Body side moldings
 

Yo, I've been devouring many threads for my soon-to-be 78 TA purchase, and I saw one with a hand-drawn sketch of the measurements.

Of course, I cannot find it!!!

Can someone post the thread of the correct measurements for option B84 body side molding?

Thanks, team.

Did you mean these? This is the factory adhesive version. The dealer rivet version was likely similar but dependent on brand used.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d2983064_h.jpgBody Mold diagram1 by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f8b818fe_h.jpgBody Mold diagram2 by Ben, on Flickr

Perfect, man. THANK YOU

Here is a picture of mine 2 years old with them.

Thanks for this. If you get a chance, measure the mounting point distance from the door opening on the front fender. And the same from the door opening to the rear quarter mounting point.

Let me know if this makes sense. Thank you--

Molding was left off when I repainted it in 1988.

What are you trying to work out, the length of the front and rear fender strips since they have no definite end location?

As well as being on a roll, the individual strips were also sold by GM in pre-cut straight sections to suit each panel and colour. That doesn't help too much unless you found one to measure which is unlikely. They do turn up from time to time on ebay but for other models.

Another thing I've noticed on cars that claim to be original, is that while they had the 'spear' at the front of the car, the rear could be either the same 'spear' or an angled taper to suit the wheelarch at that point. The few 'original' cars I have saved pics of with this different rear shape are all 79 models, if that matters or just coincidence. Again, this could be some were applied at factory, others supplied to be done at dealer or instructions for dealer to provide and install, plus all the guys that were going around installing these on new and used cars at the time. The guys who did these at the time had fancy cutting tools to be able to take the right angles out to fold the side around into different shapes. The rivet-on type came with different end 'bullets' and shape for location on fenders or door gap.

There's probably different reasons and scenarios and rules weren't always followed. This was a part often supplied for dealer install and seems the dealer didn't always use the GM / J.C. Whitney product of adhesive type. Other vehicles ordered with the strips from new still got the rivet-on type, seemingly the dealer arranged version to complete the cars pre-delivery. My own car is like this, rivet-on style, later welded-up for respray and now have the adhesive type again but not installed yet.

Trevor, I'm trying to plan for this factory molding placement in gold since my dealer order sheet shows it. I attached a pic of a vehicle on BaT right now to show it.

I want to understand the exact, correct placement. I know it rides on the body seam but the horizontal measurements to the sheet metal fore and aft for each section is what I was looking for.

There's a really good thread of placement of the tapered other version sold in rolls, but I'm curious to actual measurements if stated anywhere.

I am also assuming that this style of body molding is the original style. I would plan on using adhesive and not screwing to the sheet metal. You can buy these from suppliers in either white or black and they can be painted as I understand it.

I don't even have the car yet, but as you can see I'm doing some serious planning LOL...

Your photo shows the rivet-on type with coloured vinyl insert. These are repro'd again but only in the black, you'd need to repaint the flexible vinyl insert that slides into the extrusions.

https://www.thepartsplaceinc.com/pro...-6-piece/83329


Here's the adhesive roll type 5/8" and 2 strips with pre-formed ends. Every time I look these up they are produced by someone with a new name. Was J.C. Whitney, then Trim-Gard. Black is standard, the colours come and go. This is the type that I showed in the diagrams where the door length is shown, each end on the fenders are somewhat custom and up to the one applying it. The rivet type lengths are already cut.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/274657659351

https://cdn.dealeraccelerate.com/rkm...pecial-edition

https://cdn.dealeraccelerate.com/rkm...pecial-edition

And as mentioned, either could be installed on cars with this option, but came down to where and when they were installed.

Original owner here. I ordered the car with the factory side molding. The ebay molding above apears to have spears that have a longer taper than what was used in the late 70s. The quarter molding behind the door had an angle cut that was molded with the chrome mylar surrounding the angled end.

Warren, was your original like the pic I posted earlier in the thread off of the vehicle from bring a trailer?

These are the riveted type that came with the Y88 I own.

The door pieces were missing.

That small pic you posted is the rivet-on type, not adhesive. They could be found on original order cars but where applied at dealer, it seems.

The links to gold TA I posted show a shorter version spear, did you see those Warren?

Willy, was your car optioned with them?

Are they listed on the build sheet? If so, what box?

Edit: Checking build sheet now

Not sure, not that I recall. Mine is only a partial, will check later. But have the order form with them and the holes welded up to show were there once in same type.

Not sure.

Edit: If the code is B84 then no....it wasn't optioned on the build sheet.

OK. Yes, they were a buildsheet option if ordered that way, just checked. Could still be fitted from new, as such, since popular at dealers and for adding after then. Customers could get them to add anything they hadn't though of, or dealer added for the lot if not ordered for customer.

Random add showing NOS type.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18408767041...3ABFBM5J33lfpi

Further info for the hell of it.

Random ebay link GM #1155059 is listed as both front and rear fenders for Firebirds in '76-78, trim to suit rear length and both with spear ends.
(Possibly '74-78, as per other common colours.)

Listed as mid-78 change to a specific shorter length rear piece with spear end.

Listed as 1979 change of rear fender strip to have the picture frame end instead of spear, tapered to match wheel arch angle.

1980-81 is listed but has new part numbers. Many had new numbers at this time, it does not say if they were the same parts or different, or mention ends used.

There is also a list of trim for different colours for 73-79 models of all GM, cut to suit and sold as Accessory Trim set, different numbers to pre-cut lengths of model-specific.

For 1980-81 they list a new set of part numbers for their GM Accessory Trim for the various colours offered, but also that they come in lengths of either 1575mm for doors or 400mm for fenders, yes, metric.

This is a common guideline to many colours also, again, if the dealers used GM stock or a trim guy to apply and follow accepted ruling is anyone's guess, and how the rivet type came to be used as well.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b576064d_b.jpgFirebird adhesive vinyl body mold ends by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0d103b9a_c.jpgOriginal adhesive vinyl body molds 79TA 1 by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bfed05a5_c.jpgOriginal adhesive vinyl body molds 79TA 3 by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...406146f6_k.jpg1979 Formula W50 decals door edge guard body molds by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1ddf982a_c.jpgFirebird door vinyl body mould strip repro spear and used taper by Ben, on Flickr

Not that the picture frame end versions were supplied to suit both sides when one end is cut off.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e34e7d9f_c.jpgNOS GM Firebird rear fender body mould trim white picture frame end 1155396 by Ben, on Flickr

And apparently there's a limit to updates and changes and additions to posts on the forum so my last lot never went through. I'm done anyway, wasted enough time for no benefit of my own. Hope some is of interest and others can feel free to add anything.

Very interesting! Only one of my T/As ever had the molding and I didn't really like it. I think it had the angle-cut ends, though - not the spear type.

The white car in the photos above with the orange graphic is actually my car showing the original factory moldings. I posted those photos on Photobucket probably 15 years ago.

Thanks Warren, answers that well then.

Warren and Trevor, you guys rock! Thanks for this additional info.

Like that picture of all the colors the front "spear" on mine looked like they just cut a section out and bent it to make a point.

The obvious cut line to make a spear & the inability to make a 100% correct 1/4 panel section would keep me from buying the "correct repro's". I should have tried harder (ran trackers) in the early 80's to come up with nos body side moldings. By the time I had my black '80 repainted in '84, I was into doing away with chrome accents & ended up installing black anodized alum rails with the slide in black door edge material. Def not stock, but at the time, i didn't see them as tacky looking as what was avail aftermarket in peel & stick.

Am working on getting my '79 Sundance W72 car back together. D#mn thing was ordered with every avail option, even the block heater. Body side moldings will not be going back on. Way I look at it is you much effort in restoration, won't be parking it where it can be door dinged by idiots.

This is an exceptionally helpful thread with great photos illustrating factory colour examples, I'm definitely saving all those diagrams for when my Y84 is repainted!

The 71-75 body mould was actually a stainless strip with flat insert, with retainers in body.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4197aea7_b.jpgFirebird body moulds diagram 1972 by Ben, on Flickr

Here's a few pics of NOS #488141, Firebird front fender.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...63f61644_b.jpgNOS GM 71-75 488141 fender body mould black (3) by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2e776b76_b.jpgNOS GM 71-75 488141 fender body mould black (6) by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ddf67990_b.jpgNOS GM 488141 fender body mould black stainless 71-75 (1) by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...493fa719_h.jpgNOS GM 488141 fender body mould black stainless 71-75 (2) by Ben, on Flickr

The following are the same moulds used for B-bodies, different length but same details.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7570fa26_b.jpgNOS GM 488142 stainless body moulds black B-body (3) by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...879af634_b.jpgNOS GM 488142 stainless body moulds black B-body (8) by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...557b7f36_b.jpgNOS GM 488142 stainless body moulds black B-body (9) by Ben, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5f10e6bd_b.jpgNOS GM 488142 stainless body moulds black B-body (5) by Ben, on Flickr

If you're going off factory specs, the pinion depth is set by the shim under the rear pinion bearing. A good starting point is using the original shim and adjusting based on the pattern.

glad to see these are self adhesive and not riveted on. I'll be yanking mine off, never liked it.

Sounds like a common issue. I’ve had similar problems, and one thing that helped was looking into rubber compression molding for replacement seals. The original materials tend to wear out faster than you’d expect, especially with temperature changes and age.

Confused at what the rear pinion bearing/depth has to do with body side molding?

It's a Troll
 

Same user talking to themself. Troll

Thread update: I followed Bentwheelbob's post about his Y88 body side molding project, along with the great help from you guys in this thread. Here's Bentwheelbob's info for easy access: https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...+w72%22&page=9

Turned out pretty good! Not perfect...but neither is my beast :) (nor the factory). Couple of pics. Thanks again for the pics and background, all.

Got a nice roll of nOS gold for a Y88