A few years ago a friend gave me these trim pieces. With some of these and what remains of my originals I have a full set and now, after recovering the headliner, it's time to use them. I've found recommendations on repairing the cracks and the few cracked out holes where the screws went through .. But ....

Does anyone have any tips for straightening them, and we all know how fragile they are. I've seen internet methods for plastics that involve heating, with sun, hairdryer, heatgun, hot water, etc. and bending back into shape, pressing between glass, weighting with books, blah, blah, blah. I'm not saying these web experts didn't make it work, just that these pieces are carefully crafted from grade 1 unobtainium and I'm hoping to hear from someone with experience on Dodge 1st Gen trim items.

Has anyone here done this and have tips for an amateur like me.

Thank you,
BlueW250

 

Before you risk damaging your existing parts, I think you should investigate finding a 3D printer to make yourself some new pieces out of fresh plastic...

 

Hmmm ... I actually had not considered that approach. I will look.

Thank you,
BlueW250

 

They are in good condition. I straightneed mine and teinforcedar them by nesting an 040 strip on 2024t3 in them. Tried on a bandsaw, then used ed a belt sander thing.. those cheap stand ones from hf. Front has lots of arch.
Sanded both and mixed some clear epoxy from Walmart and applied after cleaning w 99% isopropyl. . The flat sections use some spring loaded clamps to a bench or board so it sets up. nice. I put a little 8802 on the screws installing them so they would work loose as easily.
redo your headliner too and it looks very nice. You can spray them w sems vinyl dye if you want frsh.. but that is more effort. The clear epoxy. I put masking tape over the cracks. Filled in the holes and redrilled them.

 

If you do that you could sell those things pretty easily. I know I would buy some.

 

Would need a very large 3d printer! I looked at doing this for a few parts. Great for small things like headlight molding and steering wheel trim. Some of the trim is just to large and would need to spend roughly 20K on something to produce it. A nice composite plastic.. that would be sweet! Heck even a poly would be.

 

I think you're saying you used a strip of 0.04" thick aluminum (2024T3) epoxied to the back of the broken trim pieces? Can you provide a little more detail? I have a cracked piece of trim I would like to repair...

TIA.

 

I'm nesting the aluminum strip all the way. Not just to repair damage, but to keep it straight or curved as intended. Obviously, they cannot go in the lap area where pieces come on top of another piece.

I could pull a piece this weekend.

 

I would like to hear more about this too.

And on the 3-D thing. You'd have to have an almost perfect specimen to start with wouldn't you? Otherwise your 3-D piece will have all the warps and cracks of the original.

I read an article where folks in NY went to a company that made 3-D mini-versions of them selves for like $200?

 

I ask a 3D printing outfit in Denver for information and ball park pricing. They only said they needed more information and it would likely be expensive. $75 to $125 per design hour and a print charge. They ask for more details which I sent.

So, I used some of my brothers advice (he's a plastics injection molding engineer) and luck. I went with a heatgun, JB PlasticWeld, and plastic window screen as reinforcement. The trim is now finished, sanded, painted and back in the pickup.

Thoughts:
The heatgun is fast. Be careful! 10 extra seconds will change a area of trim from bendable mode to a glob of trim looking goo stuff. The ends heat really, really fast. I set the heatgun and moved the trim. Wear gloves. Keep the area you want to bend moving in the air stream and while holding the trim apply a little pressure and you will feel when it just starts to give, couple more seconds, get it out of the heat, adjust it and let it cool. The trim is made of ABS plastic. Moldable is 185* to 195* plus or minus. Glop is 220*. One friend recommended hot water, not boiling but almost. Thought it was a good idea but didn't have a big enough bucket and my wife wouldn't leave long enough for me to trash her kitchen. Smart. I would go with the heatgun again. And stop when the little voice in your head says "that looks pretty good". You will only make it worse from there. I was able to get the warps out and add a little reverse curve so the screws could pull it straight where needed. It didn't come out perfect but it's way better than it was.

JB Plastic weld works good. I got the set in 15min, sandable in 30min stuff and it was workable but set a bit to fast for me. I was able to get it all done but was running out of time on some of the more involved repairs. Figure out how you are going to hold the piece straight during the cure before you put glue on it!! Practice a couple of times. If the break is "jagged" that will help to hold alignment. If the break is smooth holding it straight becomes more difficult. Practice a few more times. With the glue used I didn't have to apply "clamping" pressure to the joint but had to hold it straight and still. On center breaks close to the screw holes I added plastic window screen to the back side. Sanded the back, cleaned the break and back with alcohol, glued the break, got it stabilized, dropped on a piece of screen cut to shape, globbed on the JB and rubbed it through the little screen holes with a squared off popsicle stick so it smeared onto the plastic underneath. Then rechecked alignment and let it cure. You can see how 15min is used up pretty fast. After cure, sand the face to smooth it out. I had better luck keeping the pattern on the trim face by paying extra attention to alignment of the face then scraping of the oozed face glue with a pocket knife instead of sanding it off.

For the torn out screw hole I just cleaned with alcohol, globbed in the glue, smoothed as best I could by eye, let it cure then knifed and sanded it smooth. Then re-drilled the screw hole. It's soft enough to turn the bits by hand. I could have really messed it up with a drill motor.

All in all it was fairly easy. When and if I do it again I would try to find a little slower glue. I would also look more into nesting the aluminum strip, that sounds like a really nice modification. And I didn't tighten the screws much, just snugged 'em up. With the redone headliner it looks good in the pickup and I'm glad I did it

If the 3D guys ever respond I'll update.

Thank you,
BlueW250

 

Have you considered using aluminum duct tape?...Mark

 

I like that stuff. But you have to be careful with it. It likes to cut fingers.

 

I haven't cut myself yet, but give me time . I always have a roll of it in my truck, very useful. I picked up some trim pieces last time I was in Mexico.I am thinking of a layer or 2 on the inside of the trim. I think it would be good for the screw holes also, a few layers should grab the threads pretty good...Mark

 

I'm sure that any reinforcement of the trim is a good idea. The Aluminum duct tape should have quality adhesive also.

 

On mine the loose screw holes seemed to be pulled out just a little. I took a flat punch and tapped the elevated ridge down flat, even with the sheet metal. All the screws tightened back up.

Thank you,
BlueW250