Okay L-body guru's, answer this liitle mystery [Archive]

4 l-bodies

08-29-2009, 01:42 AM

Okay so what's the deal here. I have owned about 12 Omni's/Chargers over the years, and can't figure this out. Seems to be one of Dodge's little mysteries. Why is it some of these came with a black plastic moulding on the roof rain drip rail, while others didn't?

Doesn't appear to be an option (I have window stickers of both). Doesn't appear to be of any certain year. Doesn't appear to be certain colors, or trim options (IE; base or SE car). Was it as simple as factory workers sleeping on the job? All the L-bodies were made in one plant (Belvidere) right?

Seems like most GLHS's don't have them, Seems like most Santa Fe Blue GLH's and SC's had them, Red cars seem like they usually don't have them. Seems like most silver and gold cars had them. Garnet 2 and 4 drs seem like most had them. My Black 87 SC has them. The kicker is it seems exceptions are out there of each car. Anyone have an logical explanation or an opinion? Anyone care?:p
Todd

Mario

08-29-2009, 01:55 AM

Interesting. I had them on my black 85' Turbo SC and 86' Santa Fe Blue GLH Turbo. I don't know. Perhaps a dealer thing?

GLHNSLHT2

08-29-2009, 02:23 AM

:needpics1:

chilort

08-29-2009, 02:39 AM

Whatever was in the bin at the time.

There have been more than a few issues like this over the years. Things like 340 6-pack valve covers.... yeah, many were somewhat different than other 340 valve covers but there was no design reason whatsoever. It was what was in the bin the day those cars were built so it is what was put on the engine.

If there is a real reason, it would be cool to know. Likely need info from the folks pulling the parts out of the bin on the day those cars were built though.

Marcus86GLHS

08-29-2009, 05:48 AM

Juggy

08-29-2009, 09:21 AM

i never seen one

do they work well?? like good enuff to help stop water from getting into and sitting in the drip rail???

maybe they were to help prevent rusting in that area? wish my car had em!!!

BadAssPerformance

08-29-2009, 09:51 AM

...maybe they were to help prevent rusting in that area? wish my car had em!!!

Maybe a TSB to do that? Or maybe they all had them but there was a TSB to remove them cuz they trapped moisture and caused rust?

My guess... they all had them, but lost them over the years. Just like the plug that goes in the timing window on teh bellhousing and other stuff that always seems to dissappear on these cars.

Chad T

08-29-2009, 09:52 AM

My '86 GLHS has them. I actually tried removing them as I thought they were an ad-on but I couldn't get the glue off so I put them back on.

4 l-bodies

08-29-2009, 10:59 AM

:needpics1:Here you go Jay.
Red (86) one is 16K car. Didn't come with trim. Blue GLHT's are both low mileage cars that came with them. One is 85, other one is 86. 2 dr's seem to be the same hit or miss thing.

4 l-bodies

08-29-2009, 11:03 AM

i never seen one

do they work well?? like good enuff to help stop water from getting into and sitting in the drip rail???

maybe they were to help prevent rusting in that area? wish my car had em!!!
Definitely is just an appearance thing. They were glued in place so I don't think water getting behind them would be a issue for causing rust. Certainly wouldn't stop it either.
Todd

GLHNSLHT2

08-29-2009, 11:07 AM

well even with the magnification mode on my mouse it's hard to see the difference. Not sure if I've ever seen one anyway.

4 l-bodies

08-29-2009, 11:13 AM

Todd your mystery topic came to my attention a few years back when a friend was showing me his omni that had that black plastic covering on the roof drip rail, that was the first time i was even aware of that piece, and i had seen a lot of omnis over the years.

i always believed that the piece was applied at the dealer, or, by a prior owner, for the reasons you cite.
Marcus, The silver GLHT cars in the 86 Omni brochure had them on. The Silver and red base car in the same brochure doesn't have them. Can't really tell with the black GLHT car pictured, but it looks like they are installed. For that reason I don't think it was dealer installed. My 35K Maroon Omni America has them too... just trying to figure out the method to their madness. It's got me stumped.
Todd

2.216VTurbo

08-29-2009, 01:03 PM

My GLHS has always had them and get this-I peeled one of them back years ago and the rails were black underneath. Why would the dealer put them on, then paint the car? They *had* to be on there from the factory IMO.

Also I found some 'original' red paint on one of them so they were already installed and masked for the painting.

supercrackerbox

08-29-2009, 01:09 PM

I was pulling some of these off a junkyard car for my GLHS, and Ray told me that the black cars never got these pieces. His black GLH doesn't have them, my GLHS does.

4 l-bodies

08-29-2009, 04:45 PM

I was pulling some of these off a junkyard car for my GLHS, and Ray told me that the black cars never got these pieces. His black GLH doesn't have them, my GLHS does.

I've definitely seen black GLHT's, SC, and both years of GLHS's that have had them since day one. My old 86 GLHS did not have them. I think someone on the assembly line was just screwing with us. :evil:

Mario

08-29-2009, 04:54 PM

Alright guys, I finally did some reading and calling around, apparently they are only still on the cars that are slow. Well, that explains it all. They fly off under hard acceleration.

2.216VTurbo

08-29-2009, 08:55 PM

Alright guys, I finally did some reading and calling around, apparently they are only still on the cars that are slow. Well, that explains it all. They fly off under hard acceleration.

Don't be hating on us just becuse you own the stripped down and clearly inferior GLH/GLHS's:p

Mario

08-29-2009, 08:59 PM

hehe. I knew I'd ruffle some feathers with that one.

Turbodave

08-29-2009, 10:07 PM

Todd, here's what I can see from the L-bodies I've owned:

85 GLH-T, Red, 120k original paint - No molding
87 Shelby Charger, Black, 128k original paint - Has molding
87 Shelby Charger, black, 150k original paint - Has molding
85 GLH-T, Red, 56k one owner original paint - No molding
85 GLH-T, Blue, repainted - No molding
86 GLH-T, black, original paint -No molding
85 GLH-T Black, 54k repainted after rollover- No molding
88 horizon TBI, Grey, original paint - No Molding
83 Rampage, Red original paint - No Molding
84 Rampage, Garnet, repaint - No Molding
85 GLH-T, Black 119k original paint - No molding
85 GLH-T, Black, original paint - No molding
85 GLH-T, Silver, repaint, Has molding

A few others I had pictures of in the archive
85 Shelby Charger, Black, 4k miles, original paint - Has molding
85 Shelby Charger, Silver, original paint - Has molding
85 Omni, light blue, original paint - No molding
87 Shelby Charger, Garnet, original paint - Has molding
85 GLH-T Blue, 22k original paint - No molding

So all the shelby Charger's I've owned had this molding.
The GLH's and other L-bodies were all without except the Silver GLH-T parts car in my back yard.

Also on the Omni's offered a protection package (option code ADB) that included molding 1/2 way down the door, undercoating, floor mats and bumper guards. A few of my cars have had this and these were ones without the molding on the drip rail. The silver glh with the molding is not an ADB car.

supercrackerbox

08-29-2009, 10:25 PM

What about '86 #420?

1986GLH

08-29-2009, 10:35 PM

So this got me curious, so I had to run outside and check all of our 4 door L-bodies. My gray 87 Horizon, maroon 87 Horizon and red 86 GLHT don't have them, and Jason's Gold 84 Omni doesn't have them either.

Marcus86GLHS

08-30-2009, 05:48 AM

the only purpose i can think of for this moulding is to cover any sharp edges on the drip rail.

Todd if you see the piece on cars in the factory brochure then thats enuf to convince me the moulding was indeed installed at the plant.

what about: "inspect drip rail for sharp edges, install moulding part #xxxxxx if sharp edges are found."

Marcus86GLHS

08-30-2009, 07:00 AM

(should've thought of this before)

Looking at the 1986 Parts Catalog.

Group 23, figure 23-300, Item #21, that looks like it.

The catalog lists these part numbers:

5209 036 Moulding, Roof Side Drain Trough, Repair, Bright

5209 222 Moulding, Roof Side Drain Trough, Repair, Black

Looking at the 1986 dealer brochure I see what appears to be the bright drip rail moulding on a red omni and i see what appears to be the black version on a silver omni and a silver glh.

But the word "repair" in the parts catalog description is interesting and might explain the inconsistency in whether a car got the piece, what do you think?

BadAssPerformance

08-30-2009, 07:42 AM

"repair" like if the drip rail was damaged then it got this part? interesting... or is the parts list part to "repair" the factory plastic part?

Anyone got any pics of the cars in final assembly at Belvidere? :eyebrows:

moparman76_69

08-30-2009, 07:45 AM

Maybe repair in the brochure means order that as a repair part for a damaged molding. For the record neither my 85 or 87 Shelby Chargers have one.

85shelbycharger

08-30-2009, 11:31 AM

Every L-body that I've brought home (well over 20 at this point) has always had these moldings. Not to mention I've pulled these parts from numerous cars at the junkyards over the years.

boost geek

08-30-2009, 02:51 PM

My '87 S.C. has them.

vntodd

09-03-2009, 01:34 PM

OK, a little slow to respond...
My red '86 had the caps on the drip rails when I bought it new. I have a set right now that I pulled off a black one I parted out a few years ago.

Todd

minigts

09-03-2009, 02:37 PM

I'm going to go out on a limb and state this is not a dealer option. There is a Mopar part number for it posted in another thread, so while it may be an option, it was an option from the manufacturer. Whether they got them or not probably depends on the options that came on the car. I'm sure all the GLHS and Shelby edition cars came with them, where as some of the GLH's may not have. And then you have people who bought them and installed them which would account for some discrepancy with the cars you see with them and without.

86Shelby

09-03-2009, 02:47 PM

What about '86 #420?

Without.

Marcus86GLHS

09-03-2009, 03:53 PM

".......There is a Mopar part number for it posted in another thread,........"

you bet there is, see my post #23 above.

i think what I am learning from Todd N. and others is that the installation of these mouldings does not follow any definitive configuration/date/color/type/options on the Omni/Horizons. That is the mystery topic of this thread: why is this so?

maybe its the same answer as many other Mopar discrepencies: it's just part of the way things went down on the line.

minigts

09-03-2009, 06:48 PM

Without.

Thanks for debunking my theory! :)

".......There is a Mopar part number for it posted in another thread,........"

you bet there is, see my post #23 above.

i think what I am learning from Todd N. and others is that the installation of these mouldings does not follow any definitive configuration/date/color/type/options on the Omni/Horizons. That is the mystery topic of this thread: why is this so?

maybe its the same answer as many other Mopar discrepencies: it's just part of the way things went down on the line.

Dang it, I just totally skipped over the details of your thread. I think the split in the part number made me think you were posting about the number of cars that had it or something. Heck, maybe you posted the part numbers in the OTHER thread. :p

johnl

09-03-2009, 07:15 PM

85 Santa Fe Blue GLHT came with them; some body shop trashed em, so no more.

#463 '86 GLHS has them still; had to glue them back down though; must be one of the fast cars?

Mario

09-03-2009, 09:29 PM

#463 '86 GLHS has them still; had to glue them back down though; must be one of the fast cars?

:D

Nice to hear John.

rare_ram

09-03-2009, 09:34 PM

Checked the 3 Shelby Chargers that are parked at my friends house. 85, 86 and 87. All of them have them.

fuzz's84Daytona

09-03-2009, 09:44 PM

My 87 Shelby Charger has it. My 85 GLHT ,which was repainted at the dealership under warranty, does not have them. Maybe they took them for a warranty issue, don't know.

Fuzz

Marcus86GLHS

09-04-2009, 04:48 AM

so, if a black omni like an 86S got the moulding, what does that say about the purpose of the moulding? cant be for cosmetic reasons as the part practically disappears on a black car.

the Parts Catalog uses the word "repair" in the description, i cant recall seeing that word used anywhere else in the parts catalog (could be somewhere in the catalog i just havent seen it). makes me believe the moulding was being used to correct some issue with the drip rail at the factory....sharp edges? flaking paint?

BadAssPerformance

09-06-2009, 01:47 AM

From the pick-n-pull today

'87 2-door
'90 4-door
'83 2-door

All of them had it.

...and one pic of the 4-door proving it didnt help keep the cancer away :(

cordes

09-06-2009, 02:35 AM

My 86' GLHT has them.

2.216VTurbo

09-06-2009, 02:45 AM

Damnnn JT, i haven't seen 3 L body's in the yard on one day in quite a while.:( They are getting scarce...

135sohc

09-06-2009, 02:47 AM

All the L-bodies were made in one plant (Belvidere) right?

No. Some were built at the American motors plant in Kenosha WI. Just to add to the confusion :)

supercrackerbox

09-06-2009, 06:12 AM

From the pick-n-pull today

'87 2-door
'90 4-door
'83 2-door

All of them had it.

...and one pic of the 4-door proving it didnt help keep the cancer away :(

I need the speedometer out of the '90!!!

Please?

BadAssPerformance

09-06-2009, 08:32 AM

I need the speedometer out of the '90!!!

Please?

Need a gauge cluster with a boost gauge? PM Dave :D

WickedShelby88

09-06-2009, 11:08 AM

My 85 SC had them as well. I gotta ask though, JT, what pick-n-pull did you go to that had those?

black86glhs

09-06-2009, 05:47 PM

My 86S doesn't have any. However, this thing has a ton of miles and the previous owner raced it. They probably fell off years ago.

4 l-bodies

09-07-2009, 06:08 PM

My 86S doesn't have any. However, this thing has a ton of miles and the previous owner raced it. They probably fell off years ago.
Not necessarily, I think if they fell off both sides, there would be plenty of glue residue left as evidence. Removed? Maybe, maybe not. My GLHS didn't have them. I was second owner and knew of the car since it came off the lot.
Never had them, but most of my other's did. Marcus's explanation of covering up factory defects in the drip rail seems as logical of explanation as anything I've heard.
Todd

black86glhs

09-07-2009, 06:49 PM

Not necessarily, I think if they fell off both sides, there would be plenty of glue residue left as evidence. Removed? Maybe, maybe not. My GLHS didn't have them. I was second owner and knew of the car since it came off the lot.
Never had them, but most of my other's did. Marcus's explanation of covering up factory defects in the drip rail seems as logical of explanation as anything I've heard.
Todd
The reason I said what I did was because I know how the previous owner was with this car. It had a 4x4 wood bumper on it when I bought it.:yuck:
Also, he brush painted truck bed coating on the hood and lower doors. Not a good job either.:(

supercrackerbox

09-07-2009, 07:26 PM

I've removed a few from two door L's in the junkyard, and haven't found any evidence of glue. They're just kinda clipped on there.

cordes

09-07-2009, 08:28 PM

I've removed a few from two door L's in the junkyard, and haven't found any evidence of glue. They're just kinda clipped on there.

Mine kind of giggle around with enough persuasion. I too would think that they weren't glued on there.

GLHS60

09-07-2009, 08:46 PM

I've got 6 L bodys right now and some have and some don't. It seems like the ones that don't have the mouldings are finished better around the drip edges. The ones with the mouldings seem to be finished a little rougher.
Great thread!! I just bought an 87 with a 1.6 / 4 speed combo. I never saw an 87 with this combo before.

Thanks
Randy

black86glhs

09-07-2009, 08:49 PM

GLHS60

09-07-2009, 08:54 PM

Might be an early 87 model. Maybe before they decided not to use the 1.6 anymore.:confused2:

It's a wierd one for sure. I'm going to check all my build dates and assembly plants to see of there is any pattern to the drip rail thing. I think some early Omni's were built in Canada too??

Thanks
Randy