securing clips for roof inside trim pieces?

[Mark Wainwright]

hi there,  

Ive been redoing the roof in my eclat, the clips securing the side trims had all broken, they appeared to be triumph securing clips, metal spring clips that slide onto the trim panel holes on the back.  however, im finding it almost impossible to locate them correctly (as they are offset from the holes once installed) in the securing brackets on the car..   are they the correct clips?    or should i be using something that pushes through the hole from the outside of the trim piece so i can line up the holes? 

this is what im using and there are plastic receptacles in the brackets -

 

should i be using something more like this? :-

 

cheers,

 

Mark
 

Edited May 4, 2016 by Mark Wainwright

[slewthy]

Top image are the same as the Esprit A pillar trim fixings. Difficult to get new ones too I recall....

Horrible things. I ended up using G clamps to get mine home!! Think the procedure was to get the lot sort of lined up, apply G clamps and then use a long screw driver under the trim to nudge the clips to their receivers and then tighten the clamp (quick release type)- with lots of padding of course. I'm not suggesting you do that, just illustrating how difficult mine were!

During the strip down originally, they were also a bugger to get off without breaking the trim. Think I used a screwdriver again then....

[Mark Wainwright]

hmm, maybe they are right then.. ugh.. haha..    easy enough to get them, theyre the same as spitfire and GT6 and herald blah blah..  well, the few remaining ones on my trim were.

 

has anyone used an alternative successfully? 

[mikeeech]

Modern plastic trim fixings of the type in your second image are streets ahead. Personally I will use these in beige.

[CharlieCroker]

I used the plastic type. If you don't want any visible fixings you'll have to stick with spring clips. 

[Herc]

I was told, by one of those classic car fixings companies at a  Beaulieu autojumble,  that that the bent-metal spring clips that Lotus used were a tad longer than other marques used.  Triumph rings a bell.  Hence any you buy these days tends to be a little too short for the panel piece to stay up.

 

[Mark Wainwright]

i bought some of teh plastic fir tree types, but the holes in the panels do indeed seem offset from the mounting brackets..    i guess it may be possible with some jiggling about...     

the metal clips i have are really annoying, and impossible to get lined up, and then , yup, they dont stay in...  

[oilmagnet477]

Charlie - think that looks really good.

Personally, an advantage on using the 'exposed' type of fixing is that you know exactly where they are when you come to take them off again

 

It may even be possible, with a little fettling, to cover the faces with roof lining material?

[CharlieCroker]

I tried to cover the top of the cover, too bloody fiddly, looked shite in the end. Better off finding the piece in the colour nearest to your headlining material. 

[Mark Wainwright]

i found a pretty good alternative clip.. 65-70 ford mustang door panel clips, if you use them and remove the little plastic receptacle from the cars mounting holes, leaving a larger hole.. they work really well, and much easier to get in.  only downside is theyre a bit pricy from mustangmaniac when the only postage option is £9.. i had a few spare.. 

Edited May 28, 2016 by Mark Wainwright