exterior woodgrain moldings

Discussion in 'Woodgrain' started by woodywagon79, Jun 25, 2010.

  1. woodywagon79

    woodywagon79 New Member

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    Hey everyone, been awhile since i posted but had some cosmetic questions for you all...I searched the site but havn't found any solutions to my problem. The exterior of my 79 T&C is in excellent condition except for the rubber (with steel core) woodgrain molding that trims the ''wood'' decals. Since this trim has a steel center to it there are spots where it bolts to the vehicle where that steel core and fastener are rusting causing it to warp and detach from the vehicle. I have considered removing affected trim, cutting out corroded steel, refilling with epoxy of some sort and reattaching. Im sure someone on here has dealt with this issue wether on this make of vehicle or another. Are there places that reproduce or restore trim such as this? Thanks in advance...
     
  2. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    Woody I didn't know that the 1979 T&C used rubber and a steel core. I may be way off, but is it an expanded foam-type rubber? If so, it sounds like what Ford did back in the late 50s and early 60s.

    This fellow was the guy that inspired me to refinish and replace the trim and woodgrain on his Falcon Squire and how he tackled it. The trim fasteners were a bit of a challenge, but aside from that, he did his own workarounds.

    http://www.rickwrench.com/index79master.htm?http://www.rickwrench.com/wood.html

    If you've got the Chrysler Shop manuals, particularly the Body manual, for your wagon, there should be a Care and Repair section, with cross-sections and materials description. That would also tell you what kinds of paints and prep materials you can use, as well as the sealants or seals on the back of the trim. I'd guess that there's a thin rubber 'gasket' behind the trim, if the steel core would touch the body paint.

    As far as anything close to decent information, all I can find is for the Imperial/New Yorker, not wagons. But there's a good Parts Number (Crash list?) for them, up to 1978, here:
    http://www.imperialclub.com/Part/Lit/76-78Parts/index.htm

    I guess 1978 was the last year for Imperials, but there is some detail here:
    http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1978/index.htm

    Here's the main page for the site:
    http://www.imperialclub.com/index.htm

    They have good links to Chrysler sites as well:
    http://www.imperialclub.com/index.htm
     
  3. woodywagon79

    woodywagon79 New Member

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    Thanks Norman. I'm sure pictures would be helpful to you guys. Maybe i can post some soon. I wouldn't call this trim a "foam" type. It is a fairly rigid rubber and it does at least contain metal were each fastener is located. Yes there is a "gasket" between trim and frame although that gasket is rather thin and breaking up enough to allow corrosion from the inside. I do have original service manuals for the car and will check those out. Thanks for the links you posted but the trim on that restoration appears solid plastic therefor not the same. In the meantime maybe someone with a T&C with the same experiences will chime in. Thanks again...
     
  4. DUNNJ46

    DUNNJ46 New Member

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    78 Chrysler T&C

    I have a 1978 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country. I have the same problem with the trim where it has warped. My Dad bought the car new but hasn't been driven for the last 10 years. I have tried to figure out what to do as I don't want to remove it either. Have you gotten any good leads or ideas?

    Thanks, JD
     
  5. CACTUS

    CACTUS New Member

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    trim problem

    I'm not sure if I totally understand how the trim is made or how flexible it is, but this might work. Grab two 2 x 4s or suitable substitute, a couple of large C clamps, a drill and proper bit, and a good hair dryer. Drill holes in the 2 x 4 at the correct intervals that the bolts are at( and the proper depth), place the trim piece on the 2 x 4 with the bolts in the holes, gently go over the trim at a safe distance away with the hair dryer so you don't melt it(just make it plyable). This should be done qjuickly so it doesn't have a chance to cool. Once that is done, put the other 2 x 4 on the top of the trim and clamp it down and let it cool for a while. I've never done this so theris no guarantee, but from what I read about your problem it's worth a try. Good Luck:yahoo: CACTUS
     
  6. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    It's a bit of a pain, but why not change it all to real wood? You could run the oak or ash strips on a router table or get a local millwork shop to use a shaper, and then add embedded fasteners (Tee Nuts).

    Now, the first howl of grief is where to get solid oak or ash, for a Humane price? Well, friends and neighbours, try your friends and neighbours!

    Hook up to a local FreeCycle site, and put an ad in for old-style couches. The frames are usually SOLID mahogany, oak, maple, ash, hemlock, poplar. And usually 2" X 3" or more! Especially the pre-80s couches. All kiln-dried lumber too. I shop for hardwoods in my areas backalleys. Takes about an hour to cut out the useful wood, and the garbage collectors don't mind because what's left, fits in their bins.

    http://www.freecycle.org/

    The second howl is the millworker costs...

    If you've got a local tradeschool or community college or a shop that rents time on their woodworking machines, you can do it.
     
  7. BulletBob

    BulletBob New Member

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    Norman that molding curves with the contour of the body. i wish we could build it all out of wood. We have found another wagon but it's been sitting outside a while. The search comtinues!
     
  8. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    Just after I wrote that post, I found an article about thin-strip laminating and shaping on a pattern. I agree though, its a pain, and it would de-laminate within months, even inside the garage - humidity changes.
     
  9. BulletBob

    BulletBob New Member

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    I've found a NOS RR door molding & have found a bunch of other parts dealers that may have the rest. We found the plugs in the Chrysler dealer parts network only 30 though but that's a start. If a person developed a CNC wood mill to mill them from one tree that would be great. This car is so cool it makes me sick to see those things like that
     
  10. 62lincoln

    62lincoln New Member

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    Hey there, does anyone know I'd 66 or 67 ford country squire wood trim will fit on a 65 country sedan, even though it might not be period correct? Would anyone know the part numbers for a 65 for the exterior wood trim?
     
  11. 62lincoln

    62lincoln New Member

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    Another wood trim question

    Just wondering if anyone knows whether 66 or 67 ford country squire exterior wood trim will fit on a 65 country sedan? Does anyone know the respective part numbers for the trim pieces for a 65? Thanks
     
  12. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    That's a good question, but I can't answer it. :bowdown: BUT, I can help you decipher part numbers.:yup:

    This site's list are really PDF files, that you can download. Most are under 20KB.
    http://www.spacecoastshelby.com/nos.html

    The sweet item is at the very bottom - a link to the part number decoding schemes:

    http://www.hammar.dyndns.org/~djhamma/partnumb.htm

    On the actual trim parts fitting an earlier model, you might find this original sales brochure site useful:

    http://www.lov2xlr8.no/index.html

    Here's the Ford-specific brochures:
    http://www.lov2xlr8.no/ford.html

    and the Mercury items:
    http://www.lov2xlr8.no/mercury.html

    There's a few guys, like the Doc (1967 CS), whose thread has had similar enquiries, which might help out:
    http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1380

    Hope that gives you a kick-start.:wave:
     
  13. 62lincoln

    62lincoln New Member

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    Wow

    Thanks so much for all that info. I will try to get some part numbers and do some homework. I am new here and the notification of your response went into my spam folder which explains my delay in thanking you. Much appreciated and I will let you know what happens and what I find out.
     

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