Can windscreen chrome trims be reshaped?

[Jeremy]

During the chroming process my A post exterior chrome trims became somewhat flattened. It must have been the heat generated by the polishing. So now they don't follow the curve of the roof line and of the (newly fitted) windscreen rubber. Is it possible to reshape them? I have no panel beating skills or tools, and would probably end up kinking them and/or cracking the chrome. Or should I swallow hard and buy new ones?
Grateful for any advice, as always.

[malcolm]

I know they can, but not sure of the best way to do it. I'll wait for answers with interest, because mine don't fit well either! I suspect many don't.

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Malcolm

I’ve just reshaped the passenger side A post chrome by hand. The chrome is very thin and can be bent a little at a time to avoid the chrome finish cracking.
I mananaged to achieve a very good fit, in fact it’s better than the driver’s side now.
Obviously this was done with the chrome off the car.

Cheers

Alan

[Jeremy]

Did you just do it with your bare hands Alan, or use tools?

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Just my own two hands, no tools at all. The metal is too thin to withstand any mistreatment. Just bend it a little at a time and keep moving around the "foot" bending as you go.
I'm assuming it's the bottom of your chrome that's sticking out?

Cheers

Alan

[Jeremy]

Yes, the foot sticks out a bit. I'm also not sure how snugly the rearmost point at the top should fit into that recess under the "eaves" of the roof...should the trailing edge of the trim be touching the inside edge of the gutter, or should it sit nearer the A post and leave a gap with the gutter?
Bending that top bit is actually pretty difficult as the curved edges make it quite rigid. But I'll go v carefully. Thanks Alan.

[malcolm]

Yes, thanks Alan. How is the chrome trim attached?

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Jeremy

I only had to bend the foot of the chrome to get it to fit, but I think the section that fits up the side of the windscreen would respond in the same way. The top of the trim fits under the cap at the top of the A post. I removed this before taking off the side trim.

Malcolm

The windscreen side trim is attached by three rivets into the return face of the A post. The holes may be partially hidden by the door glass rubber seal.

Cheers

Alan

[Series1 Stu]

Alan,

Are you at crossed purposes here? I think Jeremy's car is a FHC and yours is an OTS and they are different. There are no fixings on the FHC. They're just bonded on with lots of goop! I've seen them fixed with self tapping screws into the seal but they look really ugly.

Regards

[ALAN COCHRANE]

Yes you're right. I've just seen both Malcolm & Jeremy's signatures and both have a FHC.
Despite that the windscreen side trim looks the same apart from an extra piece along the top. I would think it will be of a similar thickness and can be bent by hand.
I'm surprised the trim isn't riveted to the A post as on the OTS. There doesn't appear to be any reason for it not to looking at images of this area.
Sorry for the confusion.

Alan

[Durango2k]

Iirc mine was also just bonded. Series 1 2+2.

Will check...

Carsten

[Series1 Stu]

I would think it will be of a similar thickness and can be bent by hand.
I'm surprised the trim isn't riveted to the A post as on the OTS.

Yes, it's an odd piece of design. They are thin and flimsy and can be easily bent and formed to shape. That's the problem when your send them off for re-chroming. They come back a different shape to how they started.

Regards

[malcolm]

Pretty sure now that mine is bonded - but thanks anyway Alan.

[Jeremy]

All the trims are def held in place only with black goo. How to press them in place while it sets is another darn good question. Someone on here used a load of sucker clamp things on the glass IIRC?

[mgcjag]

You need window suction clamps like these...ideal for the job....Steve

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/152772718751?c ... 1ffffccee6

[Polse7317]

I used them with a great help;


Ibent the chrom blades with care..... !

I have made a piece of wood of the exact width of the inside of the chrom trim and it has helped me to "reshape" the curvature by rolling very hard against a hard but protected surface .




And the stuff above has glued very hard the trim along the chrom trim ( very quick polymerisation +- 30 sec !) :

[Jeremy]

Thanks for the tip Steve. I've ordered a set.

[Jeremy]

And thanks for the pictures Yves. Very helpful!