Bodywork, Paint, Interior, Trim, & Wiring

Who's done it on an MGB? I'm seriously considering it. No worries about the back half, but the front has me scratching my head. I'm thinking I'd want to weld the seam so it doesn't crack through the paint over time... but should I leave the splash panel & bottom screws removable so debris can be cleaned out periodically or should I seal the splash panel so dirt can't get in there in the first place?

What are your thoughts?

Rob

I never liked those stupid beads... so I had the body shop that painted my GT fill the seams with their usual (3M, I think) elastic seam sealer. That was about twelve years ago, and the stuff has held up perfectly. The paint has stayed stuck. You can see the seams, of course, but at least they're discrete. They're essentially a slightly recessed caulked joint.

I wouldn't worry about welding the seams. One day the fenders may have to come off - it would be a big pain to grind out the welds. The seam sealer on the other hand, could be slit with a razor knife. Surely MG would have used an elastic seam sealer in the first place if it had been available.

The original bead looks pretty good if it's stripped to bare metal before the car is painted. Most of the ugly ones I've seen were repainted over old paint and they just don't look right when you do that. But it just depends on what you like. There are some real nice seamless bodies out there too.

Jim

Rob, instead of welding which might present a problem if you ever have to replace the fender, how about just having the seam leaded? That would hold well and be easy to open if necessary later.

V6 Midget Wrote:
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> Rob, instead of welding which might present a
> problem if you ever have to replace the fender,
> how about just having the seam leaded?

That's the answer Bill!! I should have thought of that because I just read an article in this month's issue of one of the hot rod or custom car magazines on how to do leading. The article showed it being done to clean up the cowl & A pillar on a chop that was done.

All, thanks for the quick replies... now I'm on to figuring out which electric window mechanism to get but I'll start a new thread for that one :) --- See what happens when I travel -- too much time to think instead of being in the shop doing!!

When Don Marcott filled the seams in my GT, he "stich" welded the seams and then used body filler to finish them off. This way, if the fenders ever need to be replaced, I can clean out the filler and then cut the few short welds with a cutting disc and pull the fenders off. All that will be left will be a little smoothing on the welds before replacing the fenders.

I'm by no means an expert, but I would be a bit leery of relying on lead alone for the seam and the rest of the fender held in place by screws/bolts. I'd be afraid there'd be enough movement of the fender to crack the lead.

Don is also installing power windws in my car and I belive he's using the Moss Motors power windows. Don is currently putting the final paint on the car, so he'll be getting to details such as windows, door handles, weather stripping, etc soon so I'll let you know how it went.