UNderhood Assembly to Protect Paint?

[Jeff Wilk]

After removing everything from front clip of our 59 Fleetwood,  bead blasting, priming and painting, Noah and i are getting closer to reassembly. 

What is the tip or trick to prevent a nut or bolt or washer from scratching the fresh paint on the various brackets, covers, parts as these are screwed and torqued into place?  Are there thin felt washers or something that will protect and not interfere?

Jeff and Noah

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Eastwood Company used to sell (perhaps still do) a selection of various
types of thin clear plastic washers made just for this purpose.  I actually
bought a set when I was doing a restoration a few years back. 

However, I decided not to use most of them when I read that they had
a tendency to cause the bolt / nut to work loose over time / vibration.  The
reason being that the bolt did not have a good grip on the surface under
it due to the plastic being too "slippery".

What I decided to do instead is to give the paint a prolonged curing time
(don't rush it) so that the paint wouldn't get marred by the bolt head and
this worked fairly well.  The longer you let it cure the better.

Mike

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Installing anything to a fastening to stop it marring the surface of what it is trying to hold tight is fraught with danger.

As Mike said, they will come loose.

Spring Washers NEED to grip the surface of both sides of the washer to do their job.   In most cases they don't mark the surface when tightening, but definitely dig in when being undone.   That is what they are designed for.

When putting the parts together, you could use the plastic washers for initial assembly, but once everything is in place, to your own satisfaction, then replace the plastic with the "damaging fastenings".   This way, you won't be seeing what is being scratched, until you try to disassemble it in years to come.

Don't forget that applying more coats of paint during the restoration of the than was factory, will result in pressure damage to that area.

Most restorations are over done, and having that wonderful engine bay with its' perfectly restored, shiny smooth surfaces do look nice, but when you compare it with what actually came out of the factory, people are dismayed.

I always sort of laugh when a vehicle comes out of the bodyworks following a prang, and the owners find faults in a few areas that they say weren't there before the aforesaid prang, most likely were there.   They never looked at their vehicle so critically before the prang.

Bruce.

[kkarrer]

Jeff and Noah,
     It's admirable that you're doing such fine work, but you want to avoid the tendency to "over restore."  After completing many "nut and bolt/frame off" restorations I can tell you that many of the nuts, bolts, and brackets that you're sweating over will probably have to be taken back off, retorqued, chipped, etc.   This advice is coming from a guy who still spends hours bead- blasting nuts, bolts, and washers.  Your best bet is not to apply too much paint, especially on fasteners and the surfaces that receive them.  Thicker paint makes for a bigger, deeper chip when things are tightened up.  Once everthing is reassembled and you've had some test runs and you've cleaned up your oil and coolant leaks, make up some touch up paint (I usually used thinned single stage) and use a small brush to touch up nuts and bolts and wrench dings and let it go at that.  Using the proper torque and high quality sockets helps and taking time to run a tap into each of those bolt holes is equally important.  Remember, you've put a cool car back on the road where you and lots of others can enjoy it and most likely you're not going to Pebble Beach.  Getting a car into such a highly restored state that you can't drive it and enjoy it moves a great hobby to a screwy obsession.  Two guys restoring an old car...that's what it's all about.
Congrats. Now get 'er done and drive it.
Ken Karrer 1941 6227D coupe

[Gene Beaird]

Go slow.  Use 6-point sockets for 6-point bolts and nuts and use 12-point sockets for 12-point bolts and nuts.  Make sure you use the right-sized phillips screw driver for the screw you're installing.  Wrap the shaft of screw drivers, sockets and wrenches with tape.  Even with all these precautions, you'll end up touching up with a brush or spray.  You may even want to consider spraying complete assemblies.  I've seen sprayed engines look cheap with all the overspray on the accessories and exhaust manifolds, but removing those parts or carefully taping them off yields a nice look that is actually very factory-like.  Touch-ups are minimized that way. 

[Cadillac Nut]

Your car is going to look crazy good when it's done.  If I let the paint cure,  I usually don't have a problem, whether it's with the paint on the nut or bolt, or the piece it is securing.  Give everything a week to 10 days of curing time, at least.  Some paints cure faster than others.  If something is being torqued high, give it even longer.   Eastwood (I think) makes a set of plastic inserts for sockets that prevent bolt heads from being marred.  Another trick I use is wax on the bolt or screw.  Inserts will probably be better for bolts.   Like Ken said, don't go too crazy though.  Some of these chips or scratches won't be visible unless you are inspecting the car with a magnifying glass for two hours.  Don't worry about those.  And as others mentioned, use light coats.  Good luck

Garrett     

[Ed]

I have used the plastic insert that Mr. Baker mentioned and they work fine for me. Also, I little wax on the bolts does not hurt either. It actually helps with the insert. Using single stage paint is better than spray can. Light repeated coats is the best course of action.

Ed Nieves

[Jeff Wilk]

Thanks for the tips AND advice.  I love the comment about ".....a great hobby Vs a screwy obsession" as I can now see how fine that line is between the two.  My son Noah is actually keeping the project on track for what we want to be a "Very respectable Driver" of a car, as I keep straying over the line into obsession land.

Our interior is original and will stay that way except for the headliner and some leather dying.  The 40 year old paint got a professional "cutting and polishing" and looks awesome and we had the roof repainted.  Front clip has been entirely removed and disassembled down to every nut and bolt except for the front bumper and grill (yet?  )

We plan on using it for weekend drives and club purposes, and I plan on handing it on down to my son.......in another 40 years or so 

Curing the paint is NO problem as all of it will have cured off the car for no less than 8 week, and some as much as 5 months.  We will follow the advice below on reassembly though.  Thanks again

Jeff and Noah