New painted 'A' pillars - BEWARE of this problem you may encounter!
#1
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
New painted 'A' pillars - BEWARE of this problem you may encounter!
I had been thinking of getting my 'A' pillars painted to match my gloss black halo and 'glass' top to complete the 'look'.
I had been hesitant to do this because I had read somewhere about possibly needing to punch out some pop rivets and then moving that piece to the new 'A' pillars and then replacing the pop rivets.
Recently I read about a forum vendor that had hydro carbon 'A' pillars and several forum members that installed those, said that it was a simple job to swap them out and that it was just a matter of removing some screws and weather stripping and it only took them 15-20 minutes a side to do this swap.
NOTE: This warning has nothing to do with that vendor/part.
Then I came across this ad for painted 'A' pillars on the website of a different forum vendor.
As I read this, it seemed that installing these would be similar to what I had read about the 'hydro carbon' A pillar install.
BEWARE that statement is very misleading, IMO.
When I read that statement I thought it meant that I would just have to remove the 7 screws that hold the 'A' pillar to the frame (after pulling the door weather stripping pieces loose) and the just SIMPLY replace the 'A' pillar with those 7 screws. I now know that evidently the 'seven bolts' were not the screws but the POP RIVETS and there is nothing SIMPLE about that for the average person.
I received the painted 'A' pillars and they do look fine as far as the paint quality and they do have the weather strip on the top re-installed. What they DO NOT have is the POP RIVETED piece attached.
If you buy these BEWARE that you will have to drill out the pop rivets, move that piece to the new painted 'A' pillars, and the pop rivet them back on.
ONLY after you do this, can you just SIMPLY re-install the new 'A' pillars.
LEARN FROM MY EXPERIENCE!
.
.
I'll have to take them to my local dealer to have them installed.
.
.
I had been hesitant to do this because I had read somewhere about possibly needing to punch out some pop rivets and then moving that piece to the new 'A' pillars and then replacing the pop rivets.
Recently I read about a forum vendor that had hydro carbon 'A' pillars and several forum members that installed those, said that it was a simple job to swap them out and that it was just a matter of removing some screws and weather stripping and it only took them 15-20 minutes a side to do this swap.
NOTE: This warning has nothing to do with that vendor/part.
Then I came across this ad for painted 'A' pillars on the website of a different forum vendor.
As I read this, it seemed that installing these would be similar to what I had read about the 'hydro carbon' A pillar install.
C6 Corvette Pre-Painted Replacement A-Pillars
If you want the complete body color look then these pieces are perfect for you. These full a-pillars - we take them, remove the weatherstrip, sand down the plastic, prep, primer, base coat and clear coat. Once they are dry and ready to ship, we re-install the weatherstrip. We paint each set in a climate controlled paint room with dust eliminating fans, resulting in perfect body matching trim pieces.
These require the removal of your OEM a-pillars. To remove your OEM pieces you will need to remove seven bolts. Simply re-install these bolts into your new a-pillars.
If you want the complete body color look then these pieces are perfect for you. These full a-pillars - we take them, remove the weatherstrip, sand down the plastic, prep, primer, base coat and clear coat. Once they are dry and ready to ship, we re-install the weatherstrip. We paint each set in a climate controlled paint room with dust eliminating fans, resulting in perfect body matching trim pieces.
These require the removal of your OEM a-pillars. To remove your OEM pieces you will need to remove seven bolts. Simply re-install these bolts into your new a-pillars.
BEWARE that statement is very misleading, IMO.
When I read that statement I thought it meant that I would just have to remove the 7 screws that hold the 'A' pillar to the frame (after pulling the door weather stripping pieces loose) and the just SIMPLY replace the 'A' pillar with those 7 screws. I now know that evidently the 'seven bolts' were not the screws but the POP RIVETS and there is nothing SIMPLE about that for the average person.
I received the painted 'A' pillars and they do look fine as far as the paint quality and they do have the weather strip on the top re-installed. What they DO NOT have is the POP RIVETED piece attached.
If you buy these BEWARE that you will have to drill out the pop rivets, move that piece to the new painted 'A' pillars, and the pop rivet them back on.
ONLY after you do this, can you just SIMPLY re-install the new 'A' pillars.
LEARN FROM MY EXPERIENCE!
.
.
I'll have to take them to my local dealer to have them installed.
.
.
#2
Melting Slicks
I am getting ready to do this myself. My painter wants $200 to sand the ones I have now and paint them gloss black. Just curious
how much and where did you get the pre painted ones from? Post up pics when you get them installed. Thanks and good luck, I knew about the rivets so yes you are right about it being misleading to think you can unbolt it and bolt the new piece right up.
how much and where did you get the pre painted ones from? Post up pics when you get them installed. Thanks and good luck, I knew about the rivets so yes you are right about it being misleading to think you can unbolt it and bolt the new piece right up.
#3
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
I am getting ready to do this myself. My painter wants $200 to sand the ones I have now and paint them gloss black. Just curious
how much and where did you get the pre painted ones from? Post up pics when you get them installed. Thanks and good luck, I knew about the rivets so yes you are right about it being misleading to think you can unbolt it and bolt the new piece right up.
how much and where did you get the pre painted ones from? Post up pics when you get them installed. Thanks and good luck, I knew about the rivets so yes you are right about it being misleading to think you can unbolt it and bolt the new piece right up.
I paid $250 for mine and was expecting the pop riveted piece to be on the 'A' pillars that I ordered. That was not the case.
I'll PM you the vendor's name.
#5
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Dec 2005
Location: North Western Connecticut
Posts: 7,594
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Maybe your painter can take your 'A' pillars off and paint them without taking the pop riveted piece off. Not sure if that can be done or not.
I paid $250 for mine and was expecting the pop riveted piece to be on the 'A' pillars that I ordered. That was not the case.
I'll PM you the vendor's name.
I paid $250 for mine and was expecting the pop riveted piece to be on the 'A' pillars that I ordered. That was not the case.
I'll PM you the vendor's name.
#7
Racer
i was looking at getting these from that same vendor, but now im reconsidering... what exactly is a 'pop rivet'? doesnt sound like much fun the way you described it
#8
Pro
#9
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
I'll see if I can get some photos to post up about the process.
Also NOTE, this is just the 'painted A pillars' from this vendor. I think another vendor sells A pillars that have a hydro-carbon wrap that already has the pop riveted part attached.
Last edited by ncvette_1FUNRIDE; 06-20-2011 at 10:49 AM.
#10
Former Vendor
Member Since: Jan 2011
Location: Orlando Florida
Posts: 5,350
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14, '16
Maybe your painter can take your 'A' pillars off and paint them without taking the pop riveted piece off. Not sure if that can be done or not.
I paid $250 for mine and was expecting the pop riveted piece to be on the 'A' pillars that I ordered. That was not the case.
I'll PM you the vendor's name.
I paid $250 for mine and was expecting the pop riveted piece to be on the 'A' pillars that I ordered. That was not the case.
I'll PM you the vendor's name.
The back of the Apillars have a aluminum track that the weatherstripping sits in. The track has the pop rivets. If your removing your stock A pillars to have painted these annoying tracks do not need to be removed. Believe it or not when you purchase these A pillars new from GM they do not contain the metal track. We have done a bunch of A-pillars and in our listings we state that they come with or without the track.
With the track = 15-20 minute install (just swap over)
Without = PITA
We offer the A pillars in hydrocarbon or painted finishes for anybody interested. We also come across the Apillars with the tracks installed and can do our best to get you a set with them already attached. If not a rivet tool/gun is required to swap the tracks over.
Any other questions let me know.
http://www.performancecorvettes.com/...A-Pillars.html
#11
Racer
I just did this project actually and my recommendation is to buy a used set and just have those painted (or paint the ones on the car already). When you do this you don't have to remove any of the rails or rivets. We just folded back the larger weatherstrip and removed the smaller one. Installing the newly painted pillars took about 5 minutes per side. Paint was about 200 for both and I bought the pillars for about $50 + shipping.
can post pics of gloss pillars + black halo if requested.
Good luck
can post pics of gloss pillars + black halo if requested.
Good luck
#12
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Yes, I thought I was buying them with the tracks already on the 'A' pillars but unfortunately that was not the case.
This is why I started this thread, so others could avoid a similar fate.
Just to be clear, I did not get mine from EmpireCorvettes.
This is why I started this thread, so others could avoid a similar fate.
Just to be clear, I did not get mine from EmpireCorvettes.
Last edited by ncvette_1FUNRIDE; 06-20-2011 at 11:28 AM.
#14
Melting Slicks
I just did this project actually and my recommendation is to buy a used set and just have those painted (or paint the ones on the car already). When you do this you don't have to remove any of the rails or rivets. We just folded back the larger weatherstrip and removed the smaller one. Installing the newly painted pillars took about 5 minutes per side. Paint was about 200 for both and I bought the pillars for about $50 + shipping.
can post pics of gloss pillars + black halo if requested.
Good luck
can post pics of gloss pillars + black halo if requested.
Good luck
#15
Acct suspended by request 21 Sept 2011