Clip and wheel flair molding assembly

A vehicle body structure having an outer panel located in a generally vertically oriented imaginary plane, said panel having an inwardly extending terminal flange adapted to intersect said imaginary vertical plane defining therewith a substantially ninety degree angle, a clip and molding arrangement for said body panel comprising:

• a resilient plastic molding formed with a L-section including an outer leg adapted to overlie a portion of the outer surface of said body panel and an inner leg adapted to overlie said terminal flange, said outer and inner legs defining an integral juncture therebetween;
• said outer leg having its interior hidden surface formed with an open channel adjacent said outer leg free end so as to face said molding juncture;
• a plurality of metal spring clips having a generally L-shaped section forming a first outer arm and a second inner arm defining a predetermined acute included angle therebetween, each said clip first outer arm positioned adjacent the inner surface of said molding outer leg with the free end of said molding outer arm received within said open channel;
• each said clip inner arm positioned adjacent the interior hidden surface of said molding inner leg and overlying said terminal flange with its free edge in fulcrumed contact therewith so as to initially define a predetermined acute angle with said terminal flange;
• said molding inner leg having a plurality of through-bores spaced therealong, each said through-bore adapted for alignment with a hole in said clip inner arm;
• whereby upon a threaded fastener being inserted through one of said molding inner leg through-bores and an aligned hole in said clip inner arm, said fastener threadingly engaging an aligned installation hole in said terminal flange, such that upon said fastener being threadingly tightened in said installation hole said clip inner leg being drawn into flush contact with the opposed face of said terminal flange with said clip outer arm pivoting about said clip inner arm fulcrumed free edge and in turn pulling the clip outer arm associated molding outer leg free end into tight contact with the body panel surface thereby obviating gaps therebetween.