running board rubber mat removal?

type1vwjapan · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 4:51 pm Post subject: running board rubber mat removal?

hi, took my running boards off to clean them up and do some paining around the door and where the door closes to the body at the bottom and noticed that the rubber mat was a little bit loose. inspected further and found tons of crud and grime between the metal running board and where the rubber mat hooks on.

how to I remove the chrome molding piece that hooks on? it's securing the rubber mat to the running board on one side and I can't get the rubber mat all the way off. I don't want to break anything as my boards are original to the car I believe. it looks like the chrome molding piece is hooked on. thanks!!

hitest · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 8:12 pm Post subject:

The molding is mounted to the board with small clips. They work just like the dash panel inserts- they "key" in horizontally and were twisted 90 degrees to the side to latch in. Usually, old clips will break off when untwisting- so there's no harm in buying new replacements. Some folks make the mistake of mounting these by bending them over rather than twisting- and their clips break or rattle.

The mat just hooks over the backside of the board and is held against the rocker. The mat is anchored along the whole bottom edge of the board below the chrome with a full-length pinch strip. Get the widest, stiffest spreader out of your painting supply box and carefully peel the strip away from the molding- moving along without kinking it. Several passes with gentle prying will free the mat.
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Cusser · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 8:18 pm Post subject:

I replaced the rubber on my 1971 Convertible running boards a few years ago. Yes, was somewhat of a hassle, but do-able. Looks nice, has the original metal running boards.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

hopkin · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 8:38 pm Post subject:

t1j:

The clips twist straight from behind the running board. As hitest mentioned they will probably break when you twist them. The rubber molding may be glued as well.

The clips are available from Wolfsburg West, maybe locally for you from flat 4.

Be sure to get the correct size, there were 3 different widths of the chrome trim. You probably have widest molding (30mm).

(Your Mexi-Beetle uses the 17mm molding).

BTW, I get lots of compliments on the rims I got from you! Very Happy

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1971 Super Beetle (past)
1971 Super Beetle (past)
1974 SunBug (past)
1972 914 (past)
1991 Honda Civic (Original Owner)
1996 'Open Air' Mexican Beetle (current)
2015 Golf (current)
2017 Dune Edition (daughter's car)

glutamodo · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 9:01 pm Post subject:

So, what about your the rubber mat, did you get that part sorted? It's just vinyl held down by a metal strip folded over and pounded down that keeps it in place.

I recently changed one of the totally-sun-baked colored WW running board mats for a new mat for my 62. After removing the running board, took me a while to pry the metal strip open, remove the old mat, insert the new, and pound it back down.

panicman · Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:43 am Post subject:

All great advice, and I would add that there was not, and should not, be adhesive holding the vinyl mat to the steel running board.

The long pinch seam holds it on the outboard edge, and the mat hooks over the inboard edge. So, there is a cavity between the mat and the running board, and an opportunity for rust. Once you get it stripped, consider a few coats of semi gloss black top and bottom after cleaning. Do plan to get new clips for the molding.
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Plate of shrimp

type1vwjapan · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:35 pm Post subject:

thanks for all the help as always. and sorry for being so late getting back with you guys. got them all cleaned up and back on. not the prettiest job, but managed to get them back on. wow, what a PITA all that was!! I even managed to reuse my old clips that were on there, lol.

I did run into some of that awful cancerous rust though...had to clean all of that up and used some of that thick putty stuff to patch them up. again, not the cleanest and neatest job but it works. the problem was that the rusted out slots happened to be where the clips hook in, so it was quite a job patching the rust holes and fabricating the holes for the clips, and the getting everything to line up the best I could. the biggest pain was getting the rubber mats back on.

shot the boards with some good primer and a high quality undercoating after I got most of the crud and rot off.

thanks again for all the help!!

but the way, my rubber mats are a bit faded in some spots. can someone recommend how I can restore the black in these mats? please keep in mind I'm in Japan so it might be hard for me to get some a specific product you know of at autozone or Walmart. any general ideas?? paint, dye, or a rubbing compound of some type?

dc · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:02 pm Post subject:

I bought the old style clips for my 30mm running board trim-- they are threaded studs with nuts--- much nicer than the twisting clips
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1963 Karmann Ghia

glutamodo · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:09 pm Post subject:

Black mats faded? I think I'd have just got new mats.

I don't know what kind of vinyl paints are available at big-box stores where you are at.

How about some of this? Twisted Evil

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Actually though, shoe repair shops may have something that would work for you.

-Andy

Cusser · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:11 pm Post subject:

I've used Krylon Fusion aerosol paint on plastic stuff before, worked well, that's what it's made for. Ace or O'Reilly/Autozone.
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

type1vwjapan · Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2015 12:08 am Post subject:

thanks!!! I will see what I can find over here. I'm liking the shoe polish idea!! nice! Laughing

I didn't feel like dropping over $200 on new mats right now from flat 4 to be honest, especially having just got his car not even 2 months ago. nor did I feel like paying an arm and leg to have some used ones shipped to me over here. I'm sure my local air cooled shops can hook me up with a nice used pair one day if the whole paint/shoe polish thing doesn't work out. thanks again guys!! I always appreciate all the help and ideas !

BLAU GEIST · Samba Member Joined: June 17, 2015 Posts: 100

My running boards were rotted but the vinyl was still good. Removed the vinyl from the old ones, got clean used boards from a 64? (mine is a 67)
New boards fit body correctly but the vinyl is way too short to fit....2-3 inches total maybe. Before removing the old boards I could see the vinyl had shrunk a bit...has anyone encountered this before? Are the measurements different? Should I just heat those things up and stretch em as far as I can to make them fit? It is really not close.

grandpa pete · Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 7:31 am Post subject:

Put the old mats out in the sun for several hours to see if they stretch out enough .
somebody was putting window rubbers in the oven to heat them up....make Shure the wife doesn't catch you . Very Happy

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63 two fold rag
66 sedan delivery Type 6

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569619&highlight=sedan+delivery


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