VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION New User Forum molding around roof fabric 1929

Hello, I am new to this site and looking forward to getting help with my 29 chevy 4 door sedan. The fabric on the roof was bad and when removed several top bows were cracked. I have found replacement wood kits from a couple sources but have been unable to find the molding that nails on around the fabric. I have been told the filling station had it but when I contacted them it was no longer available. Does anyone know of a place to get some? I haven't removed my trim yet but it looks impossible to do without destroying it. Is there a mthod to remove the top aluminum from the track the nails go in without wrecking it? If anyone has molding, knows of molding or has any suggestions on re-using mine I would appreciate it.
Furthermore, if the trim cannot be located, what other options are there? A guy at a local upholstery shop showed me cloth covered trim that looked more like a carpet transition strip than a car roof.

Try www.hamptoncoach.com they might be able to help

As far as I know the trim is not available. If you are careful you can remove the molding with a large putty knife eased under and pry up in small steps, carefully. If some of the nails come off or are not useable that is ok. When you are ready to reinstall make sure it is as straight as possible and fits the edge of the fabric correctly. If you need more nails to hold it down you can drill holes for them slightly undersized, tap in finishing nails so they just hold down the molding. If the nail head sticks up then grind off even with molding. If necessary cover the nail head with body compound and then paint. If you are brave you can countersink where each nail is installed and then fill and sand even and then paint.

You can also use the same method with countersunk wood screws as well.

thanks for the suggestions, I just want to clarify. Are you saying that rather than trying to seperate the aluminum piece that is snapped into the steel track, I should pry them both up together as one leaving the nails hanging out the bottom, then hammer back on and use either nails or screws through everything to add nails where some are missing or broken.? Or do I cut off the existing nails from the underside and use new nails or screws as a substitute? I can understand how the molding would come off easier in one piece,I'm just not quite following you on the re-attachment part.

There is no steel track. The roof crown moulding is all one piece of extruded aluminum and it is a bi-fold moulding. When new the top part of the moulding was open, exposing the bottom piece of the moulding with all of the nail holes. The moulding was installed on the car in the open position and nailed in place via the holes that were drilled in the bottom piece of the moulding. After the moulding was installed at the factory, then the top piece (which is round) was bent over on the bottom piece thus hiding the nails and most of the bottom of the moulding.

The moulding cannot be reopened without destroying the moulding. Therefore, you carefully pry up the entire moulding, which in many cases is easy because of the wood rot. Once the moulding is removed, then the exposed nail shanks are cut off flush with the bottom of the moulding.

For re-installation, small countersunk holes can be drilled in the top center of the moulding about every six inches, and the moulding is then installed with flat head countersunk screws. After the moulding is installed, the holes are filled in with Bondo and the moulding is then painted.

this is what came from the Filling Station.

On my 31 coupe I reused my old molding. I had to cut all the nails off of the bottom and then I ground them flush with the bottom of the molding. I then drilled holes from the center of the top edge all the way through. I drilled mine closer that six inches so that the molding would not get to wavey on me. I then used a drill the size of my S/S screw heads and drilled far enough so that the head would go a little below the crown. After it was installed they got filled with bondo and sanded. It was way easier to use the old molding because it seemed like it was a lot softer than the new material. It came out very well. Hope this will help.