Running Board Strips

This guide will help you prepare your running boards for resurfacing and also in reinstalling both the metal tracks and rubber strips as original.

Often MGTD owners who are refinishing their cars discover that the running board strips can be a problem to achieving a quality paint job. There is no question that you must remove them before refinishing. There is no way to tape them off that will result in a quality paint job without lips, cracks, runs or sags. So just resign yourself to take them off.

Removing Running Board Strips

If you have not already removed the running boards from the car you may find this step easier if they remain in place. Otherwise just lay them on a suitable workbench under a large towel or some other way to secure them so they do not slide easily.

From the top set the rivet with a pointed center punch to keep the drill from moving off center. Now take a 3/16" drill and drill off of the top of the rivet. Watch closely as it should break free before it even decends into the running board strip or the running board.

Once all the rivets have been drilled out the running boards strip can be easily pried off. Do not bend the strip as you remove it. If you seriously bend the strip it will be almost impossible to get it smooth again. So be extra careful here.

Refinishing Running Board Strips

There is a good chance your running board strips will be coated with paint. its a high probability that during its prior life someone tried painting the car with them still in place. We will need to remove this paint before we go onto the refinishing step.

Use a good quality paint remover that will not affect aluminum parts to strip the paint from your running board strips. Make sure you don't scratch the aluminum surface with tools. It will be hard to remove these scratches if you do.

Once the running board strips have had all their paint removed you will need to clean them up with some light sandpaper. Ideally you want to end with 600 grit paper but you can start with coarser grades to remove larger scratches and increase the fineness as you proceed. Get the entire edge of the strips uniform and an even satin finish without marks.

Now comes the tricky part that needs a fair amount of skill, or perhaps instead just manual labor. We need to polish the edges of the strips to a shiny gloss. If you are skilled with a buffing wheel then this is probably the easiest way. But be extremely careful that the buffing wheel does not catch the strip or all will be ruined. If you are not skilled with a buffing wheel or don't want to take the chance (recommended), I would just use hand polishing methods.

Installing Running Board Strips

First make sure there is a correct arc in the strip. You want it to be more than the running board as it will be pulled down when you rivet. But try to keep it close to the same.

Second do one strip at a time. Start with a longer one. its actually easier with this technique.

Get a few flat headed machine screws and nuts that will hold the strip in place. Fill all but one end hole, finger tight.

Now get a flat ended square or round rod and place it in a vice so it bottoms out. It must just be wide enough to drop into the place the rubber goes on the strip. You are going to support the rivet with this as you pound from the other side.

Then take a rivet, drop it in the empty hole. Put a piece of painters tape on it to keep it from falling out on the next step. Later when you get real good at this you can probably skip this step.

Have your hammer handy and then flip the running board over and place it squarely over the shaft where the rivet is.

Now take your hammer and strike the rivet smartly. It does not have to be super hard as the soft rivets will expand easily.

Examine the running board strip to ensure it seated good. You can place it back over the rod and strike again if necessary. If you really screwed up just drill it out from the top and try again.

Now remove the next machine screw and nut and repeat until you have all the holes rivets.

Do the shorter ones last. You can also use tape to hold the loose end of the shorter ones in place.

Installing Running Board Strip Rubbers

Cut the rubber a little longer (~½ inch) than the slot. Then take a knife and cut a V shape on both ends.

Take the rubber strip to a grinder and round over the top of the V's.

After that spray with Armorall or some other rubber lubricant.

Push one end of the rubber strip into the slot and start working with a flat device to push the other edge into the groove. A piece of wood or plastic would be best. Make sure that it has rounded edges just in case you slip so it won't tear up the paint.

Work your way down to the end, pushing the material back as you go. Tuck the end in and then the compression of the strip will tighten the fit.

Repeat for the remaining running boards.

Page last modified: 2023/10/15