A while back I did some research on removing the trim piece on the drip rail (above the doors) and didn't find anything that helped...in fact most of what I found said it was too difficult and it shouldn't be attempted. I went ahead and removed one from my parts car by tapping on the front edge of it and eventually sliding it off. A lot of work and it damaged the front edge.

Yesterday the guy fron the glass place was here to remove the windshield in preparation for paint, and I asked if he had ever removed things like that. He said he had not, but started fiddling with it, and just popped them off! He put his thumbs on the bottom and fingers at the top and pushed with his thumbs and pulled with his fingers (see pictures). I'm assuming they'll snap back on with a little persuasion from a rubber mallet.

By the way, he used a tool that made windshield removal VERY easy...no piano wire. It's like a saws-all but it has shorter, quicker strokes, and uses a paddle type thing for a "blade". I've attached a picture, but it doesn't show the blade too well.

Rich

 

Great information there.

 

That's how I pulled the trim off of our '83.

Then I got chewed out because my roommate was just going to leave it on while we painted the car....

 

I wish i would have been around when that thread about removing the trim got started!

Its really not that hard.

I took mine off quite a while ago, refinished all the trim and put it back on with no issues.

It can be done very easily by pulling the top edge of the trim down towards you, like mentioned above it simply pops off. No tools required, simply use your good ol fingers.

Putting it back on is a little more difficult but it will "pop" back on by simply starting at the bottom and pushing it up and towards the car.

It was a painless operation for me

 

My problem was the trim on the a-pillar. I broke all of the clips holding it on, but the trim was undamaged.

 

^ that cannot be avoided and they are pretty cheap to replace through blackdragonauto

 

I could of told you they snapped off too when reinstalling them, you almost have to use your whole weight on it and don't worry about it being aligned neither at it will almost never happen by just popping it. So what you do is just snap it as close as you can to the windshield trim, and then tap it with a mallot on the end till it slides over the windshield trim. Keep your one hand on the windshield trim to not pop it out ... ask me how I know lol.

 

i'm glad that this thread exists! thaks Rich!!! i had been fighting with a set and didnt really try and "persuade" them to come off and just decided to leave them alone. well, i'll give this method a shot!