STUCK USING ROCKER PANEL CLIPS - Please advise!

[Rat Race]

I rivited the plastic rocker panel clips to my 67 coupe. But the rivit pulls them in so tight, the little prong isnt far enough away from the body to engage the rocker panel.

How to make it work????

Do I need to put washers behind the clips to keep it away from body?

Or some kind of trick or way to do it ??????


Please help!!!

 

[67coupe351w]

YES! help him!

I'd love to hear this answer too.

 

[Platonic Solid]

I rivited the plastic rocker panel clips to my 67 coupe. But the rivit pulls them in so tight, the little prong isnt far enough away from the body to engage the rocker panel.

How to make it work????

Do I need to put washers behind the clips to keep it away from body?

Or some kind of trick or way to do it ??????


Please help!!!

(From 71-73 experience.) Your plastic panel clips may be different, but from catalog pictures I’ve seen, they look identical. The little prong isn’t supposed to engage the rocker panel molding. It’s only there to act as a tiny spacer between the rolled rocker panel molding lip and the rocker panel, so as not to damage your paint. With the metal end clips installed, I suspect you’ll find it all holds together just fine the way you have it.

edit: The retail kits available come with pop-rivets, so you've done nothing wrong.
.

 

[Rat Race]

From the lack of replys I assume most guys havent had experience with these little nightmares.

Its total jive the way theyre designed, when rivited on the little prongs are simply too tight against the body , as thin as they are it is almost impossible to get them to hook without damaging your paint.

Tried everything, what I thought was really a 10 or 15 min per side turned into 3 hours of fitting, drilling out rivits, trying to reshape the plastic clips.

I got these clips from 2 different suppliers, too, CJ Pony at Englishtown for the Right , and NDP for the left that CJ didnt have.

Bottom line- you do have to get a spacer between the clips and the rocker on car, ie. washers, 2 to be exact, and your still gonna have trouble and a hell of a sore palm.


If the brainiacs who designed the repops just had the clip prongs bent outward a little and the things made out of a more flexible plastic the install would be a breeze.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Have you read my post?

Its total jive the way theyre designed, when rivited on the little prongs are simply too tight against the body , as thin as they are it is almost impossible to get them to hook without damaging your paint.

Cause they're not supposed to hook. Do not attempt to make the tiny prong fit into the molding.

Bottom line- you do have to get a spacer between the clips and the rocker on car, ie. washers, 2 to be exact, ...

I disagree. No spacers should be necessary.

 

[Platonic Solid]

OK, I’ll try to do this from memory. Let’s assume nothing is yet attached to the rocker panel or fender and all you have on the car is holes.

1. Install front and rear metal retaining brackets in rocker panel molding. Test fit the molding to properly locate the retaining brackets.
2. Rivet plastic retaining brackets to rocker panel (note the word “UP” is molded into the plastic).
3. Put molding on car, loosely attaching the front and rear nuts. Rest top of molding on plastic brackets. Tiny thin plastic tab is sandwiched between rocker panel and molding. Tiny tab is not supposed to go into the molding.
4. Hold molding firmly onto top edge of each plastic bracket, apply pressure to molding to snap it onto bottom of plastic bracket (yes, this can be a PITA). Repeat at each plastic bracket location then tighten front and rear nuts.
.

 

[rsev216]

Does this same process apply to 65s?

 

[67coupe351w]

Does this same process apply to 65s?

It's making some sense for my 67.

 

[dodgestang]

Does this same process apply to 65s?

Yes and no.

Rivet on brackets

Line up nut studs on outside ends

Rest on top of brackets

Snap in at bottom

Note: repros are very thin metal and deform easily with the paml of a hand whacking them onto clips....so be gentle but firm

See the deformations on this one:

I got a little better on this side.

That's the difference between holding the molding up agaist the brackets and just smacking the flat to clip on....and sitting the moulding on top of the bracket and then gently but firmly telling the bottom to pop on (it also puts most if any of the defermation on the lower portion which is harder to see). Just look around at any car show....you'll see.