1958-1962 Top Fender Moulding Revisited
I've been reading the thread regarding the top fender spear with interest and I think I can shed some light on the manner in which the spears were installed at the last two positions near the windshield end.
For 1958 and most of 1959, the last two threaded studs where installed with the use of barrel nuts that retained the studs when they were pushed into this hardware. It was done this way since there was no way on this green earth that a nut could be fastened to the stud since the stud was blocked by the alluminum sub structure. One of the posters alluded to the barrel nuts.
Sometime after VIN #8000 in 1959, the factory altered the moulding and provided a neat counter sunk hole just before the windshield end of the moulding. The last stud was cut off and the moulding was screwed to the fiberglass by way of a phillips head screw. The reason for this was that the barrel nuts were not effective in keeping the rear of the moulding down.
I have documented at least 6 cases where this was done. Without question, this was a factory procedure of assembly manual illustrations. I know of one Bow Tie car that was presented at a National in recent years with this treatment. I have also talked to a few owners that acknowledged that there original mouldings did was the counter sunk hole, but chose to replace them with current reproductions for judging purposes. All these cars had a Vin past #8000.
Beginning in 1960 the problem of keeping the moulding in place was solved by modifying the substructure in a way that allowed the use of tools to fasten the studs with a nut. This procedure was used through 1962 production.
Ed
For 1958 and most of 1959, the last two threaded studs where installed with the use of barrel nuts that retained the studs when they were pushed into this hardware. It was done this way since there was no way on this green earth that a nut could be fastened to the stud since the stud was blocked by the alluminum sub structure. One of the posters alluded to the barrel nuts.
Sometime after VIN #8000 in 1959, the factory altered the moulding and provided a neat counter sunk hole just before the windshield end of the moulding. The last stud was cut off and the moulding was screwed to the fiberglass by way of a phillips head screw. The reason for this was that the barrel nuts were not effective in keeping the rear of the moulding down.
I have documented at least 6 cases where this was done. Without question, this was a factory procedure of assembly manual illustrations. I know of one Bow Tie car that was presented at a National in recent years with this treatment. I have also talked to a few owners that acknowledged that there original mouldings did was the counter sunk hole, but chose to replace them with current reproductions for judging purposes. All these cars had a Vin past #8000.
Beginning in 1960 the problem of keeping the moulding in place was solved by modifying the substructure in a way that allowed the use of tools to fasten the studs with a nut. This procedure was used through 1962 production.
Ed