Rear Garnish Pre - A

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Steve Shelton
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Rear Garnish Pre - A

#1 Post by Steve Shelton »

Hello - I am in the final stages of restoration on my 1953 Coupe, could anyone tell me what the rear garnish piece's are supposed to attach to?

Thanks
Steven

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Joao Filipe
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#2 Post by Joao Filipe »

Hello Steve,
try here: http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/photo/6 ... photo.aspx
My 1953 coupe is far from that, but this inspires me.
Regards
Joao

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Spencer Harris
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#3 Post by Spencer Harris »

This may help from the 54 workshop manual.
Front attaches with a screw through the inside of the door post and the rear tongue catches a slot in the rear bulkhead panel.
54 Rear Window Trim.jpg

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James Davies
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#4 Post by James Davies »

Steve, what's the chassis number of your car? The first half of 1953 had them attached with two philips screws on the face, as they were 1950-52. The 2nd half of '53 and onward had a tab that fit into the rear firewall with a screw around the corner of the door post at the front as in the workshop manual above posted by Spencer - no screws through the surface on these. I think the change was ~July 1953.

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David Green
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#5 Post by David Green »

James
Just a bit off topic - and drilling down pretty deep into the Pre-A world - but I've heard that the rails (front and rear) were attached with phillips screws and my service manual (1954) refers to them on the front. My rails were removed and repainted in the 1970s and attached with both phillips and slotted, the way I got the car. However the manual was printed a year after my '53 was built and I've had possibly every screw off of my car and I can't recall any others in the entire car which doesn't make sense.
David

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James Davies
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#6 Post by James Davies »

Hi David,

Yeah, those are the only phillips screws on the whole car as far as I know. Here's some photos of some early '53 cars with them. Original paint, original interior. (last photos from Curt Dansby)
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Aaron Kingsford
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#7 Post by Aaron Kingsford »

Although the garnish rails are missing from my car (anybody have a set BTW?), 50924 July 20, 1953 takes the tab/slot, with one screw through the lock post type rear garnish moulding.

My regards to the cord mob...

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James Davies
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#8 Post by James Davies »

Cord mob! :D

Yeah, my coupe 50960 also has the tab-in-the-slot rear garnish rails. Thanks for the extra data point Aaron.

Fred Nolte
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#9 Post by Fred Nolte »

Hi All,
I'm also in the final stages of my restoration and I was wondering if you guys think my 54 3/15/54 # 51678 would have also used phillips head screws for the garnish rails. Most of the posts were for earlier cars. I've got phillips but I could switch them out if the should be slotted.
Thanks, Fred
Fred Nolte
'54 coupe #51678

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James Davies
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#10 Post by James Davies »

Absolutely philips head screws.

Fred Nolte
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#11 Post by Fred Nolte »

Thanks James!
I thought so but just wanted to get some educated feedback!

I have another question, actually lot's of questions, but the one that keeps nagging at me is would my car (early 54) have a bungee cord mounted to the rear seat back to hold the seat back up, and when not in use it was hooked to a little hook right next to the lowered seat back, or was that just added by people that didn't want to get that 'jolt' of adrenaline every time it fell when you were at highway speeds :shock:
If I should start a new thread about this let me know that too.
Thanks,
Fred
Fred Nolte
'54 coupe #51678

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Spencer Harris
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#12 Post by Spencer Harris »

Fred Nolte wrote:would my car (early 54) have a bungee cord mounted to the rear seat back to hold the seat back up, and when not in use it was hooked to a little hook right next to the lowered seat back? Thanks,Fred
Bungee cords started with the '55 models in late '54.
55 Manual Illus 38.JPG
55 Manual pp 282.JPG
Spencer Harris
San Joaquin Valley, CA.

Fred Nolte
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Re: Rear Garnish Pre - A

#13 Post by Fred Nolte »

Thank you again Spencer, I will save the bungee for the day I find a Continental!
Fred
Fred Nolte
'54 coupe #51678

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