53 Series 75 - Stainless Trim Removal Advice needed

[Tye_Cowan]

All the chrome and badges are at the chrome shop.  With the weekend approaching, the next task is to remove the Stainless Trim for polishing.  Question is, how best to remove the trim?

I thought I would ask here before spending hours crawling in and under the vehicle to try to figure it all out.  For each piece listed below, are they best removed by:

• Using a special tool to un-hook it from a spring that is bolted to the body panel,
• Unscrewing the nut from inside the body panel, or
• Prying it from a hard mount point ?

Option A would be the simplest, as long as the spring clip doesn't break.
Option B seems to be the most labor intensive (blind wrenching inside the door is Un-Fun).
Option C is do-able, as long as the stainless doesn't get monkeyed up in the removal or installation process.

Are other options available?  Which technique is best for each of the following?

• Fender trim
• Front Door trim
• Trim just beneath the windows (all 6)
• Trim above the windows (all 6)
• Drip rails  <-- (Option "C"?)
• Trim between the Windshield and Hood (extension of #3 above)
• Trim between the Back Glass and Deck Lid (extension of #3 above)
• Trim between the Windshield and Roof (extension of #4 above)
• Trim around the Windshield
• Trim around the Back Glass
• Vertical trim on the forward side of the rear fenders.  Looks like an air scoop, but the MPL calls it a gravel guard

Any special tools suggested?

Many thanks in advance...

Tye

[savemy67]

Hello Tye,

I am not familiar specifically with the trim on your 53, But I have some general recommendations you may want to consider.

If possible, get yourself a Fisher Body manual for '53.  This may be car-line specific (Chevy, Olds, Cadillac, etc.), or body-style specific.  Some special tools may be very useful, and should not be too expensive.  You may find that many trim pieces use a combination of fasteners, so you may need to use a combination of tools and techniques.  If you have to decide whether to destroy a clip/fastener, or damage the trim, choose the destruction of the clip/fastener.  There are several sources for replacement clips/fasteners.  The number one tool required is patience.  Good luck.

Christopher Winter

[Tye_Cowan]

Thank you for your reply Christopher.  Here's what has happened since your reply...

Woke up this morning and got your message.  A brief Google search for a 53 Cadillac Fisher Body Manual came up dry, so I bit the bullet and got right after the fender and door trim pieces. 

Discovered they were attached with a threaded stud, through the body panel, held on by a rubber washer, flat washer, lock washer and nut.  Many were covered in a protective butal rubber, and were easy to remove.  Some snapped off.  The ones nearest the fender/door jamb (one on the fender, and one on the door) were a challenge to find and remove.  Fortunately, my door panels and access panels were already off the inside of the door so I could get to most of them quickly.  For the forward most stud on the door, I had to open the hood, remove a fender support brace to reach the front lip of the door, fumble around blind to find the glob of rubber over the stud, and use the deep well socket to extract it.

Wife tells me I used cuss words she had never heard before....

Where might I purchase new threaded studs that have the square head which fits in the trim piece?

...................

Update to the Stainless Trim List: 
Since I created it from memory, there were bound to be errors.  There is no Item 5, as the drip rail is bare paint.  As I shop around for professional stainless polishing services, I realize I have no business removing the pieces that are in good shape, so here is my updated list:

  1.   Fender trim ( threaded stud clip )
  2.   Front Door trim  ( threaded stud clip )
11.   Vertical trim on the forward side of the rear fenders.  Looks like an air scoop, but the MPL calls it a gravel guard ( ? )
12.   Hood trim behind the Goddess   ( threaded stud clip )

At this time, only #11 remains.  It appears the fenders will need to be removed to get to these (ugh).  Which leads me to my next post on those pieces of trim.

[savemy67]

Hello Tye,

While not specific to a '53, the manual found at the link below may be useful.  Some CLC members have found Hydro-E-Lectric to be a reputable firm:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1951-1952-1953-Cadillac-Buick-Olds-HARDTOP-Body-Manual-/110699990007?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

These folks might have your fasteners:

https://www.auveco.com

There are probably others, and you should check out old car shows where vendors are present.  Sounds like you are making progress despite the retrograde vocabulary   Hopefully you realize that finding parts for a 63 year old car may require a bit of detective work and patience.  You may want to post some pictures on this forum, as some members may have just the parts you need.  Good luck.

Christopher Winter

[35-709]

Try Restoration Specialties & Supply in Windber, PA.

www.restorationspecialties.com    814-467-9842

They have all kinds of specialty fasteners, clips, screws, etc., etc., etc., specifically for old cars.

[tturley]

While restoring my Lasalle I took pictures of all the trim clips I needed and restoration specialties matched them for me

[Tye_Cowan]

Who was your specialist?

[tturley]

It is a company in PA
I think there is a link below

[35-709]

I think he is referring to my post and the link I provided ABOVE.

[Tye_Cowan]

I totally missed that prior posting, and forgot that I actually have their catalog!

I see the items needed.  Thanks.