Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...

Author Topic: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...  (Read 17076 times)

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #30 on: February 02, 2011 - 10:13:56 PM »
mostly scratches, with some going deeper than others.
How do you polish stainless? Can I get it with a rotary polisher or my drill?
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....




Offline purple1

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #31 on: February 03, 2011 - 10:01:35 AM »
mostly scratches, with some going deeper than others.
How do you polish stainless? Can I get it with a rotary polisher or my drill?

Scatches will have to be sanded out first. Start with a rough enough grit to remove the scatches, going to finer and finer grit as you go. Polish will not remove scratches so you need it smooth before you start to polish.

You can use a polish wheel on a drill but it will take a lot longer than a larger wheel on a bench unit. Polish can be found at any hardware store.

Dave


Worlds first e-body trailer.    Severna Park, Maryland

Offline Confederate Cuda

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #32 on: February 03, 2011 - 12:27:48 PM »
I imagine its like the challenger one and made of stainless, which will polish up no problem....what does the pitting look like?
These are not stainless steel but anodized aluminum. You could sand and polish them but you would need to have them reaodized or they will turn. They do sell aftermarket replacements but you have to bend them to fit as the shape of the door complex and the trim pieces are flat when shipped. 

Offline mopardave

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #33 on: February 03, 2011 - 02:10:21 PM »
 :iagree:

these are NOT SS
Mopar Dave
Rosevillemoparts.com

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70 FC7 70 Road Runner - Sold
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Offline tommyg29

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #34 on: February 03, 2011 - 02:19:08 PM »
Thanks,
for the most part probably like most others my scratches are light and can hardly be felt, so I guess they are so visible because its the anodized material that is scratched, and not the aluminum underneath.
Is anodizing a similar process to electrostatic powdercoating, or is it a dip?
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline purple1

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #35 on: February 03, 2011 - 07:10:54 PM »
Thanks,
for the most part probably like most others my scratches are light and can hardly be felt, so I guess they are so visible because its the anodized material that is scratched, and not the aluminum underneath.
Is anodizing a similar process to electrostatic powdercoating, or is it a dip?

You can strip off the anodize coating. Sand, even hammer out big dents and dings. But then you either have to get it re-anodized, coat it clear, or just try to keep alot of wax on it. If you don't re-anodize it, you can always repolish it later if it oxidizes on you. The drawbacks of not re-anodizing trim is it will scatch easier and oxidize quicker without some kind of coating.

Anodizing changes the surface of the metal. It makes it harder. Closer to electro-plating than powdercoating.

Dave


Worlds first e-body trailer.    Severna Park, Maryland

Offline 360FISH

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #36 on: February 05, 2011 - 01:16:09 AM »
Very cool. I didn't know about the clips until I saw this thread.  My 73 'Cuda has the studs...  I think I have the trim piece... will have to dig around to see.

Thanks for the education guys!

Alan
1973 ‘Cuda   Semi-Pro Touring
360 SB - 518/OD auto tranny - FAST EZ EFI - Edelbrock Fuel sump - HHR fan
Hella H4 headlights on relays - 97 Dodge Avenger seats - Chin spoiler - Bumpers pulled in to ’72 offset

Build: http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=74674.0

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #37 on: April 02, 2013 - 08:23:06 PM »
I finally got around to doing these, and just bit the bullet.
My June built 71 has the studs, with a nail type head.
There are seven studs on the door, plus one hole at the rear end of the door for a bolt that fixes the trim in place with no room to slide back and forth.
I put some masking tape down first, to help minimize scratching. I removed the nut in the rear and started slowly and carefully prying up starting in the rear. Clips are about every 6-7 inches, and if you can push the plastic clip from underneath using a long thin piece of wood, like a skinny dowel, or a kabob stick like I used in the correct direction then it will slip to the open end over the stud, and it will lift off. Mine were set in the other direction though, so I had to try to pinch the corners of the clip so the trim popped off. It took me about 45 minutes to do the first door. Next one should go quicker. You know how that goes.






72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline EB3-GranCoupe

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #38 on: April 03, 2013 - 08:08:26 PM »
71-74 have the studs.  my 70 has holes, and requires a different type of plastic clip/snap thing-a-ma-jig. what is annoying is the vinyl top SS trim clips are the same way on a 70, versus 71-74.  and they leak like a sieve!  i gotta get some silicon & seal them from the trunk. :pullinghair:

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #39 on: December 12, 2014 - 10:14:11 PM »
Resurrecting this thread....because the stud in my very last picture above broke/bent to the point the end of the molding is loose.
Its a threaded (maybe 10x24?) stud with a small sprung plate for a head which holds it tight within the molding slot underneath. I have looked everywhere and cant find these.
If no one knows where to get one of these I will see if I can fabricate something to do the job.
Thanks.
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....

Offline Topcat

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #40 on: December 12, 2014 - 10:25:24 PM »
Some here may not care about this.
Those trying to keep theirs looking just like OEM will want to know this:

The reproduction top door trim available is a polished stainless I believe.
That isn't what they were originally OEM.

They were a polished aluminum and the difference is very noticable.
Not as bright and yes they were anodized.

If you want to keep it like it was original, anyone who knows these cars will know right away looking at it.
Mike, Fremont, CA.


Offline EB3-GranCoupe

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #41 on: December 18, 2014 - 08:15:31 PM »
Tommy G,
yes, you can buy just that one threaded clip with the springy thing-a-jig.  now i just need to find you the website where i bought mine.....

not where i bought mine, but a start:
https://www.auveco.com/product/auto.html

or here:
http://www.bsfco.com/index.php?target=categories&category_id=64
« Last Edit: December 18, 2014 - 08:19:06 PM by EB3-GranCoupe »

Offline tommyg29

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Re: Cuda Door Top Trim Question - Does anyone know...
« Reply #42 on: December 18, 2014 - 11:11:37 PM »
Thanks,
I think the 5/8" molding fastener with the spring wire on the side should work, though its not exactly what I have now.
Have to buy a box of 20 to get one though  :bigsmile:
72 Roadrunner 400-4 Auto-3.23 Gear-Black Cruiser
71 Cuda 440-6 Tribute-Limelight-A833 Close Ratio-4 Sp-Pistol Grip-Dana 3.54 Powr Lok-Rally Dash-Shaker (Sold)
92 Dodge Stealth RT-Twin 15g Turbos-SAFC2 Tuned-Mystic Blue-5 Sp-AWD-Rear Wheel Steering-AutoX'r (Sold)
12 Dodge Charger SXT Plus Blacktop Package-3.6L-8 Sp-Leather-Nav (the wife's)

Multiple SRT's, Rams, Dakotas, Caravans and Neons

...the lines on the road just look like dots!....