G-Tech Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 (edited) i am very familiar with my 280zx, ive had it very disassembled and reassembled many times now over the last 15yrs of owning it. however this is the first time ive replaced the windshield. the problem im having is with the strip (that attaches to the body) for the molding clips. as you can see in the pics, the old upper clip strip (1st and 2nd pic) has a slot at the bottom, you push the clip down in the slot and a tooth on the clip holds it from coming out. The lower is the same just reversed. The new clip strip i purchased from z car source looks completely different and i cant figure out which way is up or down. i talked to zcarsource and he assured me its the right piece and i believe him but he wasnt able to help me with which way it went either. I had a professional installer look at it today and was confused as well..he was familiar with the clips and the old clip strip but not the new ones. Has anyone with a 280zx gone threw this yet or can anyone help me figure out which way this should go.lastly, either way i try to fit the clip, it seems to sit up high, like when i attach it to my actual windshield molding it looks like my molding is going to be raised up. once again the s130 is the oddball but it means too much and im in too deep to move on. Thank you for any help or suggestions Edited January 29, 2019 by G-Tech Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Tech Posted February 7, 2019 Author Share Posted February 7, 2019 just as an update for anyone who is replacing the windshield on a 280zx or i think more importantly to someone who is stripping a 280zx to restore it...be aware that the clip strips for the molding to snap into at the top and bottom of windshield is not available anymore....there is companies selling what nissan says is the replacement for the original but i have had 2 professional installers now come and look at installing my windshield and both refused to use the clip strips i have purchased. they are both struggling to find an original strip laying around in a warehouse somewhere. the one guy told me id be better off glueing the clips in after the windshield is installed but that mostlikly will leave a gap somewhere and will be unable to ever remove the trim without bending the crap out of it. the strips they sell now leave an ugly seem at the top, the molding will sit high and not flush with the windshield and concerned that the molding will not even stay attached well. both companies i have spoke to say they have not heard of any issue but also have had no personal experience using them and even told me they look strange to them as well but said thats what nissan says to use. if you have to change your windshield do what you can to save the original strip and if you dont have to take it out to restore or paint your car DO NOT take it out.. this has turned into another fantastic headache that my oddball S130 is known to give... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renewed 83' S130 Turbo Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 The new windshield molding trim clips are on a self adhesive back strip. The can be used on the upper and lower inset for the windshield. The clips are built onto the strip. The older white plastic y- looking clips that you have are no longer necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Tech Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 Thank you so much for that!!! That is amazing that no one seems to realize that. Even the companies I bought it from never said a thing when I talked to them about not needing the clips anymore. I know the s130 is odd but I knew I wasnt the only one that ran into this. It kinda sucks that those notches on the top of the strip look like they are going to show but whatever...the one installer I had just gave up like I'm just supposed to scrap the car now. Thanks, now hopefully this will be on the record for the next person to run into this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhaag Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 Thank you for the very helpful information and for the photos! I need to replace my broken windshield and this will help. John 1979 Datsun 280 ZX: 350 c.i. L98 TPI engine from an 89 Firebird TransAm GTA; 700R4 trans; Tokico Illumina (front) & Tokico HP (rear); Tokico lowering springs; aluminum driveshaft; Ron Davis radiator; Quaife limited slip w/ 3.90 ratio; Panasport 14x7 wheels; fugly tires Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippy4ever68 Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Can you please provide the information to where I order this molding strip that has clips built in? I also am having a difficult time with this piece of molding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Tech Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share Posted July 2, 2019 You can get it from zcarsource or I found there is a few places if you just do Google search. I learned that they switched it along time ago. The only time you need the clips is if you were able to save the original strips. All the strips sold now a days are the updated ones that dont need clips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 Hello, this is great information. But I am having trouble finding the strips to install a new windshield so I can install the trim after the new glass is out I . Any ideas where I can find a kit for this ? Any help is appreciated greatly. C. mcCary mccaryc@yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Tech Posted December 25, 2021 Author Share Posted December 25, 2021 Did u try zcarsource.com? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossman Posted December 26, 2021 Share Posted December 26, 2021 (edited) My son has an '81 S130. We struggled with this exact same issue. Some of the clips broke or were already broke as we were removing the strip. For me breaking the clips was expected as it sometimes (always?) happens removing old plastic or even new plastic clips, not knowing exactly how to manipulate the panel/clip when removing it. Anyway, he also found some clips online but could not find the early (pre '82?) strip. After much Googling he eventually figured out, as you did, that the old strip is NLA but that the newly designed strip will work in the earlier S130s. As a side note, on his car, not surprisingly, the windshield had been previously replaced and the clips were broken even before we removed the trim. it appears that the previous installer just used a bunch of of silicon adhesive to bond the the trim to the car. It's not a great option in my opinion but it "worked" and the trim appeared perfectly normal prior to removing the windshield. On 1/28/2019 at 7:18 PM, G-Tech said: once again the s130 is the oddball We are finding this to be the case as well. There isn't nearly the amount of online documentation as there is for the s30 and Nissan made the normal design improvements along the way making restoring an s130 frustrating. Edited December 26, 2021 by rossman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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