Trimming hard panels

From GTM Workshop

Build Manual Build Sequence Monocoque Front End Rear End Doors Finishing Donor Components Rover Metro Donor Components Rover 220/420 Components Build Sections Battery Beam end covers Bonnet and front spliter mould Boot bootlock and hinges Brake lines Carpets Dashboard cover Doors Engine cover moulding Engine frame Engine and auxiliaries Exhaust Front suspension Gear change Handbrake lever cables and calipers Door panels Trim Headlight covers Heater and pipework Lights Part trim panels option Pedal box and master cylinder Perspex screens rear and side Petrol tank filler neck and cap Pipes and services through the tunnel Radiator ducting and splash moulds to monocoque Radiator mould radiator and pipework Rear suspension Roof panel Seat belts Seats and runners Separate instrument option Setting up the car for the road Soft trimming Spare wheel mould and spare wheel Steering rack and column Throttle pedal Trimming hard panels Windscreen and rear bulkhead screen Windscreen washer bottle pipes and jets Wiper motor and blades Wiring Wiring loom insruments and fuse box 1800 gear change p.g.1 gearbox 1800 engine mountings 5AS alarm units Hydraulic clutch 1800 engine steady Spyder Supplement Top Seatbelt Mounting Hood Boot Engine Compartment Grills Stainless Steel Mesh

All the hard panels that require trimming on the Libra whether they be part of the standard kit or the op-tional hard trim panels are covered in the same manner. Use a fine grit (80 production paper) round all the edges of the panels to remove any sharp edges and to give a slight radius at the edges for the trim material to fold round. All the panels need to be washed thoroughly with hot water and washing up liquid to remove the wax and release agent which may still be on the panels after their moulding process. Failure to do this will mean that the glue will not adhere properly and the trim material will eventually come loose from the panels.

Now sand all the top surfaces of the trim panels lightly with production paper to form a good key for the glue. The panels should now either be washed and allowed to dry completely or vacuumed clean Trimming panels with leather cloth type materials does take some skill and it is best to start with a small panel first to familiarise yourself with the problems. Take a small moulding and cut a piece of your trim material larger than the moulding so that it can be folded over the edges but not so large that it is difficult to fit onto the panel. Using a contact adhesive cover both the panel and the material completely. When the glue is touch dry place the trim material onto the centre of the panel and working outwards smooth the material onto the pallet and press down for it to glue firmly to the panel.

Where there are difficult shapes on the panel the addition of heat to the material can help greatly. The use of a hairdryer can be very useful in generating a little extra heat in the difficult conditions. Once the outside surface of the panel is covered and glued to your satisfaction turn the panel over and cut the trim material to within approximately 20mm from the edge of the moulding. This material will be glued to the underside of tile moulding to make the finish panel.

At the corners and radius's it will be necessary to cut V's. into this 20mm band to enable the material to be folded round without undo wrinkling. Practice will tell you the amount of these required and the distance they must be from the edge of the moulding but start by approximately 4mm from the edge of the moulding. Now glue the edge of the trim material and a band at least 20mm wide on the reverse face of the moulding. When dry fold the 20mm band over and glue to the underside of the moulding.

It is unlikely that your first attempt will be satisfactory and therefore remove the covering material from the moulding and try again. After several attempts it is surprising how much better you can get. If after many attempts the results you are getting are not satisfactory then a visit to your local trimmer is necessary. Should you be unable to find locally a trimmer to do the job for you if you contact GTM Cars Ltd they would only be to please to pass you on to a suitable trimmer.

The trim panels can now be refitted to your car.