[Terrisse]

I am considering repainting my '78 spider which has stainless steel /rubber side molding. Stainless steel in good condition, some of the rubber should be replaced. Trying to decide if I should remove the side moldings or keep them.

Any opinions? Does anyone make these anymore?

Thanks

 

[soccersimon]

Opinion....remove, don't replace

 

[John Gallagher]

I have the same opinion. Never liked the look.

 

[radamm]

Those moldings were dealer applied anyway.

 

[soccersimon]

...speaking of them, are some actually 'riveted' into the car??
They actually pop holes in the bodywork to mount em? Or is it adhesive only?

 

[Terrisse]

They are riveted!

 

[Don Epstein]

They were dealer installed, and usually (operative word) using two sided tape. If you live in a large metro area, where people don't give a **** if they hit your car..the poor look is a trade-off. I have them on my 86, because I lived in New York City until 1994. They saved me from many dings. When I finally can afford to repaint and restore the baby, I will possibly remove them....just a thought...

 

[John Gallagher]

I just park away from other cars and never behind one. The side moldings are a...hit and miss...affair at best. Car doors come in so many profiles that the door edge often hits your car rather than the side molding.

 

[Alfajay]

Let me cast vote #37 in favor of deleting the side molding strips. Reasons:

- They look terrible and were not part of Pininfarina's design

- They're just a dealer add-on, no doubt at a sizable mark-up

- As John Gallagher points out, the pickup truck parked next to you is going to impact your door above the molding strip anyways. Or else bend the whole molding and your sheet metal when Bubba clumbs into his peekup.

- Every time I see an Alfa spider with those strips I am reminded of the horrible aesthetics of the 1970's: Chrysler K cars, earth tones, sideburns.....

 

[John Gallagher]

Alfa side protection

At the risk of adding further insult to injury...

 

[60sRacer]

I like the welded anchor chain in the foreground.
R

 

[Superflow]

Yeah, remove them. Lazy people bang doors, so just park as far away from public accessible doors, as lazy people don't like to walk!

 

[Kipp]

The summer of 76(in college) I installed those dumb strips on mostly cheaper imports and used cars(no Alfas). I made really good dough. They are really crap. I vote to remove.

 

[gigem75]

mine were rivited in but no more! Also had them on the GTV which I removed.. they just look better without them imho

 

[Bill]

Get rid of 'em. Out, I say, away, be gone!



( Wow, a 2 door k-car convertable with permanent mid-wing windows, fake woody sides, luggage rack, wire wheels, a gawd awful 2 piece Continental spare tire kit in beige, with 'rich Corinthian leather' and twice pipes- now thats trashy! )

 

[60sRacer]

What to do should be obvious. Just recognize that the root of the word is MOULD!


Robert

 

[gigem75]

but it has "Corinthian leather" Ricardo wasn't wrong