension. Walk into car and lay tape onto panel so it overlaps a hole up the panel, similar to where you started. Continue up side of car so tape flows evenly until you come to the end. Use the existing holes as a reference points remembering that if there are holes in panels they should line up for trim. Existing holes should be evenly spaced out. Do the same with those that you need to drill using the tape as a guide. http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1949_53/01body/1_19.HTM
When doing custom side trim, I usually tape the trim onto the car using masking tape, then I can make sure it's straight and looks good from a distance, then I'll "draw" an outline of the trim using masking tape again directly on the body, then I can take the trim off and see where to drill my holes. It's a custom, as long as it looks good in the position you put it on, it'll be fine. And I think that car will look much nicer with some side trim again. It's kinda blobby without it.
...that car looks like a "150" model, whether it orig. was or not, a lot of guys prefer the 150. I'd chrome the grille & bumpers and go with that...
No stainless around the windshield and backlite says 150. But who know for sure. Trim tag should tell. Look in the trunk for signs of trim being removed. Making it into a Belair is gonna be a lot of work. Lots I repeat lots of holes to drill. Some of the holes are slots. 150 would have had beltline mldg also.
there is some info on what models came with what stuff inside, although it's easy to change things around.
great resource thanks @squirrel unfortunately I won't be able to tell much as the interior was redone at some point
Trim or not I DIG IT! If it was mine id want all the trim back on it as well. that being said. I have seen them with the side trim only installed and it looks off with out all the trim for the windshield and back gl***. That trim flows into the side trim just below the windows and wraps into the windshield and back gl***. That means you gotta take out the gl*** as the trim is held in with the gaskets. id get all the trim and then put it all on. that would really pop with chrome bumpers and grill, with all the trim on the sides against the blue paint.
I'm wondering if maybe the chrome trim is there around the windshield and back gl*** - maybe just painted black (hey - the PO did paint the grill and bumpers). I hear you about the flow - the only other trim I need are the pieces that wrap around the side windows. THIS!!!! If we ever meet @tb33anda3rd I owe you a beer or 6! Great idea!
Look inside the trunk for evidence of filled holes in the fenders. Were they welded? Brazed? Plugged with bondo or fibregl***? If they were done a long long time ago they may have been filled with copper rivets. If they were welded or brazed it is probably better to drill new holes, 1/2" to an inch away from the old ones. If it is bondo or fibregl*** you may be able to redrill the old holes after removing the paint.
I don't know how i did that up there^^^^^ From the picture you posted I don't see any trim around the front and back gl***, just the gasket. If you make to Joe Smith's this week end I have a brand new vent window gasket you can have. I thought i bought it for a 49 to 52 but i got it for a 53-54. you look at how the trim goes on my 51 then too. its different trim but goes on exactly the same way and uses the same clips i believe. My 51 still has all the factory trim on it, though it does look a little beat in places.....
i have stuck hollow trim using tape a couple ways. full disclosure i did not do a whole car. but there is no reason it can't be done. one way i did it when adding some trim was to fill the back side of the moulding with fibergl*** stranded body filler. the other way i have done it was to cut pieces of stainless steel strips that fit inside the moulding, like the factory clips. most mouldings have a "slot" cut in the backside to get the pieces to slide in. i used "dum-dum" to keep the strips tight to the moulding and put the tape to that. a few lengths of moulding tape in the same spots as the factory clips will hold, especially if you use the 3m adhesive primer.
I checked the tag on the cowl last night and the car is in fact a Belair. I have no idea what was used to fill the holes but I'm hoping to find a few on either side that I can re drill. That should help. I'll pull the trunk apart and start there as suggested by Rusty O'Toole.
As others have said chrome the bumpers and call it done. Nice looking car as it is. One mistake with a drill bit and it will a horror story.
Finding the holes in fender, door & trunk will need some dismantling. Or look at pictures for approximate location and attach via methods mentioned. Looks like the rear fender had 2 versions of trim. Need some chrome on that thing.
You can look on the backside of the door edge and see where the end screw holes would have been. So the door is easy. But the rest of the car will not be that easy. We did a 210 57 into a belair. Was not proud of my work but it's still on the car some 15 years later. It was a royal pain in the ****. We drilled holes were the window trim should go. pumped urethane into the trim and clamped in place. As I said it worked. I'd not do it to my car. I'd sell and get a trimmed out Belair. But I'm happy with my 150.
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