Topic: Sportroof drip rail extension install advice wanted

[DougDyar]

I have the pair of drip rail extensions that screw to the body behind the chrome boomerang moldings.

I'm thinking that they should have been reattached to the body prior to painting. They weren't, though, and now I need to figure out how to install them.

Should they be painted body color?

Is there some kind of sealer that they are used with? What should I use now?

What's the best way to install these now that paint and body work is completed?

Just to be clear, I am not talking about the small, stainless trim piece over the drip rail/boomerang joint. These are about 7" long, and screw to the body. They extend the drip rail down and behind the boomerang moldings.

Thx!

Doug

[HDAshmore]

Doug,

I pulled one of these off an old fastback once.  I don't have pics but I do know it was an original paint car.

The piece was glued on with what appeared to be some kind of pliable sealant.  Almost like the grey cord stuff that gets smushed between the fenders and inner fenders where they bolt on.

There were also screws holding it on.

Both the right and left side were painted body color

Hope that helps.

Dan

[DougDyar]

Doug,

I pulled one of these off an old fastback once.  I don't have pics but I do know it was an original paint car.

The piece was glued on with what appeared to be some kind of pliable sealant.  Almost like the grey cord stuff that gets smushed between the fenders and inner fenders where they bolt on.

There were also screws holding it on.

Both the right and left side were painted body color

Hope that helps.

Dan

Thanks for the reply, Dan.

Was the sealant painted over?

I'm trying to decide if I should just paint them body color, put some sealant behind them, and screw them on, or should I put them on with sealer and screws first and paint over the whole thing?

My car is already fully painted, so that complicates it somewhat. I'm thinking these should have been on the car when it was painted.

Doug

[RocketScientist]

My car was painted and then I discovered one was missing and I had to install it onto a painted car, which is similar to your problem.  I did mine like this:

1) painted the part body color
2) installed the bracket onto the car using the standard bracket screws. I also added some body sealant between the joins  and the screws just to seal them and prevent any moisture from getting into there in the future.
3) Sealed the outer joint gap using the other side as a guide as to how much it should be filled. There is a specific gap sealant for drip-rails etc and I used that as it is both flexible and paintable.
4) I then masked off the area and painted the minimum area using body color.  For this I used a modelers airbrush as it lets you get in close with the minimum of overspray and it avoids a thick edge with the masking tape.
5) Once the boomerang is installed any minor differences in paint color is hidden as the area gets into shadow and no one will ever know.
6) My car is white and the inside area around the bracket should be black. and as a final job I pained the area black again.

I also did some trial fitting of the boomerang before final fitment of the bracket as there as a small amount of variation is possible.

Good luck,
Brad

[DougDyar]

My car was painted and then I discovered one was missing and I had to install it onto a painted car, which is similar to your problem.  I did mine like this:

1) painted the part body color
2) installed the bracket onto the car using the standard bracket screws. I also added some body sealant between the joins  and the screws just to seal them and prevent any moisture from getting into there in the future.
3) Sealed the outer joint gap using the other side as a guide as to how much it should be filled. There is a specific gap sealant for drip-rails etc and I used that as it is both flexible and paintable.
4) I then masked off the area and painted the minimum area using body color.  For this I used a modelers airbrush as it lets you get in close with the minimum of overspray and it avoids a thick edge with the masking tape.
5) Once the boomerang is installed any minor differences in paint color is hidden as the area gets into shadow and no one will ever know.
6) My car is white and the inside area around the bracket should be black. and as a final job I pained the area black again.

I also did some trial fitting of the boomerang before final fitment of the bracket as there as a small amount of variation is possible.

Good luck,
Brad

Brad
Thanks for the reply!
Can you share the brand and type of sealant you used?
Doug

[RocketScientist]

Doug, sorry I don't have the tube any more and my memory might be scratchy but it was a 3M product, in a small tube (so you can get into the gap) and one that you can find on the shelf of an automotive store. It was a seam sealant that could be used for drip rails and it was flexible but had enough rigidity not to flex and crack the paint. Mine was white but I chose the color to match my body color.

Sorry I can't be any more useful but if you look there are products specifically for seams and drip-rails that will work.

Brad