Nigel A Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 Hi All I prepared andpainted the car myself with the help of a tutor at college whilst attending a classic car restoration course over several years of evenings Obviously the finish isn't that good (OK from a distance) and I'm having it professionally resprayed next month but have to remove all the trim. What is the best way to remove the stainless steel trim on the front wings and doors without doing any damage. Cheers Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 Plastic filler spreader and a wide flat blade screw driver with a thin bladed end. Put the spreader against the panel to protect it and work your way along levering as close to the fixing as possible. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I use a bits off a sheet of fibre-glass FR4 circuit board laminate for many such jobs. You can file to a thin edge and lever stuff about whilst spreading load over a wider area. My bits are about 6in x 3in and 8in x 2in. This stuff is virtually unbreakable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Thanks Stuart and Alan Now I know to gently lever them off. I would have probably made a complete mess as I thought they slid off some how. When I originally removed them, I was replacing the door skins and drilled the rivets out when the old skins were off. The wings I slid them off. Thanks again Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 The end of the strip by door handle may be fixed by a screw, if I remember correctly. Now you will I assume, be painting over the buttons. This will make putting the strips back a bit on the tight side and maybe a bit risky. You might want to ease the gap in the strips a tiny bit. Consider what happens if you get some over but can't get the last one over. Now you have to lever it off on your new paint! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Wouldn't it be easier to mask off the buttons Alan? Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Maybe. This whole fixing method scares me. I don't like things that you can't easily reverse out of if something does not fit quite right. Sure if you had a perfect original strip and factory spec buttons this was a breeze. But if you have a repro strip, a used strip, repro-buttons, paint, corrosion you can finish up with something that won't go on or won't stay on. I made quite sure mine would go on smoothly and stay. But it was fiddly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I suppose you could fill them with body filler to get a flat back side (oo-er missus) then use double-sided tape, as on modern cars. I reused the original strips, after many hours of re-polishing, and NOS buttons from Dave Gleed, so I wasn't too worried. Incidentally my favourite tool for prising off things like this is a short (about 6") piece of power hacksaw blade about 1 1/2" wide, teeth ground off and the end ground to a bluntish chisel shape. Bevel side to the panel, with a couple of layers of masking tape between, end the edge slips under the trim strip and pops it off without drama. Also useful for splitting spot-welded seams, scraping off old filler and underseal, removing old gaskets, and even Seelastik from the windscreen! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 A few more things to think about. When I reassembled the car I riveted the buttons on after painting and the strips popped on easily An initial thought would be to remove the paint on the contact surfaces of the buttons, touch up the surfaces with red oxide and similar and then hopefully the strips should pop back on easily as before. Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Actually I'd remove the buttons. Paint. And fit new ones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted January 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 Hadn't thought of that - great and simple idea! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 Well the painter would much prefer it this way. Easy flating and polishing. What are you painting this with? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanG Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 With new buttons my strips slid on. Used thin tape under them to avoid marking paint. Alan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted January 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 Another great idea - remove the buttons first. The car was painted at college in base and clear, but the body shop has advised me that I would be better off having it done in acrylic 2 pack - no clear coat (hope I've got the terminology right) as it is so much easier to repair the odd chip and scratch. They were just doing the final polishing on a white Mercedes pagoda using this paint when I last visited and the finish looked amazing. Rear bumper and overiders being taken off tomorrow and then off to Collonade in Wembly tomorrow as the chroming done by another company 5 years ago has started bubbling and flaking off. The front is still perfect though! Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 I always take the fixings off, carefully drill the rivets out with 1/8" drill and then replace after painting with a little bit of non setting sealer round the rivet head and some waxoyly under the fixing. Put some waxoyl along the inside of the strip as well, stops water accumulating behind. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Thanks Everyone, I can now proceed and just hope it all turns out perfect. I'll probally be frightened to use it after though!! Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 I'll probally be frightened to use it after though!! Nigel This is a recurring problem, if its been done well then you shouldnt be afraid to use it in any weather. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted January 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 What about car parks and other drivers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted February 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Well I took your advice and removed the buttons. This morning, looking very sad, it was loaded onto a recovery truck and taken to the paint shop. The garage is a lonely place without the TR. It will be away for about a month and then the fun starts, putting it back together without damaging the paint. Got to be back on the road for its first road trip of the year, to Laon in early May. Cheers Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) Hi Nigel, you should have brought it round to the shed. I'm sure we could have got it in. Roger PS - I fitted the wing trim to my NSF wing today. I had a bag of rivet/clips but the Moss cat (old cat at that) showed that I had door clips and not wing clips. So off I go to Moss. When I get the wing clips they are the size of dustbin lids. The Cat is wrong - both door and wing rivet clip are the same. The on-line cat is correct. Edited February 1, 2016 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted February 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Hi Roger Might have to take you up on the offer of the shed, Aydee (my wife for those of you who don't know her) is planning a takeover of the garage to store her next delivery of stock from Colombia due next week. Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 next delivery of stock from Colombia due next week. Nigel :o Err dare we ask ........What sort of stock? Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swood1 Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Roger/Guys, Which rivet is it in Moss catalogue? Any ideas? Struggling to find it and I am after some for my car also. Also, anyone know how many I need for full car? Not near my car today :/ Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel A Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 I wish it was what you are thinking, then I wouldn't have to do the work. I could give it to a TR specialist and tell them to make it the ultimate TR250, money no object!! It is in fact cowhide products - everything from full hides to handbags Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 (edited) Hi Steve, for the TR4A http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/shop-by-model/triumph/tr2-4a/body-chassis/body-panels/front-outer-body-panels-tr4-4a.html item 32 or 34 - they are the same item GHF1461 Roger Edited February 2, 2016 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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