'79-'84 Bodyside Molding Restoration Thread

[82mustang]

all 79-93 stangs had em from the factory..i really want to leave mine off, maybe temporarily?

[roush235]

I believe in the early model years, a stripper coupe would not have the bodyside moldings.

[Jax Rhapsody]

Im taking mine off. They're taking themselves off actually but the car will look better with out them

[Mustangfreak]

What are you going to do about the moldings on the bumper. You can't take those off.


Or can you?

[Hissing Cobra]

You can't take the moldings off of the bumpers, as they're molded in. Most people will use the corner pieces on the front of the fenders and the back of the quarter panels to make it look complete and keep them off of the middle part of the car. However, I've seen cars without any of the moldings and they look funny when there's no corner pieces.

[myler]

You can't take the moldings off of the bumpers, as they're molded in. Most people will use the corner pieces on the front of the fenders and the back of the quarter panels to make it look complete and keep them off of the middle part of the car. However, I've seen cars without any of the moldings and they look funny when there's no corner pieces.

I was just thinking today that i've seen more than a few without the moldings on the doors and it reminds me of when mine fell off, looks wierd.

[Mustangfreak]

Too bad we can't take them off of the bumpers.

[Quikk86]

Are the 79-84 and '85-'86 moldings identical on the backside with the '85-'86 molding more prone to shrinking? Does a different process need to be followed for the '85-'86 moldings? I just want to transfer my existing '86 moldings to a new door. Do I still need to remove the metal?

[Hissing Cobra]

You don't have to remove the metal if you can get the molding off and keep the metal straight. If you use a 4" putty knife, fine guitar string or fishing line, you may be able to slide them straight down the door (behind the molding) to remove it. Then you'll have to clean the adhesive off of the back of the molding before reinstalling it with new adhesive.

[Quikk86]

Ah, sounds good. I'll give the guitar string / fishing line trick a try once I pick up my new doors and ready to swap the molding over.

[helenabus]

Thanks so much for this article, I am a new mamber and appreciate those who are willing to share their knowledge, it sures beats re-inventing the wheel.
Does anyone know if the 82 GT moldings are different than others.
Thanks

[Capriman86]

79-84 moldings are all the same

Welcome to FEP too!

[foxmustang84]

Its strange that you can buy repro 85-86 moldings, but not 79-84 moldings. Is there really such low demand for these to keep companies like Foxmustangrestoration.com from making a profit from producing moldings for the rest of us? Theres not much love out there from the resto companies for us 84 and older guys.

[Capriman86]

Its strange that you can buy repro 85-86 moldings, but not 79-84 moldings. Is there really such low demand for these to keep companies like Foxmustangrestoration.com from making a profit from producing moldings for the rest of us? Theres not much love out there from the resto companies for us 84 and older guys.

I think they don't make the 79-84 because you "can" refurb them. Where the 85/6 just is a hit or miss. Once the metal backing is off the 85/6 they are done.

[vascj]

so, I may have missed this point...once you remove the metal backing you never put it back on?

[Hissing Cobra]

so, I may have missed this point...once you remove the metal backing you never put it back on?

Correct. Removing the metal backing is a chore in itself and it's usually bent to hell after it's removed. Trying to straighten it back out is nearly impossible and if it's not straight, the rubber molding will take the shape of the metal strip, bends and all.

[d9zz]

For the benefit of the next guy reading this how to:
At nearly $50 a roll for the double stick tape, I only needed less than 1 20 yard roll.
Other than that, it worked out perfectly.

[79mustangcobra]

For the benefit of the next guy reading this how to:
At nearly $50 a roll for the double stick tape, I only needed less than 1 20 yard roll.
Other than that, it worked out perfectly.

It may be expensive for the tape, but it is better than having it fall off! Have you priced a whole set lately, if you can find a nice set.

take care and love the username D9ZZ!

[lui_83MustangGT]

great info!

[RyKR]

Just giving this a bump for it's relative importance and great usefulness.

I'm going through this process on my Capri right now. As stated in my thread, I didn't use MAPP gas, I used a propane torch. I also didn't heat the moldings, I heated a $2.88 flexible scraper and then used that to cut through the tape. Worked wonderfully.

[EARLY84GT]

What color, size and brand of stripe was used?

[Hissing Cobra]

Just giving this a bump for it's relative importance and great usefulness.

I'm going through this process on my Capri right now. As stated in my thread, I didn't use MAPP gas, I used a propane torch. I also didn't heat the moldings, I heated a $2.88 flexible scraper and then used that to cut through the tape. Worked wonderfully.

Great info!

[84turbo]

Maybe this has been asked I dont know, but can you put the side moldings of an 85 on an 84. I like the GT moldings on the 85/86, just wondering if you could do that and it look right.

[Gemini1999]

Maybe this has been asked I dont know, but can you put the side moldings of an 85 on an 84. I like the GT moldings on the 85/86, just wondering if you could do that and it look right.

Technically speaking, you can. The only problem is that the holding on the front and rear bumpers are molded as part of the bumper skin, so they won't match up. The 85-86 moldings have a double detail line that's on the upper half of the body side moldings. The 79-84 moldings have a center detail area molded into them where the double pinstripe is painted on.

I suppose that if you really want to do it anyway, your best bet would be to repaint the molding section on the bumpers to match the color of the side molding and not put the double pinstriping on them again. The only other way to get everything to match is to swap out the front and rear bumpers with ones from an 85-86 car.

[wraithracing]

The 85-86 moldings have a double detail line that's on the upper half of the body side moldings.

Actually the double detail is on the bottom of the body side moulding.

Trey