At 01:16 PM 10/27/05 -0600, Steve Drazetic wrote:
>>"I've got a set of trim pieces (stainless/aluminum?) that go at the bottom of the rockers."

Originals were steel. Most modern replacements will be aluminum, tough to make paint stick. Prime with Zinc Chromate primer, or a caustic etching primer, same as you would for aluminum bonnet or doors.

>>"Along this edge are some nuts/bolts that hold the fenders to the rockers. What kind of hardware do I need to mount these trim pieces?"

First, if the bolt heads holding the fenders do not fit inside the trim strips, you need to change those screws to #10 screws with 3/8-in hex head (as original) and turn the flats on the head horizontal. Alternately use fillister head or cheese head screws. The rocker panel was originally spot welded on most cars, but some (especially Australian CKD cars) have the bottom edge of the outer rocker panel riveted. For myself, I install some pop rivets to hold the fender flanges and remove the bolts, then no problem fitting the finisher strips.

Original fasteners for the finisher strips were T-bolts with rectangular flat plate head and #10 threaded stud. The plates are 7/16" square, and stud length is 7/16". Also note that the original painted steel finisher strips were notched in a few places along the length to make installation of the T-bolts easy. Most current replacement finisher strips will be aluminum, and most have notches only at the ends.

I recently had another thought. Perhaps the widened notches are there to clear the bolt heads for the bolts securing the wings to the body sill, so no special small head bolts would be required. I would like to hear from someone who may have an untampered MGA with original trim strips

For some years Moss Motors (and maybe others) was supplying a stud with spring loaded head as shown below. They are (were) special T-bolts, #10-32 thread (maybe 10-24) and small rectangular head with a spring wire loop to hold them in place, 5 on each side. If you buy the trim strips from Moss the fastener kit will be included. In 2009 the manufacturer changed design of the spring loaded studs, and they no longer fit inside the trim strip (except with considerable duress). Moss Motors has subsequently changed back to supplying original style solid T-bolts with their trim strips.


Thanks to Leo Werberg for the pictures.

The trim strip should be 57 inches long tip to tip. It is to be installed close to rear wheel opening and leaves the front bolt in the front fender exposed (for the splash panel). For more information on hole locations and fasteners see RT-627A in body sill replacement in the restoration section.

Addendum, November 2011:
Thanks to Glenn Johnson for this picture. This is the current issue lower body trim strip and T-bolt from Moss Motors. (Click for larger image).

This is the first time I have seen a replacement trim strip with notches along the length of the strip. The ones I bought in 1986 and 1998 did not have the notches. Mine never had any notches. I just slide the fasteners in from one end. I put the open end of the wire into the channel first, then squeeze the thing with pliers to be narrow enough to slide in, and push it along the strip to the desired position.