Rear panel trim piece - fitting clips.

[zambo]

Has anyone replaced the securing clips on the rear trim piece that runs between the lights (on a roundie)?

I’ve repolished the trim to within an inch of its life so happy with that and whilst the new clips slide into the channel, I’m struggling to move the clips along the channel as they get caught on the little nubs on the first locating point. 

 

I assume I’ve got your clips around the right way as well … they go in easily (too easily) if I spin them 180 degrees but I don’t think that’s how they work because they are too loose they don’t locate in those little areas with the nubs.

 

As explanation, the first pic shows it fully in the channel but caught at the first nub. 
 

I figure if I bend the little feet slightly it will slide thru but thought it worth a check if something else is going wrong here. 
 

Thanks as always. 
 

 

Edited March 12 by zambo

[Mike Self]

Try using a pair of ignition pliers (tiny Channelocks) to bend the nub up just a bit, slide the clip(s) past and then bend it back down again.  The jaw angle on those little pliers can bend the rim without damaging the outer part that you see.  

 

Worked for me...

 

mike

[zambo]

Thanks Mike - it worked as suggested. I staked the little nubs back in with a small punch after locating the clips. 
 

From the looks of things, I assume originally they (BMW or their suppliers) located the clips then machine crimped the strip to lock the clips in. It’s pretty neat where they’ve done it. 
 

Test fit of a few bits post-paint looks good, though I need to lift the LHS of the bumper a fraction. One more brick in the wall as the tune goes. 

[billw]

Looks nice and bright, care to comment on your process of polishing?

bill

[zambo]

4 hours ago, billw said:

Looks nice and bright, care to comment on your process of polishing?

bill

Hi Bill

 

My goal is to maintain some patina in the restoration where I can. The paint is really very good on a near zero rust car but the fittings will be a combo of new and renovated bits. 
 

The rear bumper was pulled apart, epoxy coated on the inside by me and then polished professionally on the chrome side before reassembly. It’s not car show quality, it’s for driving but would probably look better than 90% of cars.

The tail lights I took apart and polished myself with cloth buffs on bench grinder - a few steps here with different wheels and compounds. Finished by hand with Autosol.  Done by the book and not hard to achieve a good-to-great result, bearing in mind mine result is for a lived-in part. 
 

I approached the alloy stuff differently. I’ve got all new waistline I picked up in a nice deal, so no “magic” there required from me. 
 

The following trim bits I had de-anodised by an anodizing specialist, prior to starting my improvement work - rear panel main strip, the B pillar verticals, 3/4 window horizontals, exterior top of door RH/LH, licence plate panel.
 

The pieces all require something different, but typically if scratched/gouged, it goes as follows; hand sand carefully with a coarse paper such as 240 grit or a bit finer until you remove the damage then sand with wet and dry through 400/600/1200. I go to 1500 but I just happen to have it in the cupboard. 
 

Then to the buffing wheel with the brown/red compound on a suitable cloth wheel - not too much of the compound as it just stays on your piece. This is followed by either the green or white (I prefer the white for aluminum) compound on a different calico wheel. It’s a bit of a patience thing but you get there - keep the metal moving so you don’t get hot spots. 
 

I finish with autosol by hand. Prob unnecessary but I like it. A pro might then finish with a French chalk rubbed on a cloth which removes all remnants of compound caught in grooves and oily finger marks. 
 

Probably missed a couple of things but I think my reflection on the process was long enough 😂. 
 

Hope that helps. 
 

 

Edited March 13 by zambo

[zambo]

Just a few pieces of the ally trim mentioned above, to show how they turned out. 
 

Not perfect by any means but look appropriate for my level of restoration with some subtle patina left here and there - plus a few finger marks and left over polish to clean off, once installed on the car. 
 

 

Edited March 13 by zambo