We would like to have the deluxe trim on our bus (yes, I know, a bit of bling ) and when speaking to the body shop guys today they were not at all happy when I said we'd have to drill holes through the nice shiny new paint to attach

They'd rather we put it on with the double sided tape used on modern cars, as to not damage the paintwork, or risk rust. I said I'd not seen it done like that, but would ask here. I've only seen it done with screws.

We obviously don't want to go risking the new paintwork we're spending a small fortune on, especially as the bus is so sound as it is, but don't want it being pulled or popping off either!

Screws through bodywork always seemed very strange to me as well so can see the body shops fears. Can't see double sided tape will work in any way, its not a light modern trim that fords have. When I've seen buses painted they'd already been pre drilled for trim, but lets face it, the screws would take off the paint wouldn't they?! I don't recall any bus with rust lines from screws in deluxe trim so put grease around all drill holes as protection and don't worry is my advice

No trim will fit straight onto a bus. Especially not creative.

Sticky tape???

I don't think their idea is that off the wall.

3M do some excellent adhesive tapes which should hold the trim nicely. If that's what they are suggesting I would go with it. What's the worst that could happen? You will notice if the trim is coming loose before a piece flies off down the motorway. If you find it's coming lose then drill away.

They tiger brand auto adhesive will stick a door to a door!

Put a good blob of anti-rust wax on each screw thread before fitting, should be good to go, as already said, never seen a rusty bus due to deluxe trim...

Out of interest which Deluxe Trim kit are you looking at?

Thanks all, thought I'd get shot down for such a question but forgot you're all a good bunch

Not looked at trim yet tbh, was a job to get the bus cleared before Xmas, then into the workshop and then it's been a mission to get ready for a third baby boy who needs to fit in a box room with his brothers! Thankfully, that was finished yesterday, so now it's time to rest the bump and do some research it's going to be a BIG shopping list

I hate the idea of water getting trapped behind it more than drilling holes in the body.

I was chatting to an old chap at a club meet recently and he said he used to wash his old car with pink paraffin as it has wax in it that would seal any thin gaps and stop rain etc getting in.

Due to the usually shockingly bad fit of repro trim I think you'd be hard pressed to get it to stay in place with any kind of adhesive and if it were to stick I'd hate to think what state it would leave it in if you ever had to remove it - just my opinion

U will need to drill and screw so u can bend it into shape tape wont cut it i shouldnt have thought. Use masking tape to protect the paint when they drill and the drill bit shouldnt slip.

orb wrote:Due to the usually shockingly bad fit of repro trim I think you'd be hard pressed to get it to stay in place with any kind of adhesive and if it were to stick I'd hate to think what state it would leave it in if you ever had to remove it - just my opinion

surely someone must make good quality repro trim. what about AACs?

Evil Sid wrote:

orb wrote:Due to the usually shockingly bad fit of repro trim I think you'd be hard pressed to get it to stay in place with any kind of adhesive and if it were to stick I'd hate to think what state it would leave it in if you ever had to remove it - just my opinion

surely someone must make good quality repro trim. what about AACs?

Its not so much that the quality is really bad its more the fact that being old vehicles and given their use there are rarely 2 vans that are alike.
Some people might get it and find it fits fine others I have kown have had all sorts of issues. The issues are not insurmountable but in most cases the trim need "tweaking" to fit the bus properly and the reason you can usually get it to fit is because all the screws pull the trim into shape along the sides and profiles of the van - glue just won't be strong enough for this I reckon.

Plus - I don't think I've ever seen a bus with repro trim that you couldn't tell straight away that its repro trim - the contours just don't seem right to me and it always looks too shiny.

Orb

I've noticed that modern trim is much harder and more springy than the OG stuff. IMO it needs annealing before fitting. I anneal Devon edging before I fit it around tables etc - makes the trim very pliable and easy to fit with screws.
It's pretty easy with aluminium alloys - just heat it up (not to melting point!) and quench with water. There's an old trick where you smear soap onto the surface before heating - when the soap goes black it is at the right temp for quenching. Anyone tried this with deluxe trim?

remember that from my school days, when they taught something!!

orb wrote:Due to the usually shockingly bad fit of repro trim I think you'd be hard pressed to get it to stay in place with any kind of adhesive and if it were to stick I'd hate to think what state it would leave it in if you ever had to remove it - just my opinion

Exactly.