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Hope someone can give me some pointers. Replacing the interior on a 59 I just acquired. Having issues getting the old windlace out of the tracks in the front and I can see the rear will be a challenge also. It appears that the dash needs to come out but I'm hoping there's a trick that I'm missing to avoid that. And then getting pointers on getting the new windlace in and secure. Also need tips on removal of the rear will be appreciated.
thanks in advance for the advice !!
There is a trick I use when replacing the front wind lace. I just rip the old wind lace out, I loosen the screw on the dash corner and pull it out of the clips that hold it on. The original wind lace was installed before the dash was put in and I have tried to do this on restorations when I have the dash out and it is still difficult to do. What I do to install the wind lace is to use hog rings, the same ones that are used to hold on seat covers. I just clip 4 or 5 of them on the lip of the wind lace and push the hog ring up into the space, when it is pushed all the way up it will turn side ways holding the wind lace in place. If the the space between the dash is too tight you can spread it a little with a flat blade screw driver or you may have to loosen the dash itself where it is bolted underneath. The wind lace below the dash is easy to install into the original clips, you just need to remove the kick panel. If some of your clip are not usable you can get at some of the ones that held the upper part of the wind lace under the dash. You can get at a few of them by laying on your back and prying them out with a thin screw driver. As far as I know they don't reproduce these clips so you will have to use the ones you have. The rear wind lace is held on be the same type of clips as the front wind lace but you will need to take the rear quarter panel trim off to get at them. If you do not have enough good clips to hold the wind lace you can use a self drilling sheet metal screw with a spacer to get the right distance. I just use pieces of either copper tubing or steel tubing for spacers and cut cut them about 5/16" wide, or to whatever width is needed to match what the factory clips are.
I used the hog ring trick for the dash on mine. Worked great.