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Of Seats, Carpet and Old Car Smell

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J

JoshP

Jedi Trainee
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One thing I've re-learned after several hours of work on my B's interior last night: it's always easier when you do it right.

After receiving my carpet kit from Tony, I decided to dive in and start taking the interior out. After removing the seats, I have this to say: My kingdom for a ratcheting 7/16" box end! The seats weren't too difficult to remove, just uber-tedious.

Next up, the consoles. The armrest/shifter console gave me some head scratching moments; there is a screw there under the armrest that I overlooked umpteen times. It's always easier when you do it right. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cowboy.gif

However, the real fun came in removing the heater control console. I must've looked that thing over 100 times from multiple angles trying to figure out how to remove those controls and get the console out. In the end, it ended up being small catch pins in each knob, and once pressed, they pop right off. Undo the 5/8" nut on each control, and they slide out quite easily. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wall.gif

I'm going to try to preserve the molded trans tunnel piece from the current carpeting; it's in pretty good shape, save for a small part at the end where the carpet is worn off. I think I can patch that piece up and be good to go there. There's one tear in the molded part, which I think I can glue back.

I've got pics of the interior as it is; I have my cam, but my USB cable is AWOL! Ay ay ay...if it isn't one thing, it's another. The plan now is to wire wheel the inside of the tub where I've stripped out, coat with Rust Bullet, and lay down the new carpet. It'll be sweet once finished.
 
Yep, Josh...photos are necessary!!

So, you found that little screw in the back of the console, eh?
 
Take comfort in the fact that if you do this job again, it will be much easier. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
We have pics! To save bandwidth on the site, here's the link to the album.

https://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c46/jrp316/MGB%20Interior/

After a bit more removal, I've got my interior stripped out and ready to be prepped for Rust Bullet and carpeting. Definitely no turning back now.

One thing that I was thinking; those of you who have used Rust Bullet in the past could be of great help on this. With the exception of the front pans (and not even so much the driver's side pan), the existing paint inside the tub is in pretty good shape.

I was thinking about stripping out the rust spot areas with the wheel, and maybe then roughing up the existing paint there in lieu of stripping it off, before I lay on the Rust Bullet. I've seen in the directions where this can be done successfully, but I wanted opinions/advice before I went that route with it.

Overall, IMHO, the inside of the tub is in pretty good condition overall with a couple of areas needing some spot repair, and a good all-over cleaning.
 
Good, solid floors...
 
... and a seat belt park with *both* tabs intact /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Josh,

I used Rust Bullet on the floor pans during my 78 Bs restoration 4 years ago. There is no reason to strip the good paint off where there is not rust, scuff off with a wire brush or 3m scouring pad and coat with RB. Be prepaired to use all of the product up within a couple of days, because once opened it is hard to keep it from solidifying.

Make sure you follow the directions exactly about appling the second coat, if you apply the second coat to soon it will bubble up and make a mess. The second coat is nessary to seal out the elements.

RB can be sprayed, brushed or rolled, I used a brush for the floor pans.

good luck,
Paul


interior floor with light surface rust in pans
rustbullett3.jpg


after wire brushing the surface rust, and 2 coats of rust bullet (good time to hide stereo wires)
rustbullett1.jpg
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]There is no reason to strip the good paint off where there is not rust[/QUOTE]

Very good point....removing the factory paint might even do more harm than leaving it!
 
That is surely true inside the car. Not really a lot of water gets in there and that mostly when they quit driveing them and parked em outside.
 
Good deal then; the regular paint will stay and get sanded a bit, then the tub coated with RB. But first, I have to find my adhesive/glue remover and get that old clumped on glue out of there.
 
Would the RB stuff have helped with this? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
Might try a heat gun and a paint scraper.
 
Will I be able to play the piano? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif
 
But the sills are nice
 
DrEntropy said:
Will I be able to play the piano? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif
Click to expand...

Can you play already?
 
Spoilsport.
 
Ay ay ay...that's all I can say at the moment. Here's the link to the album, there's some before/after pics. I've got the first coat of RB laid down; the second one comes tomorrow. Not too shabby looking IMHO, though a couple of the pics pointed me to areas that needed some touch up.

https://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c46/jrp316/MGB%20Interior/

Now, I have this to say: I have a newfound respect for the people who do bodywork/paint for a living. This stuff is stinky, messy and time consuming; I can see why it is uber-times more costly to paint a body than to rebuild an engine. If a guy likes to do this stuff and is good at it, he deserves every penny he charges for it, IMHO.

If I have to have a full paint job done on a car in the future, it's not going to be DIY for me.

I'll be oh-so-glad once I have this behind me, and I can put the interior back in. A couple of good points: the RB color matched the body silver pretty closely, and I didn't get much on my skin. A couple of small specks on my arm, nothing major or even really noticeable.

The next coat will *hopefully* go quicker tomorrow, and I can let it cure up and start laying in the carpet and seats. I'm just telling myself that it'll be so nice once it's done.
 
Looks like an exceptional job. Seems a shame to cover it.
 
The second coat of RB is on, and that's a huge weight off the proverbial chest. It went a fair bit easier, and not even quite as stinky as the last. Either it wasn't as stinky or I'm just getting used to the scent.

When I first read the application instructions, it said specifically not to let a drop of sweat fall into the paint. I laughed at that one...until I realized how good of a possibility that it was. By the end of the affair, I was sweating like a pig. Ya know, I've heard that saying for years...but I've never seen a sweaty pig.

Anyway, back to the topic. There aren't any new pics; it doesn't look any different now anyway. The plan now goes to the next phase, which is to wait out the 72 hour full cure time, then start laying in the carpet and seats.

I'm a little bit messier than what I was yesterday. Got a couple of spots of the paint on my arm, and a small spot of it on the corner of my nose. That stuff doesn't come off easily; I guess I'll just have to let time do it's thing with it.
 
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