Am I Mad?

A Kind of ‘How To Fit Interior Tailgate Trim’ (Or At Least My Experience)

A Kind of ‘How To Fit Interior Tailgate Trim’ (Or At Least My Experience)

Even though I am retired I do seem have great demands on my time and my A2 project has to take a back seat, but occasionally I do have a little time to get on with bits and pieces. The main engine work lies ahead but thought I would cheat and start on one of the easy bits – interior cleaning.

First step move the car away from a wall so I can fully open the doors. Of course what happens after 4 months left standing? Flat battery. Okay I will charge the battery. Of course the boot is firmly locked and key fob not working. No problem, pull the emergency boot lock release. What emergency release? – literally nothing there! Now the hassle of removing rear seats to gain better access to the battery that way. Anyway charged the battery and the engine started first time:), but I do have to do something about the lack of emergency release.

With boot now open I can see one side of the tailgate trim is hanging off – somebody has been here before and not done a good job putting it back. A good yank and the trim is off, 3 missing clips and no sign of the emergency pull cable! Roll forward a few weeks and equipped with replacement clips and cable from A2Steve (thanks) it’s time to put the trim back on.

It’s obvious how to fit but I could not find a ‘How To’ for any tips and thought I would provide something for others in the future.

It quickly became clear that with the boot open, it’s next to impossible to refit without help, ideally three people, and minimum two. How a single person can hold it up in the air, fighting gravity (it never gives up), attach the release cable, line up clips and bang home is beyond me – biceps were screaming after 30 seconds. I gave up. I can now see why the release cable has gone missing.

Need another way …… thought I would give it a go from the inside with the boot fully shut. Turns out to be a very easy 5 minute job.

1. Don’t fancy kneeling at my age even with a kneeling pad, like the comfort of a little stool.
View attachment 31228
In fact I am of the view that with any job you have to be comfortable to do a good job, if you are not comfortable you are doing it wrong.

2. Think it is worthwhile to mark the position of each clip; I used bits of masking tape after careful measurement.

View attachment 31227View attachment 31229
Without it I quickly lost track of exact clip position when everything is the other way round and back to front.

3. Offer up trim panel to tailgate and let it sit on the boot up stand leaning out at top.

4. Connect release cable. (Still not sure which way round it is supposed to go but I cannot seeing it matter that much)

View attachment 31230
Really easy, no weight to carry.

5. Check bottom clips are in the correct position (– they should be because after all the trim panel is in its ‘home’ position) and push top flush with tailgate.

6. Lastly each clip needs a VERY firm tap to push home – my weapon of choice my trusty old heavier than normal lump hammer – not much resists this.

View attachment 31234
A wooden or rubber mallet would be alternatives but I would not use an ordinary hammer without a largish block of wood to spread the impact. (Looks like I am about to do the John Cleese sketch)

7. Test emergency release – it works.:)

8. Open tailgate and admire the handiwork – or not quite:(.


One clip at top left is not fully in and the side is hanging about a centimetre down. Peer in with aid of torch and I can see why – clip floppy and hanging out of line with its hole. Can’t get a screwdriver in to correct it from the side because a wiring loom is in the way, but sort it with an 18” length of strip wood from the bottom. One whack and it’s in – by god you know when these clips go in. All nicely neat

Or is it?

Noticed plastic bottom lock cover is half under, half over trim panel:(.
Loosen it a bit and used a decorating filler knife as a guide when I whacked home again.
View attachment 31231
(Just struck me – why are they call knives when they don’t cut anything????).

All is now neat.
View attachment 31233

View attachment 31232



One of the many jobs to do done.:):)

Andy

PS. ETKA, refers to the the release cable as a Bowden cable, after the chap who invented circa 1902, the flexible bicycle brake cable we know today. You learn something every day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowden_cable

That's just saved me hours of bad back and arm ache. Thanks Andy
 
It was missing the spring clip and fell out! The lower front panel was broken as well besides being in very poor condition. Some previous owner had had out to add something extra (USB etc?). Evidence of meddling with wiring but it's not there now and all that's left is a hole in the centre console under the ashtray.

I have since bought two cubby trays, both in very good condition. The second one was an immaculate hard touch version from A2Steve I could not resist, so I have the first spare if anybody is interested.

I am trying to finish a post on my not wholly successful climate control refurbishment which might interest some members.
Maybe it will appear next week.

Getting chilly in the back garage now, I have half added central heating but it's not fully connected yet. Something that is looking more and more attractive to complete!!!

Andy
Hi Andrew,
Always thought the garage was the ideal location for the boiler as it leaves valuable wall space in the kitchen ?
With the added bonus of a heat source.
 
Just enjoyed reading this thread. Any updates?
I have done calipers using electrolysis. Battery charger and washing soda in a tub with old metal rods at each corner. Search YouTube for a how to video. Quicker, cheaper and very effective.
 
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