Side Molding/Paint Question

I have made the decision to paint my 1967 GT project car myself so in the process of setting up the garage and air lines. The shell has been blasted and coated with epoxy primer so will be spraying on the 2K primer, block sanding, color coat and some clear (I know, sounds simple). I bought the car as a roller and the PO had removed all of the side molding rivets and mounting clips/buttons. The question I have is at what point in the process should the clips be reinstalled? Before priming so they all get painted or after the clear coat? Most MGB restoration manuals show the clips being installed after painting. If the clips/rivets are painted, will they start to rust quickly?

Many thanks,

Ron

If you paint it with the "cups" on, they will collect paint and drip it down the sides of your panels. I reinstalled mine after painting using stainless rivets dipped in Penetrol to prevent rust.

after everything else... you can dab in silicone to the rivet hole before or after you rivet it in to prevent rust, but strip the body down to bare bones before you paint.

be careful with silicone..it'll corrode the sheet metal

I just completed the task of riveting in the clip cups after a fresh paint job, and the only other tip I'd add is to tape on each side of the hole, hold your 'free hand' over the head of the rivet gun to prevent popping back when you cut the stem. Fairly straightforward work, but a bit unnerving when you have fresh paint!

I installed mine after primer. I feared chipping the new paint. The buttons are plated so they should not rust. Be cautious of silocone before you paint. Paint does not stick to silicone.
Good Luck!!

I just ordered new chrome trim for my car. I have not removed the old trim yet. My paint is less than 5 years old. Do you think the clips will be re-usable if I am careful?

Jeff From what I understand, unless you are able to source original pieces, the knock off or replacement pieces use a slightly different sized attachment clip so you may want to remove your original trim very carefully

All,

Thanks for your input and recommendations. Will wait until the paint job is finished before installing clips and will definitely tape off each hole area before riveting.

Ron

Ron, don't even put the molding back. Fill them and sand them down. Simple but neet. The molding is just another place to wash and wax around. I have a 1978 "B" and I hope to paint it late this summer and I will not put the molding are side light's back. I'm going with BRG and satin black w/ red badges outside and black w/ a drop of red inside(speakers & badges). That's just my 2 cents worth but I work just outside the box most of the time anyway. Where are you in SC? Post some pic's as you go into the project we all like see what's taking place.

Phillip,

I'm in Dillon county.

This is the current state of my project.

Ron

Phillip,

I'm located in Dillon county in the northeast part of the state.

Here's a current picture of my project.

Ron

A couple of comments.

An old-timer (Engineer) in the car industry (FoMoCo & Chrysler) told me years ago that any hole is potentially a place for rust to start on a car body. I know I've seen rust tracks running down the sides of white cars from behind body side moldings. {Thank God dealers long ago stopped drilling holes in the sheetmetal to attack their own badges to! :))

I noticed that the Haynes MGB Restoration manual shows the guy coating the holes with Waxol when installing the clips. Maybe this is the way to go.

I like the side moldings, myself. Waxoyl or any rust preventative is a good idea there -- or once a year before you wash the car some day you can squirt a lot of WD-40 or some such rust preventing subtances behind your side moldings. I'd definitely be sure you didn't chip the paint in putting the clips back in as it's the chipped paint area that will rust at some point. But, you can do that if you're careful. If you do chip it, just use some touch up paint. It's going to be behind the chrome strip, anyway.

Ron, that looking good and it's a lot of work. I hope to get to the paint part of my "B" late summer if all goes well. Have you made the tip over to the CMP tack? Man that is a nice track, if you haven't you should go. I think that next weekend they have a race for the old sportscars and I think a Greenville, SC club has a show and meet over at CMP in the fall and you can make a few laps under a pace car control but it sounds like fun. Great work and keep the pic's coming.

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