Front Wing Trim Strips

[malcolm]

I've been drilling holes in my front wings for the trim strips, and made two exciting discoveries. Firstly that the Renault 4 badge is fitted to the RHS wing only, leaving the LHS wing badgeless. I think that's a really cool feature. Secondly that the chrome trim strips on the front wings from after 1968(ish) are about 4 inches shorter than the pre-1968 strips.

Unfortunately I have one of each type.

While you can't see both sides of the car at once, I much prefer the later shorter strips as in the photo (fitted to TLs and Ls from 1972 maybe a little earlier).

Does anyone have one spare? I'd be most grateful.

 

[malcolm]

Oh - it appears to be the RHS strip I need. They don't appear to be handed at first glance, but the LHS one I have doesn't fit nearly so well on the other side.

Crazy stuff. I'm going to have the first Renault 4 coated entirely in body filler. 40 years of use and storage haven't been at all kind to my body panels.

 

[angel]

They are not handed for sure-expect some bending to fit perfectly as they are soft aluminum.
Unfortunately the front wing strips were traditionally the hardest to find (maybe because they were the least protected of all)

 

[malcolm]

Also the front wing strips are the only ones with a nut at the front - people expecting plastic clips all the way along might damage them. Or the seized nut turning could damage the strip. I did that once, and I guess that's what happened to my other short one - wing had been replaced.

I might do some experiments - I have some lumiweld aluminium brazing rods. Should be possible to modify the earlier longer wing trim or maybe a front door trim with that stuff. Though if anyone spots one do shout.

 

[angel]

Aluminium brazing??!! Can you tell us more details? It may be of great use for the long strips I will need to make for the Plein Air.

 

[malcolm]

A few people make the stuff - I've got Easyweld rods, but there's also Lumiweld and a couple of others.

It's an alloy that melts below the melting point of aluminium and can be used on any non-ferrous metals. Heat the metal up with a blow torch and dab the rod in like solder. Very strong when you get a good joint, but it's really runny and tends to drip through the joint. Works best with stainless steel containers used for a former to stop it dripping through.

Here's an aluminium tube I welded to a flat plate with the stuff.

 

[angel]

Amazing!!! Never knew such a material existed! I think it will solve a million problems in my job. Thank you Malcolm!