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MG MGA - Finishing Strip Colour

Tackling my first winter job on 1st November I am fitting the 2 finishing strips across the bottom of the body, never had them before.

My question is asking for confirmation that they were painted body colour?

Paul

Paul Dean

They should be painted body color.
Nick Kopernik

I have never had them on my MGA Paul but I think the sills would look better with them fitted.

How do they fasten on to the bodywork?

Cheers
Colyn
Colyn Firth

Colyn

Captive sliding bolts in the strip channelling. Slide into position with the holes in the bodywork and fasten. Body colour is correct.

Steve
Steve Gyles

And Bob West seriously advises against using them - just a great way to harbour rust!
Bruce.
Bruce Mayo

The strips I bought were aluminium. With a generous amount of waxoyl when fitting them, especially around the bolts, I think rust can be minimised. Mine have been on for eight years. I took them off last winter, cleaned them up and put them back on. I saw a tiny bit of rust on the bolts holding the wings on behind the finishing strip but otherwise they were fine. I was surprised how muddy they were as I am fairly assiduous when I clean my car The dirt sticks to the waxoyl. I think they look neat.
John Francis

My first set lasted 20 years. The aluminium had become brittle and turned to powder in places, just held together by the 2 pack paint. No sign any where of good old fashioned rust on the the main bodywork sections.

I etch primed the new pair, then a 2-pack top coat inside and out. Looking good 3 years on.

Steve

Steve Gyles

I bought my strips years ago but never fitted them. As I know early MGAs didn't have them I am not sure whether my 1958 1500 should have them.

I am now going to fit them though as the bottoms of my front and rear wings, and sills are anything but tidy so the strips should improve the look of this area.

Thanks for the comments. By the way were they originally alloy or steel? My Moss ones are alloy.

Paul
Paul Dean

Original strips were steel; most non OEM are aluminum. These finishing strips were added fairly early in the production cycle, starting in Sept. 1956 with car #19949.
Nick Kopernik

Had mine on for over 20 years and no rust behind them when I looked last year
Dominic Clancy

Interesting that having bought my 2 MGAs in 69 and 72, i.e. when 11 and 13 years old, I was not even aware of the existence of the strips until a couple of decades later. I suspect most cars lost the strips pretty early probably as soon as some low end bodywork was required. Clearly they have returned in the restoration period.

Paul
Paul Dean

I've owned my '62 MGA for only about 4 years so I really don't know what "finishing strips" are. Could someone please post a picture of installed finishing strips? Thanks. Jud
J. K. Chapin

The finishing strip is pictured along the entire length of the bottom of the fenders and lower sill. This one is silver in color as the owner choose not to paint it body color:

Nick Kopernik

Thanks Nick. Here's mine. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have the finishing strips but you can't tell from this pic. I'm the guy in the blue shirt. Jud

J. K. Chapin

Many times these strips are not replaced, so its understandable why some cars go without. The finishing strips are less than 1/2" wide and about 5' long and when painted body color, they just meld into the body. Here's my car with strips & body color:

Nick Kopernik

Here’s what the Concours Specifications on the MGA Register Holland website say - “Lower sill finisher should be fitted from car no. 19949 and painted body colour.“

Jim
JL Cheatham

As I am now fitting my Moss ones here is a photo of the showing the enlarged slots where the fixing go, and the fixing as supplied by Moss a few years ago.

I was thinking that I would fit the special bolts to the car and then slide the strips on to them but the clips are too tight for this so I will have to fit the clips to the strip individually off the car and when all fitted drill the holes to match them and hence fit.

When I started this thread and got the answer immediately from Nick (thanks) that it would carry on so long.

Paul


Paul Dean

Quite tiddly when fitted - silver or black rather than OE body cover - I recall my first job ever on an MG - removing the rusty remains of the strip .......... in 1962.
Nowadays the factory would use stainless or plastic.
Roger Walker

Todd Clarke in his book has the exact measurements where the clips bolt to the car.
Gary Lock

Dimensions for location of the 5 holes each side to attach the sill finisher strips are here:
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/restore/rt627a.htm
Look 3 paragraphs from bottom of page.
barneymg

This thread was discussed between 01/11/2019 and 21/11/2019

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