Rear License Light Housing Moulding Clips

[Boneman]

:?: Does anyone have any experience in replacing these irritable terribly designed clips that hold the small piece of molding to the rear license light housing on the Ghia. How do you twist them? Or are you supposed to bend them? Is there a special tool? Can't get pliers in there. If you have a system I need to know. The original factory design sucks.

[DAVE SHEFFIELD]

JUST BEND UP OR DOWN WITH SCREW DRIVER AND PUT A LITTLE CAULK ON CLIP TO STOP VIBRATION AND LOOSENING...WORKS FOR ME

[D. Thomson]

I'm rebuilding a '74 and am looking forward (with some trepidation - sp?)to the same issue..... I'm planning to support the license plate light cover against a bead bag that use for shaping metal (so as not to damage the trim) , and then lightly striking the tab with a hammer and punch... I agree, the factory design is terrible...

Another thought I had was the take a small piece of stainless tubing (about 1/4" in diameter), cutting a small slot across both sides of the tubing, and then -placing the tubing slots over the tab and twisting with a pair of vice grips.... I'm thinking that might work....

Let me know if you figure out something that works....

[Goodwrench]

I just finished installing a new strip on mine. Real easy if you have wire twisters (safety wire pliers to all us old airplane mechanic types). Worked excellent. Insert the tabs and then twist 45 degrees. Then just press the tab down with a flat tipped screwdriver and you're done.

[Ghiaddict]

I made a special tool out of an old screw driver.
Cut the tip back to the round shank and then slotted the end.
Dremel to the rescue, again!

[D. Thomson]

"Ghiaaddict" had the right idea.... yesterday, I ground down a 1/4" wide blade screwdriver and used a dremel to cut a slot in it about the thickness of the metal tabs. Then, holding the chrome trim in place in the palm of my hand, I placed the screwdriver over the tab, pushed down, and gave it a twist. No problem, plenty of leverage and the clips bent like they were supposed to... I now have the tool ready for use, but I can't imagaine when I'll replace another piece of trim on a Ghia license plate light (I seem to have lots of tools in my toolbox that fit this "one-time-use" status)....

I think we were trying to make it too difficult before.... keep it simple, it works!!

Dt

[karmanghialover]

I was wondering whether D.Thomson and Ghiaddict could post photos of those homemade tools and how actually use them.
From the description alone I can't figure it out.
Thank you in advance.