[pigjamelectric]

One of the mouldings off the Olds parts car is bent. I guess the person who tried to remove it (no, not me ) from the body tried to pry it off instead of unscrewing the tabs.

Do you have any suggestions how it can be bent back into shape without ruining it by forming a crease? Putting it between two 2x4's and pressing down with something? I dont want to flatten it widthwise either.

I included a few pictures without flash so you can see the shadow showing the bend, as well as the good one which is still on the car.

Paul.

 

[crashtech]

This will sound funny, but an old-timer taught me to grasp the end of the molding and slap the bent portion against my thigh, starting with just a little force and gradually increasing. Generally try not to overdo it, a small distortion is usually no problem for the fasteners to overcome. I don't know why this works, but it works better than hanging on to both ends and trying to bend it over something, this can easily result in a sudden kink!

 

[67 Deuce 4 Me]

It doesnt look kinked. I think I would try bolting it to the panel and slowly pull it straight with the nuts or bolts.

 

[pigjamelectric]

I started off doing what you said, Crash. After 5 whacks, I decided if I kept this up I'd need crutches. So I hit it against the back of an old chair. IT's a pretty heavy moulding. (It is a 1959 after all, eh!) It's not quite straight but I had to stop because it looked like it wanted to start warping. But it is LOTS better than it was. Before, the tip was over two inches from flat surface . Now it's about a half inch.

Good suggestion Deuce. I'm going to test on the part car first to make sure when I screw it in that the moulding gets sucked in and doesn't warp the quarter instead.

Thanks for the advice, guys.

Paul.

BTW, nice F85 Crash. Had one same year but sold it. Man I miss that car.

 

[crashtech]

LOL! It's pretty hard to see what they are made of in pictures. I hoped later that you didn't end up destroying your molding with my advice, turns out you nearly destroyed your leg!

Thanks for the compliment on the car. That pic was probably about 1992. It's in kinda sad shape now, but I've been slowly fixing some of the little rust spots and stuff in between other people's rides. I hope to be driving it by summer!

 

[MARTINSR]

Another trick is to "stretch" it or pull on it as you are bending it as to resist kinking. I get away with murder on these late model tin foil mouldings doing it with a pull.

Brian

 

[pigjamelectric]

Another trick is to "stretch" it or pull on it as you are bending it as to resist kinking. I get away with murder on these late model tin foil mouldings doing it with a pull.

Brian

That makes sense, but I'm just trying to figure out how to rig it to pull it. I assume with a comealong or something? How would you clamp it without damaging it? Or are you using brute strength? If that's the case, for this moulding I'm gonna have to start working out.

 

[pasadenahotrod]

Exterior trim on most cars of the pre-70s era is made of either polished stainless steel, chrome-plated steel, or coated polished aluminum. Heavy pieces are chrome-plated die cast zinc alloy (often called pot metal but isn't), hood ornaments, trim end caps, hood bars, etc.

 

[MARTINSR]

That makes sense, but I'm just trying to figure out how to rig it to pull it. I assume with a comealong or something? How would you clamp it without damaging it? Or are you using brute strength? If that's the case, for this moulding I'm gonna have to start working out.

Good question, sorry I didn't clairify that. I am talking BARE HANDS just simply pulling the living hell out of it while bending it straight.

Brian

 

[shine]

when trim is curled upward it is flattened in the middle. i use wooden bucks to straighten them. you will need to pull it flat but also pinch the middle where it is spread. if you site down the edges you will see the wide spot. go slow and be gentle and it will come back to shape. hope this helps.