windshield trim question for prof. body techs

Subject car is 1982 Eagle - but could be any AMC of that era.
Windshield trim.

I had the windshield replaced and sealed in my SX/4 a few months back. No leaks - that part is fine, but I notice now after having to pull some trim to access a fender tack weld that although they replaced the plastic clips for the trim, the clips didn't hold and they used urethane all over to glue the trim in place. What a crock, what a @#$ of a mess. I had an h of a time removing the trim, and now after cleaning the crap, er, urethane out of the clips and channel, the trim will not stay put - not even come close to staying put.
The clips don't appear to have as sharp an edge inside where the trim should be held, they look the same as the originals, but somehow different. Further, the trim is messed up in areas. Some they did, some I did trying to get it to stay put last night as I was just furious over the mess they made.
I mean really - a 5 year old would glue it like they did, a professional should have cleaned it up and used quality clips and made the trim stay put with clips. What if it had leaked and they had needed to remove the trim again in a month?? I almost bent and distorted it getting it out of the urethane.

So my question is - what is the proper solution now? What clips WILL work? The AMC clips although folks say are Ford and looks almost exactly like Ford seem to be just ever-so-slightly different.
What can be used?
How can I make the trim stay put using clips only?
I'm so mad at them I can't even think logically now. It was the most unprofessional mess I've seen in a while.
I spent time cleaning urethane off the body outside of the trim area when I got the car back, I guess that and the tape should have been my first clue that I needed to look further.

And to top it off, when I pulled the trim, I noted the bottom pieces were not as rigid - they had used blocks that were too tall, stuck up from the body too far and used snips to trim the trim on the bottom so it would clear the blocks. Properly, the blocks should have set lower and the trim already has clearance notches in it from the factory - their blocks were bigger and in slightly different locations. They obviously didn't do any dry fitting before putting those blocks in and apply the urethane, and when they went to set the trim in, it wouldn't fit so they cut it.

I've contacted their main headquarters (they are a small private regional corporation) and will be stopping by their local location to have a chat and show them what an unprofessional job it was.

Now I've got to figure out how to make it right so I can have trim around the windshield again.

Use ford metal clips Bill.

I told them when I called for the appointment what the car was, and they needed to be prepared with clips, however, over half the clips were still good. They are nylon so don't get bent, and don't rust. They sometimes break with age.

The posts or studs are like new - remember, rust free CA car. Posts not an issue. They are perfect.

The trim lip is distorted in areas, but it's the face of the trim that gets me, and of course the fact the idiots cut it with dull snips instead if lining up the blocks like I do. I set the trim in place, mark where the blocks would line up with the trim recesses. They plopped big blocks in place and then cut the trim.
(I'd have been happier, in fact a LOT happier, and fact, quite pleased, if they had done the glass and said "we have some problems with the trim and suggest you may wish to handle that yourself")

I still have issue with gluing the trim in with that urethane crap - it is tough as nails - and what if the thing had leaked and they needed to remove the trim? What would they have done?? Bent it to bits is what. "common practice" does not make something right. It's a cheater's way out. Do it right.
Sure they save a buck, don't have to stock parts - but there are the "what-ifs", if the trim has to come off again, you are totally screwed, and they would be too had I complained of a leak.

I may have to move to the metal Ford clips. I know those work, I have a few on the Javelin, but not sure if they work with the late cars.
It's going to take some HOURS to clean up their mess of urethane on the posts and in that channel - that's another problem - there's so much goo the trim can't possible fit back in.
Now I know what the green painters tape was all about - geesh, painters tape won't hold trim in place while urethane sets - thus, the trim was never really down in the spot it was supposed to be and stuck up a good 1/4 inch at the top, and there was a big gap between the right side trim and the glass. Very unprofessional. That sort of tape doesn't have strong adhesive, not enough to hold sprung trim in place.

Regardless of their (in my mind anyway) 'screw-ups' and my opinion on doing it right, or doing it fast and easy - I need to find a way to get it fixed.

I have no body tools for shaping such things, any attempt I'm certain will show more damage than good. I don't really have a good way to get the trim "adjusted" back to shape, and aside from metal clips (will they work on late cars and late trim types?) am not sure what to do.
Maybe I'll have to try the metal clips - they sure hold on the Javelin (I set that glass myself)

IF I CAN FIND IT, I should have the trim I pulled from my parts SX/4, so I might be ok there...... the trim if I recall was pretty nice - and guess what - that windshield had been pulled and reset many years ago, and it was only clips that held the trim. Whoever did that parts car of mine many moons ago, did it quite nicely. My tool easily released the trim from the clips.
My issue now is that I pulled that trim a year ago, and like my car keys and phone each day, can't find it. It's an ADHD thing - set something down, put it in a safe place you will remember, then turn to answer the phone, and can't find the item you held just 3 minutes ago.


Edited by billd - May/24/2012 at 9:53am

I got an email from the company after explaining in detail how things looked, acted, what I did to try to correct things, how the trim didn't "stay" even when pushing it into the clips with enough pressure I was afraid of cracking the glass.

The fellow leaned toward tyrodtom's line of thought.....
he said "yeah, my thought was we would have to remove and reset the windshield.  I'm sure we can get clips that will work".

AMC started using urethane in the late 70's,  or at least early 80's along with the rest of the industry.