Installing Body Cladding on a Base Coupe

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

How hard would it be to install the body side cladding from an '88-'91 Cutlass Supreme SL or international series on our '90 Base Coupe? I was thinking of getting some cladding and maybe the wheelwell strips to replace our chrome ones in black so it would esentially look like Digitaloutsider's car except with sawblade wheels.

 

The main reason we'd be doing this is we have a rust hole on the side and we're going to repair it, but its eventually going to rust out the lower part of the fenders and rockers because of not having the plastic on the side. I also think it would look better.

 

here's a pic of the car when it was wearing its original crosslaces

[5speedz34]

Well, you would have to get the cladding, and then find a way to mount it. I would suggest trying to mount it factory. That would mean trying to get the factory clips to put it on the car. Depends but I bet they are riveted in. Really not that hard.

 

I kinda got lost in your post, are you fixing the rust or not?

[Stevo]

Those clips are fricken expensive ... here they are $4.50 EACH!!!!

[Dirty Rockstar]

Get the clips off the car you get the cladding from.. Take note of where the mounting will need to be, and use small stainless screws to attach the clips to your car (I am going on the assumption these clips are like the BYP Grand Prix I got my side skirts from).. Good luck, and post up some pics when it is done..

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

yeah, we're gonna patch up the hole. If we got the cladding, we wouldn't be nearly as worried about getting it nice and smooth (the paint on this car is HORRIBLE anyway, all orangepeel and runny and shit)...Will probably be a project for the spring but i'll go looking around for the cladding.

 

Anyone know how to get the over the wheel trim (that is chrome on this car) off?

[5speedz34]

Is it screwed in? If not it might be just clipped on.

[Pabz]

Screwed in, on the overlapping portions that go into the fenderwell. Screws only on a few. And two screws on the end of each.

 

Thats for my international, but should be similar no?

 

I think you should rivet the clips rather than screw them in!

 

My int, had pegs welded for the clips, no rivets.

[ToroToro]

The front trim has screws inside the wheel well...dont remember exactly how the rears go. Think there is a screw underneath the moulding behind the door. And BTW, the SL cladding you mentioned wont cover up the rockers. You'd need the I series mouldings for that.

 

What you gonna do with the bumpers? You know they are different too right?

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

shit i guess you're right the SL stuff doesn't cover...i swore it did on some though.

 

I want to do the body colored cladding and wheel flares, but i figured it would look alright if i just left the bumpers alone and maybe removed the chrome strip if i had to.

 

Ok i am whoring a pic but this is the cladding i want on there

[Bake82]

That cladding is the international cladding from 88-91

 

In comparison..here is my 88 with the SL cladding...

 

 

 

The international looks ALOT better

[Brian P]

I did that conversion on my old '90. Actually I did the SL moldings first, then later on did the int'l cladding

[creepin_olds]

If your looking for the cladding, LMK cuz i am parting out an 88 Cutlass Supreme International..