Trim around windows.

The trim around the windows (belt moulding) has faded on my Fleetwood. On a junk yard car, I played with the grayish colored trim to find that it is a tape of some kind. What color was it originally? I was thinking of getting a roll of colored tape to go over the top of my faded tape, but I'm not sure what color it is? Black, gray, gloss or matte finish? Anyone have a Fleetwood not baked by the Florida sun that can help me out?

I believe it is called the sill reveal, but if you are referring to the run channel (up the back across the top, and down to the sill). Either way, I believe it should be black, and it should be a satin finish. The outside felt wipe is connected to the sill reveal trim, and is different for the 93-4 and 95-6 cars because of the mirror trim.

The trim piece on the stainless cladding should be gray. The belt molding would be just above the body trim line, and the FW does not have a belt molding, like a RM.

The covering on the sill reveal, is a plastic overlay. It is not a tape, although a tape could be used to replace it. It would be a PITA to remove the original and figure out how to make tape stick.

Belt line on the car refers to where most adults pants belt would be relative to the car. That is usually just below the side window line. There are so many different names in different regions of the country for parts of a car that it is easy to get confused.

Rocker moulding would be under the lower edge of the doors. This is referred to by many as the 'sill moulding'. Other people refer to the 'sill moulding' as the bottom edge of the windows so I try not to use the term. If you must use 'sill' then you should also specify whether you are talking about the lower door sill (usually INSIDE the door opening) or the window sill moulding. Upper and lower window reveal moulding would be a better term for around the windows.

Having worked in and around body shops for a very long time I know that for clarity when talking about mouldings you need to have the customer actually point out what piece he is talking about when referring to mouldings.

The 'body side moulding' in the middle of the body about half way between the windows and the rocker panel is not and never should be referred to as the 'belt moulding'. On some cars (like woodgrain wagons) there is the upper and the lower body side moulding, and sometimes one in the middle of those which would make the other two the 'surround mouldings'.

Fred, i agree that I should have been more clear and called it a plastic coating, and not a tape. I played around with a damaged junk yard part, and it would be nearly impossible to remove the plastic coating, hence my idea of just covering it with a high quality automotive grade trim tape. Mine is so faded that the color is not really discernible, so I appreciate the tip that it is matte black. Thanks.

I believe it is satin black. Since it is plastic, you should be able to paint it.

mine is disintegrating. originally matte black. It's chipping and crumbling off. It is shiny stainless under it. I was going to try and clean it off and spray it with Plasti-dip

Sprocket wrote:

mine is disintegrating.  originally matte black.    It's chipping and crumbling off.   It is shiny stainless under it.   I was going to try and clean it off and spray it with Plasti-dip

Be prepared to spend a lot of time if you want to remove the plastic that is there. On a junk yard car I pulled off some of the thinner plastic (the thinner stuff that follows around the window itself) and it was no fun. Plus, that plastic tucks under the edge of the stainless. It can be removed, but to do it right will take some time and patience. Based on what I saw in the yard, that's why I thought of just covering what is there with good automotive quality trim tape. If yours is still intact and just faded (like mine) it would be much easier, and probably look better, to just tape over it.

I just read what Fred said again, and his idea to paint it is a good one too. It would just take more time to tape all that trim off, but a can of trim black (which I already have) would work too. I've used SEM trim satin black before (it looks just like a new car's trim before it fades). I used it on my other car up north several years ago to refresh the belt moldings (that's what the part is called up north) and it has held up to being outside year round and car washes too.

mine's all chipped and peeling...

Sprocket wrote:

mine's all chipped and peeling...

I know from the junkyard car I tinkered with that the plastic coating is removable. It will just take some time. Don't pull to hard or it will distort the very thin metal. I'm lucky in that mine is just faded.

I think I have some good ones here, not peeling