A look at Classic Industries 71-74 B-body A-pillar molding

Hi all,

I drove up to Classics Industries warehouse in Huntington Beach, CA yesterday to look at their A-pillar moldings for my '71 Satellite. Just thought I'd let everyone know my impressions. The blurb on CI's website says they are made from injection molded ABS, and are intended to fit 1971-1974. I also found out they are made by Southwest Reproductions. Actually, I was pretty disappointed in them, overall:

- The finish is very glossy black - yes, I know it can be painted.
- The detail is not very sharp. Look at the surface "grain" close up.
- My originals have a very defined (sharp-ish) edge where the bends are (running up and down each piece). You can't see it very well in the pics, but their edges are rounded, not sharp at all.
- Probably the worst part is where they meet the dash. It appears that there would have to be some significant trimming involved, at least for the '71 dash, and even then I'm not sure they would work. Perhaps they were made this way so they can be used on other years?

In any case, submitted for your approval:

well.... they are not completely useless , can always serve as a bad example

I think you are being over critical. Your moldings are worn and 48 years old. If you need to do a little trimming at the dash pad you can make them fit perfectly. The edges look like what I remember in my parents 72 Sebring Plus. Before you pass judgement maybe someone else has pics of originals that are not as bad as yours.

That doesn't look that good to me. I wouldn't want to run them in a car I owned.

I can only see one of your pictures, but it looks more like vacuum formed than molded. Looks like crap. I'd take them back.

they are pretty much similars than the ACCUFORM ones I got... but slightly diff grain pattern and STILL a POS. Shamely my pillar panels are 1000 miles away from home at this moment so I can't compare them or post them to show

I would probably never notice any difference once they were installed.

I ordered some years ago and sent them back from numerous vendors - Fit was horrible

My factory 71 Bee , a lot of the original white interior plastic had severe chalking and discoloration

Rear sail panels are almost impossible to find in decent shape

Anyways I found some really nice factory tan pillar moldings at Mopars in the Park for $60 last year - The grain was perfect and zero chalking

SEM Super White , a few light coats after using there cleaning product , man they look brand new , and of course nothing beats factory for fit

Now those Non SE 1971 Rear Sail Panels , still looking for something I can SEM

Hate to be the bearer of bad news...but those the NOT injection molded.
Those are the Accuform pillar posts.
Nobody if making injection molded pillars.

First glance and I thought they are vacuum formed parts as well. If thats the case they are cheap flimsy parts.
Im finding that many parts from Classic dont fit well at all. Im assembling my car and having issues with just about every part I try to put on.
Door handles -One side was great. Other side the stud is not centered correctly so the gasket doesnt fit. Also the pushbutton rattles like crazy.

Dash pad -Studs do not line up. 3 were only slightly off but one was about an 1/8" off. Had to use the die grinder and make it fit.

Defrost vent -Did not fit at all. Had to die grind the large hole and the holes for the studs. Thought the problem was my powdercoated dash but stock vents fit fine.

Door locks -crimp on stainless bezels were crap. Had to tap the down with a screwdriver so it would sit in far enough to get the clip on.

Take your originals clean and repaint them.....Done

Trouble is, it can be hard to find usable originals.

decent ebay green pillars

search on for sale section here and other boards

1971-1974 B

What year did they change from double screw , like the ones in nacho eBay listing

My 71 Bee had double screw

To the single screw a pillar moldings ?

For a 100 point show car they wont work.
However they look better than those originals posted.


Not to mention they might be the only option, once the originals go south, if a person even has any that are usable.

And the CI ones look like crap compared to the green Ebay ones as well. It's not a case of the OP's covers being old or worn. It's a case of CI's stuff being crap. Which is sad because it takes no more effort to do it right as it did to do it wrong.

Very similar to the late B mouldings, same things happen to them, get chalky and brittle AND harder to find, along with the large rear panels.

B's younger siblings have the same issues, and nobody's willing to repop ANYTHING for the 75-79

Looking at my 71 Charger SE SPD 901 has the two screw ones, and my 71 RR SPD 605 had one. Mid year??

My Satellite build date is 6-8-1971, and it has one screw.

I just doubled checked and mine was 608 too not 605.

Mine was built 12-15-1970 - Two screws

Interesting

Thanx guys - Appreciate the info

I looked at a 71 parts car out back built 1-8-71 and it has two as well. Could have been a new for 72 thing and late 71 cars started getting them when 71 inventory was depleted.

It's a shame we buy reproduction parts. Expecting nice stuff and open a box full of disappointment.

For the replies telling you should be happy or they are better than your originals. Sorry but when some of us pay money for an item described or shown in a picture. Some of us expect better. Trying to screw together a nice car and all these pieces do not fit or function correctly. No wonder a new car from today is better than some of our old cars.

Anyways Fab64. Thanks for the update. The world is changing and this is like a google review.

Pretty typical across most of their lines, even the more popular ones like Cashmaro's. 85-90% is close enough for them

Some of the “good enough” comments baffle me. Not to insult you guys but, have you restored a car? A lot of aftermarket parts need massaging to fit. I get it, but that piece is garbage. Reminds me of those horrid vacuuformed Dashco E body door panels that at one time were the only thing out there. Just because it’s the the only alternative doesn’t make it any less garbage. Classic Auto Industries is completely hit and miss. Some of their stuff is great, other stuff, wow, really? I bought a set of wheel lip moldings from them. I purchased the “better” set they sell. They were awful. Not remotely close to fitting. I called and the guy on the line said, “yeah, I really hate selling these because every single set comes back.”

Point of this long post is this: keep buying the aftermarket’s “good enough” crap and they’ll keep producing crap. Thank you for posting those. It’s posts like this that make Moparts so valuable to us all.