By Stu Brennan
If you have ever had problems using the pop rivets that hold the side strips on, you can understand why I was looking for a better way. My fenders have some filler in a couple of places, so I couldn’t have used the rivets there if I had wanted to.
The better way is Nylon nuts and screws. The heads of H. H. Smith 4 40 binder head Nylon screws fit the inside of the trim strips almost exactly – a touch of sandpaper is all that’s required. The threaded part fits a 7/64″ (the stock) hole quite nicely. Nylon nuts can be installed on many of the screws, but there are a few where you can’t get to the back of them. The solution is RTV rubber. I used Dow Corning 3145 RTV Adhesive Sealant, but there several other types available.
For the short piece just ahead of the door, smear the two screws (in the trim strip) and the holes in the body (work it around good inside with a toothpick). Then just push the strip into position and hold it there with masking tape until the RTV cures. Don’t worry about the RTV that squishes out all over everything just wait until it cures and pick it off with a toothpick.
I used the RTV in the same way to hold the screws in the center of the rear fenders (nuts on the screws at the ends of the strips.) I also used a dab of RTV to seal each hole and hold the nuts in place. The “Tiger” script and the “V8” badge are also held on by RTV. The Dow Corning 3145 RTV is labeled “Non Corrosive.” I’ve heard that GE RTVs contain some acids that can harm some surfaces.