I just picked up a 69 XR7 Hardtop. The car has chrome strip side body moldings that run along the body lines. I never have seen this before on a 69 Cougar, are they factory? There are holes in the body panels
with clips so they are not just stick on moldings. Thanks.
Nope, those aren’t factory. Too bad they drilled all the holes you will now need to fill.
you may be lucky mine had stick on mouldings along the side on my 69
I have seen this style of body side moldings once before, again on a 1969 but this Cougar was a convertible. They were Stainless Steel and actually quite well crafted - I could see how they might have passed for something the factory would have done ( i.e. - the clip system and how they followed the body crease ) but perhaps it is more likely that they were a dealer option / installation. I can’t see a aftermarket vehicle ‘speed’ shop going to the trouble to sell and install with all the drilling through the body panels, that would have been required.
Perhaps an image or two might help to give the other members a sense of why this type of molding has raised the question as to ‘authenticity’ ?
I noticed these were drilled and done a long time ago, I’m thinking from the dealer in Texas. But really not sure
Those were popular back when these cars were used as daily drivers. Many paint stores and auto part stores sold similar trim. It made your paint job last longer in an environment where you would park up close at a mall or a grocery store and expect other drivers to open their doors against your car.