What the heck is the trick to get the rocker panel trim to snap into the plastic retainers? Have plastic retainers pop riveted to car (small hole up) but unable to get them to snap in. my only solution that I can think of is to heat them up with my heat gun and pull them out the slightest bit so trim will snap on.
Any advice will be appreciated.
It’s not a matter of ‘brute force’ but more one of finesse. Make sure the moulding is clean and free of dirt or debris on the inside, and the areas where the clips attach to the moulding are not deformed or distorted - that will prevent the moulding from making a secure ‘connection’ to the clip.
Provided you’ve got the clips orientated correctly on the rocker panel, the bottom edge of the moulding is placed under the lower small protruding bevel of the clip, and the top edge of the moulding is then pressed over the the protruding bevel on the top of the clip. If you use your palm to apply pressure to the moulding, across the large lengthwise profile / crease you are much less likely to put a dent into the moulding (than if you apply pressure to the broad and flatter area of the moulding).
Here’s a youTube video segment from CJ Pony Parts that demonstrates how it’s done on a 1968 Mustang - same thing for a 1969 Cougar.
