Body Side Moldings (protection package)

My 73 convertible has body side moldings which were part of the protection group. I'm planning on having the car painted and I'm pondering whether to keep them or not. I have searched many online catalogs and Mustang sites but I never come across replacement moldings. I'm not sure what attaches them but I seem to remember them being retained by plastic clips that attached to small tabs that looked like nail heads that were welded to the body panels. Has anyone been able to locate replacement moldings and clips and was the rubber insert the color of the car or black? Thanks in advance...

The insert is black. Yes, the are held on as you described. Also a few holes hold them on. The small pieces are held in place by two clips that push into holes in the body.

When I was looking for them years ago they were not available. I am not sure if they are now. I think the lower molding for the rockers is now reproduced and I think the decor molding is available.

If you do decide to leave them off, remove them carefully and you can probably sell them.

And they were soooo popular back when these cars were new...  People would pay extra to have them installed on their new car by an aftermarket trim shop.  This LeSabre shows how crazy they went in the mid 70's with protection trim!!!!







Ray

Time to pick up some 'curb feelers'.

You're right about the retaining clips.

The rocker panel moldings and clips are being reproduced:

http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/shop.axd/Search?keywords=rocker+panel+molding+71

As for the side moldings, I dunno.

Mine had them too and I think that they completely ruin the car's lines. (My personal opinion). They sit right on top of that cool crease that runs from the fender to the quarters and that gets lost completely. I remember when I had mine removed when the car was restored that people asked me how the shop had created that crease that had not been there before.....

Now being the moron that I am, I tossed mine after they came off! I was thinking I'd never put them back on anyway, so...... I kinda wish I'd kept the rocker panel ones...

The insert is black.  Yes, the are held on as you described.  Also a few holes hold them on.  The small pieces are held in place by two clips that push into holes in the body.

When I was looking for them years ago they were not available.  I am not sure if they are now.  I think the lower molding for the rockers is now reproduced and I think the decor molding is available.

If you do decide to leave them off, remove them carefully and you can probably sell them.

Click to expand...

Thanks Guys. I hadn't thought of selling them. I think the body looks cleaner without them but the car is 90% original and I'm the second owner so I want to maintain its value. I'm thinking of removing them and replacing them with the adhesive moldings that are available aftermarket. Once I cut all of those tabs off there's no going back - I'll have to ponder this.

Thanks again.

I couldn't (at the time) find adhsive molding that looked 'right'. When I had the car painted 20 plus years ago I wasn't very smart and there wasn't much of an internet. My body shop guy said 'Oh yeah, we can get those moldings' so I wasn't careful removing mine.. I drove around for about a year and a half with tabs and holes exposed. Finally found a set on ebay (oem). I forget what I paid for them.

I also found a set of rocker moldings (OEM) from a restorer. I couldn't fix mine so I paid him a pretty penny because he really didn't want to sell them. It's nice to see they are being reproduced at a 'reasonable' price.

I think the side molding depends on the color and options for the car. (Kinda like a rear spoiler on a convertible). With my blue car they look okay. If I get it painted again I will probably go without. The last time I had it painted the car was my DD and those moldings actually do help protect from door dings...

Time to pick up some 'curb feelers'.  

Click to expand...

Noooooooooo! Just say NO!  Don't look right on Mustangs IMHO.

They do look cool on older cars.



Check out his old 1950 - ish Packard!



Now back to the side mouldings...

Ray

*Sigh*.

What's wrong with this body side molding?

My 73 convertible has body side moldings which were part of the protection group. I'm planning on having the car painted and I'm pondering whether to keep them or not. I have searched many online catalogs and Mustang sites but I never come across replacement moldings. I'm not sure what attaches them but I seem to remember them being retained by plastic clips that attached to small tabs that looked like nail heads that were welded to the body panels. Has anyone been able to locate replacement moldings and clips and was the rubber insert the color of the car or black? Thanks in advance...

Click to expand...

I had to make the same decision when I had my 73 Convertible painted. I still have the molding but ended up have the holes filled

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My 73 convertible has body side moldings which were part of the protection group. I'm planning on having the car painted and I'm pondering whether to keep them or not. I have searched many online catalogs and Mustang sites but I never come across replacement moldings. I'm not sure what attaches them but I seem to remember them being retained by plastic clips that attached to small tabs that looked like nail heads that were welded to the body panels. Has anyone been able to locate replacement moldings and clips and was the rubber insert the color of the car or black? Thanks in advance...

Click to expand...

I had to make the same decision when I had my 73 Convertible painted. I still have the molding but ended up have the holes filled

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Click to expand...

That's not the stock side protection molding.  This is:



The pieces on your picture must have been an add on.

Mike is correct. Same molding on my 73 vert.

I was referring to the lower side mounding that was part of the decor package, attached with clips. The other mid door mounding was stick on after market. Both went away during the paint job

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