Drip Rail Molding Install

DAZ · Aug 29, 2004

I have made two attempts at $50.00 an attempt to get aftermarket Drip Rail Molding installed on my 1966 Coupe.
I purchased the Drip Rail molding from C.J. Pony Parts and I find their product line to be acceptable. CJ's service department spent some time with me assisting in the installation process. However, I am finding that there is not a lot of consistency in the manufacture of this item. The manufacturer of the item is CORVEX.

After my first attempt at twisting pushing, grunting and hitting with a rubber mallet, I was unable to get the molding to fit and eventually scratched and caused damage to the new finish.
I made the assumption that my car may have to many layers of primer and paint. So I sanded the surface to bare metal brushed on primer and re-sanded to smooth.
The second set of Drip Rail came in (Corvex)and the item was even tighter that before, not allowing it to snap over the drip rail edge.
Does anyone have suggestions as to manufacturer, supplier or method of modifying the drip rail so that it will fit?

65fsbkhipo · Aug 29, 2004

Corvex is one of the best on the market. I don't think the problem is the amount of paint on the drip rails, nor anything else other than proper installation. There is a procedure to install these and should take less than 30 seconds per side. Start at the top of the roof line near the rear corner, slip the molding over the top and push the molding down over the lip. Once started, a tap from the heal of the hand is all that is needed to get it in place. Once installed toward the front, do the same hand-heal-tap to the rear portion. I have installed many over the years.

DAZ · Aug 31, 2004

65fsbkhipo said:
Corvex is one of the best on the market. I don't think the problem is the amount of paint on the drip rails, nor anything else other than proper installation. There is a procedure to install these and should take less than 30 seconds per side. Start at the top of the roof line near the rear corner, slip the molding over the top and push the molding down over the lip. Once started, a tap from the heal of the hand is all that is needed to get it in place. Once installed toward the front, do the same hand-heal-tap to the rear portion. I have installed many over the years.

I read those instructions also. Short article out of Mustang Monthly. There is definitely a difference in the fit from the first set to the second set.
The supplier I bought them from stated that it might take 2 to three attempts before getting them to fit. Not very economical to keep trying this method over and over hoping for a different result...

abagoz · Sep 1, 2004

I also had Corvex moldings and they were a pain in the A**. I finally got them on and the drives side I am not real happy with. But I will live with if for now. 65fsbkhipo is right, this is the same procedure I used on mine for the pass side and it worked out well.

lauras70mach1 · Sep 1, 2004

What happened to your old ones? It sounds like a good idea to get "new" stuff, but you should be able to straighten the old ones and polish them to look like new, and they'll fit.

'69Mach1Chick · Sep 1, 2004

We are doing a custom car in the shop and the guy wanted the drip rails shaved and then welded shut. Real old school, but looks sweet!

DAZ · Sep 2, 2004

lauras70mach1 said:
What happened to your old ones? It sounds like a good idea to get "new" stuff, but you should be able to straighten the old ones and polish them to look like new, and they'll fit.

The old moldings were pulled off. They were badly dinged, scratched and dented. In preparing the car for painting, all molding,trim and weaterstriping as well as all glass was removed from car. Original glass and window components were saved, everything else incliding bumpers replaced.

lauras70mach1 · Sep 2, 2004

DAZ said:
The old moldings were pulled off. They were badly dinged, scratched and dented. In preparing the car for painting, all molding,trim and weaterstriping as well as all glass was removed from car. Original glass and window components were saved, everything else incliding bumpers replaced.

Ah. Be prepared for the same fitment problems with the winshield and rear window reveal molding.

DAZ · Sep 2, 2004

lauras70mach1 said:
Ah. Be prepared for the same fitment problems with the winshield and rear window reveal molding.

Yeah! Found that out too. But I had some help from glass installer and the job does not look to bad.

mberry1960 · Oct 5, 2009

66 Mustang Drip rail Installing

I am also having trouble installing drip rails on my 66 Mustang Coupe I dont have thick paint issue but I have a new vinyl top installed. I was wondering if there is a tool to trim the vinyl in the drip rail so I dont have to try to get the vinyl inside the molding. Any idea's?
Mike

STSFCTN67 · Oct 6, 2009

Moulding

To put the moulding on you have to scrape she shiny thick new paint of the edges, treat the metal and the mouldings will snap in place.

DAZ · Oct 7, 2009

Since having problem with drip rail, i had stripped the car down to metal. I did some extra sanding on the drip rail lip to make sure i could get moulding to fit. Paint shop, primed and sealed the drip rail area, installed the drip rail, taped it and finished painting the car when ready. They still had problems getting the drip rail to fit, but not having to worry about paint while installing the drip rail aloowed them to use some extra elbow grease.
Not sure if you are ever going to get that vinyl up under the drip rail.
My solution to all my Mustang Probelms was to sell my 66. Now life is simpler.

2+2GT · Oct 7, 2009

mberry1960 said:
I am also having trouble installing drip rails on my 66 Mustang Coupe I dont have thick paint issue but I have a new vinyl top installed. I was wondering if there is a tool to trim the vinyl in the drip rail so I dont have to try to get the vinyl inside the molding. Any idea's?
Mike

The moulding on the rail is a precise fit, it hooks on the top and clips at the bottom. A couple of coats of paint too many will turn this 15 minute job into a nightmare.

As for the vinyl top, no-way-José will the vinyl go "inside" the moulding, if an extra coat of paint won't. What the factory did was install the the vinyl with the cut edge at the bottom of the gutter. Then a narrow strip of soft aluminum was pop-riveted to the entire gutter front to rear, to hold the edge down. Then the entire gutter was completely filled with silicone bathtub caulk. I'm not kidding. These pop rivet holes are one of the ways you can identify factory original vinyl top cars.

TT670 · Oct 8, 2009

Ive been working on vintage mustangs since 1983 and have never found anybody who could get repop drip rail moldings on and be satisfied with them. On my current car I tried 2 different sets, destroyed on set and got the second on the car but looked horrible so I tossed them in the trash too. I scrounged and found a pair of oems and they snapped right on and look great. Im also unaware of another compnay besides corvex that makes repops.

2+2GT · Oct 8, 2009

Almost without exception, these mouldings can be installed by shaving a little paint off the rail. They may be a few thousandths different than the OE, and I'm sure the stainless alloy is a bit softer, but they do go on.

zookeeper · Oct 8, 2009

Also, as tempting as it may be, never, ever, ever get impatient and use a rubber mallet. You WILL dent the trim. Your hand will do the trick, and the pain will go away a lot faster than the dents in your trim. ON my fastback, I started at one end, hooked the bottom lip in place and used an upward blow from the palm of my hand to snap it in place, working my way around. I know lots of people trim paint, but mine had three heavy primer coats, one sealer coat, three coats of base, and several coats of clear, and the paint didn't chip and the trim went right on. IMHO, that's due to good paint (Thanx HoK!) and OEM trim parts more than any magic on my part.

mustangdave · Oct 8, 2009

I will definitely be saving my original drip moldings and refinishing them after reading this.

Drip Rail Molding Install

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