87 LeSabre Door Trim Molding Removal

[OldsBuickGuy82]

I need to remove the plastic door trim moldings that are on the back doors (Black plastic with the skinny strip of chrome attatched). I got a little surface rust building up underneath and IT'S GOT TO GO!...

So, is there any special way to take off the molding without breaking the little clips inside?...I not wanting to pull it off then have to put screws in it to re-attach it again....

Thanks

[avatar307]

*shudder* Those things are evil. There should be one screw through the inner lip of the door. The rest is clipped on.

If they are the moulding with the big chome piece on the bottom, I'm not sure if there is a way to get it off. Two rows of rivet heads, clipping on vertically on the top row and horizontally on the bottom row. I had to remove one once, and it was not pleasent, course I used a Dremel too. (I didn't want the crome piece on there anyway, and I couldn't get the thing to pop off.)

Find BuickMastermind... I do believe he has a similar LeSabre. I might be wrong, but his signature line leads me to believe he does.

[OldsBuickGuy82]

Thanks avatar307,

CALLING BuickMastermind....

[buickmastermind]

Okay, the strip of molding that lines just above the window, on the roof of the car. It is about 1/2 inch wide, and goes pretty much around the entire edge of the roof, except the back. If that is the peice you are talking about, and it is the same design as the '86, it should just be glued on, and a automotive glass replacer should have the replacement stuff.
The stuff right on the door itself (about 1-2 inches wide) is a bit more difficult to remove. Each peice of trim has a cap on one end. That cap should just pop off, and the entire moling slide right off the door. There should be several brackets that to my knowledge are pressed in, so if you drill them out, and use sheet metal screws (painted to prevent oxidation), or bolts, you can safely remove them and later reattach them. I will be looking in to the brackets to be sure you have to drill them to remove them as soon as I get a free moment. But, the trim itself should come off no problem.

[avatar307]

I never thought about prying the cap off the end of the door moulding... that probably would of worked better.

...I hate trim, mouldings, paint, interiors... give me an engine any day.

[OldsBuickGuy82]

Originally Posted by buickmastermind

The stuff right on the door itself (about 1-2 inches wide) is a bit more difficult to remove. Each peice of trim has a cap on one end. That cap should just pop off, and the entire moling slide right off the door. There should be several brackets that to my knowledge are pressed in, so if you drill them out, and use sheet metal screws (painted to prevent oxidation), or bolts, you can safely remove them and later reattach them. I will be looking in to the brackets to be sure you have to drill them to remove them as soon as I get a free moment. But, the trim itself should come off no problem.

That's the one. I didn't realize that it was capped on the ends, I'll have to really dig into it and see how I make out with that in mind. I just didn't want to rip it off, break whatever it is that holds it in place, and then have to screw or bolt it on. I scrapped an OLDS 88 a while back and I have a couple doors in the garage, I'll practice on those just in case I fuck it up. It's the same door as the LeSabre.

Thanks for the help guys