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Pulled all the trim off to get ready for the respray. any tricks to remove the trim around the rear window and the drip rails.

Rear window strips are held by a combination of studs going thru the rubber into clips and then nuts. Check out the body section of SM to get an idea of how but you will have to remove the inside garnish molding and probably the package shelf to find exactly where. There may be one or two somewhat inaccessible locations with headlining in place and a portion may also be held by the weatherstrip. Kind of varied by model. The weatherstrip is probably dry and hard so be careful not to break a chunk off somewhere in pushing the studs thru or removing any portion that might be held by rubber.

The drip rail pieces are a pain. They are held by the trim sliding down over the rail at the top and a crimp into a kind of groove or seam on the lower side of the body metal just above the windows.

If you are extremely lucky you can get an easy start at the bottom on one end and then GENTLY using a thin tool that can slide, pry and pull at the same time get under the crimp to help it release. Others are so tight it is hard to get it started. You may have to get the trim out of the groove and then use some other object like thin strips of metal placed every few inches between the trim and body to keep crimp from going back into the groove. The stainless is strong and the crimp is tight and there is a good chance you will wind up with a kink or two. In most cases, once started they will come off without major drama but be prepared.

Thanks for the info. started to take off the gutter trim and put a little kink in it.Figured I'd ask the experts on the forum before any more damage.

Update 4/30 car is up on jackstands most of the trim is off except hood letters and the rear window trim and the drip rail chrome.Took the rear most frame brace out was bent to crap am going to use the one off the parts car hope it comes off easier.The old one was a pita to get off will post pics of progress soon. going shopping at Dave moe's on sun.

When removing the rear windshield inside trim you should remove all the screws and remove the trim in 2 halves as the corners are brazed to the corner trim making the trim 2 large assem. With the inside trim removed you will see the nuts on the studs protruding through the rubber and through the clips on the inside which seem to also be spacers for the inner garnish molding also. As for the drip rail why not leave them on n mask them. You may prep up to them. For a quality job you should pick, grind, scrape all the factory brushable seam sealer from the drip rail channel. You can then reapply paintable seam sealer as per original. Eastwood and others sell a satisfactory brushable, paintable seam sealer on cans.

I think that is the route I'm going to go lot easier to tape than to risk any more damage to the trim.

Replaced the circuit breaker and the power window relay That I got from dave moe,also replaced the after market ignition switch with a factory one. the car actually turns over by it self now.Still needs to be tuned up and fuel delivery sorted, but progress is being made!

Replaced the plugs,points,and condenser little starter fluid and she fired up noexhaust as of yet ordered that today. Stater stays engaged after motor starts guessingtime for a rebuild. finished taking the crossmember off the parts car new body mount rubber coming on mon. should be a easy reinstall? keeping my fingers crossed.More to follow.

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It could be the starter but could also be misalignment or looseness or even a sticking solenoid plunger as it pulls in to move the assy. If you are using the normal key start on an original switch, 54-6 ignition switches were somewhat marginal when paired with the senior starter solenoids. Those solenoids pull a lot of current and the switch may be pitted so the spring can't reliably release the contact and stop the voltage to the starter solenoid. Sometimes you can diagnose that problem by jiggling the key and see if the starter stops.

If the switch does turn out to be the problem the parts are crimped together so there is no easy or guaranteed repair. In most cases you will have to find another. IIRC, there was also a late suggestion (possibly a Stude bulletin but maybe just experience from those on the forum) that a relay be added in the circuit so the key operated the relay and the relay operated the solenoid. One of the little 30 amp cube style power relays from the parts store works well.

I replaced the ignition switch and nothing. checked wiring tried again motor turned over then no bueno. Oh the joys of owning a classic car. looks like a starter rebuild next! But I do have the exhaust from ebay installed.