New B Pillar Caps Found/ Glove Box next

[rick]

After a rather long wait while searching unsuccessfully for Interior B Pillar caps for my 1961 Lincoln Sedan, I successfully purchased a pair today in absolutely AAA condition from Felix LeFore. They were one of the last "eyesore" areas in my car's interior and I was beginning to worry they were unobtainium. (have always wanted to write that word and now after looking at it, I think I may have spelled it wrong!)

One more thing that I'm not looking forward to experiencing is the installation adventures of my brand new glove box. I got so frustrated trying to remove the old one in order to get at the vacuum manifold for the door locks that I ended up killing it. Then I ordered and received a brand new unit. It's been sitting on a shelf in the garage ever since. Anyone got some hints about the installation procedure (and don't say there's nothing to it) ........ it appears to me to resemble the same challenge as putting a square peg in a round hole.

[Mike]

I can imagine being happy to find the last needed pieces!
Neither of mine have the glove box inserts. I guess that saves a step not having to remove it but looses it not seeing how they go in place. I hope any hardware is still there in mine.

[rick]

Well, Mike...... one think for sure - you can easily access the vacuum manifold sitting up there on the firewall. Plus you have an extra one on the shelf.

Rick

[mge825y]

Rick - Congratulations of finding the B pillar caps. Some of these parts can be crazy hard to find. My caps are pretty badly oxidized but was able to get them cleaned up with some metal polish.

As for your glove box...I replaced mine in 2018. I don't know if there are big differences in how the '63 (mine) and '61 (yours) are setup. The issue I had when I replaced mine is that there was no glove box in my car when I bought it. So, I had no example to follow as to what went where. Here's a couple of my posts if it helps. Good luck!
https://www.thelincolnforum.net/phpbb3/ ... ve#p389893

https://www.thelincolnforum.net/phpbb3/ ... 49#p391849

[Mike]

Well, Mike...... one think for sure - you can easily access the vacuum manifold sitting up there on the firewall. Plus you have an extra one on the shelf.

Rick

And thanks again for that I'm at a point to hopefully be replacing the rusted parts of the front floor soon and there were some random vacuum lines under the carpet, one with a screw thru it!, so at some point I'll be putting vscuum to it and hopefully getting everything to work before the carpet and glovebox go back in.

[rick]

Just to finish off my B-Pillar Caps saga. They arrived yesterday from Felix Lefore and are in perfect condition. Needle in a haystack find for me, very pleased. I better not screw up the installation (why do the simple things get complicated?)...... Will send photos of the before and after. January thaw apparently over with here in Ontario, pretty cold outside. Rick

[Fediddy]

What are they? Can you post a picture?

[rick]

[rick]

They're upside down in the photo. The are the interior bottom cap on the B pillar.Mine were pitted pretty badly.

[Mike]

Those new ones look good!

[bd94s10]

NIce. I'm glad you got a set. Does anyone know what colors they came in for '65? My convertible is red and my caps are red. Thanks and happy new year!

[frasern]

I have only seen them in chrome, but not surprised if '65 used interior colour. In '66 the cap was eliminated, and the plastic center post wrapped over top.
I'm sure they can be re-chromed, my conv caps are pitted, and both sedan parts cars. Perhaps one of the usuals should start an exchange program?

[rick]

Thanks, Mike

Fraser's correct, the caps can definitely be re-chromed.

My original pitted caps are still on the car and cosmetically they look kind of tinny. Thin looking while on the car. Probably just the way they strike my eye. I had actually assumed that for some reason Lincoln had cheaped on the caps (because the rest of the chrome trim on my car was first rate solid)...... but these new caps shown in the photo are sturdy units. If all caps were made to the same standard, then they are definitely worth chroming (although around here these days it's not easy around here to find places that do chroming.)

Rick

[bd94s10]

I have only seen them in chrome, but not surprised if '65 used interior colour. In '66 the cap was eliminated, and the plastic center post wrapped over top.
I'm sure they can be re-chromed, my conv caps are pitted, and both sedan parts cars. Perhaps one of the usuals should start an exchange program?

Thanks man. Yeah I've heard they came in a few colors.. I was surprised to see mine red.. I thought someone had them wrapped but I kind of link them color matched. Appreciate the info. I'll ask Chris Dunn next time I speak to him as I was recently chatting with him about interiors in various year Lincolns.

[rick]

Finally installed the re-chromed B Pillar Caps - a big improvement over the originals.