GTE wheel well molding fasteners?

Too many hands involved in the disassembly has resulted in not having any idea how to fasten the side mouldings around the wheel opening with those 5 holes in the molding on each wheel opening to the holes in the body around the wheel wells. I would assume a stainless steel screw through the hole in the aluminum molding. But, into what? There are just the holes in the body. Some sort of barrel insert? Is there room for a backing nut (not near car at the moment to look) inside the fender well wheel openings?

Sorry for the rookie question.

I assume you are talking about the rear, the screw is S/S #8 counter sunk round Phillip’s head 3/4 long and they screw directly into the sheet metal, if the holes in the sheet metal are too large, then you will have to have larger screws or fill them in with some type plastic inserts.

The original screws are special reduced head size #8 screws that were chrome plated steel, not stainless.


Thanks Royce that was/is exactly what I was trying to determine. As always you are a wealth of info.

Before I replied to my original post, I went to the garage and removed the screw from my GT-E original quarter panel and found them to be #6.
If you already have holes, see what fits, why use a bigger screw than necessary. If you have replaced the Quarters then a #6 will do, as for chrome or S/S which do you think will last longer , and no one will ever notice. ROYCE is the greatest and everyone is a dumb ass.

You can certainly polish stainless steel to look like chrome. I do that on my Schwinn bike spokes that originally was built with chrome plated steel spokes. It’s a lot of work on numerous bike spokes, but it looks like chrome and you have no maintenance after that. No one rebuilds bike wheels with chrome plated spokes anymore. Same thought should work here.

Royce only pointed out the original GT-E molding screws were chrome plated steel. If you want consours-correct then that is what you should use. I just think some of that chrome is going to be damaged with a phillips head screw driver.

I am a big fan of stainless steel in certain situations.