Technical Library

• trim
• aluminum
• sill

Have you ever seen a Type 34 with perfect door sill trim? They are usually scratched, gouged, or dented from years of use. You can reproduce them yourself and end up with a very close match.

Step one:

Pick up a copy of Hemmings Motor News and look for workshops who specialize in custom body modifications. Contact them and ask if they have a metal brake capable of bending 16 gauge aluminum in lengths greater than 39 inches. Send them one of your original trims.

Step 2:
Polish the trim to a mirror-like finish. This is a time consuming process, but necessary: the metal brake at the shop can put deep gouges in the aluminum that must be smoothed out.

Step 3:

Etch lines into the trim to match the original parts and drill and countersink the holes for the mounting screws. You can use a large sharpened nail and a long metal straight edge to create the lines. Lightly polish to remove any burrs that result from this process.

Step 4:
Making sure the trim still has a mirror-like finish, have the trim clear anodized. This aluminum plating process will harden the surface just like the originals. After anodizing the surface will be a duller flat gray.

Step 5 (the last step):
Clear coat the trim! This will provided additional protection. Eastwood.com has a couple of clear coating finishes you can apply yourself.

Are your front vents rattling? - from the October 1993 Registry Newsletter

Work on that door "clunk". From the March 2001 Newsletter

Paul Colbert finds gold in some Type 1 rubber. From the January 1991 Registry newsletter.