Quote: Did bodywork with seals and trim installed. The seals set the doors and trunk lid at the correct gap. The trim lets you flush up without getting too close that you scratch paint when installing
I'm trying to understand and internalize this. I can see that this is really going the extra mile to achieve a higher result, but I can't figure out this one. Which is sad because I am getting close to primer and paint. So install the seals and all trim like I'm done and then align panels and doors, then remove trim and seals and paint?
Clearly this attention to detail is the difference between a 5k paint job and a 15k paint job, or a lot more.
Do they teach this technique at the average Community College Auto Body Course??? Know of a good book that goes over this??
Fitting the trim is very important for a few reasons. The front and rear surrounds are critical. The stud position for the trim clips is fixed. You need to snap the trim on and see if it scratched the primer when snapped in place. That means it will scratch the paint too. When snapped in place, is it flush with the body or is their a gap? You need to cut off the trim studs and install a thread in one. This allows you to move the trim further away or closer to the body. It is important that the glass be in the correct position. I thread a blunt screw in each corner to "set" the glass in the proper position. I can manipulate the glass closer or further from the channel to also change how the trim fits. When I find something I'm comfortable with, I then need to do body work to work with the trim position. An example is the side molding on the rear glass of my car. The trim was straightened and installed. The seam where the roof meets the quarter is under this trim. The trim and glass position was correct but the trim to body gap fluctuated, so it needed a light wipe and block. That is trim removed, wiped, blocked, trim refit, removed, blocked, wiped if necessary and so on. It takes TIME!!!
When your done, leave the screw standoffs in the channel. When your ready to install the glass, the standoffs will position the glass correctly, and when the Butyl is dry, remove the screws from the inside.
Door and trunk seals are critical for setting panel alignment. Same with rubber bumpers. They all need to be installed (taped in place). I've seen people do awesome panel fitment and then put a trunk seal in and it jacks the lid all up, or the doors hang out, etc...
I would think most classes would teach production body shop techniques, this is NOT production type work.
I'm trying to understand and internalize this. I can see that this is really going the extra mile to achieve a higher result, but I can't figure out this one. Which is sad because I am getting close to primer and paint. So install the seals and all trim like I'm done and then align panels and doors, then remove trim and seals and paint?
