I am getting my 1969 series 2 ready for painting. I have removed the chrome eye brow from the light housing. I have removed the headlight bezel, headlight and the can from the bonnet. The only thing left is the two thin chrome surround pieces. There is a small chrome locking piece with a screw in it which I have removed, with the eye broom and the small locking piece removed it looks like nothing is holding these surrounds in place. However they don’t seem to want to budge with light pressure.

Very expensive pieces that I don’t want to muck up.

Any advice on how to get them off?

thanks

 

Hi Gjbacci,
Those chrome surrounds are held in place by snap fit over special rivets. The two attached photos will give you an idea of the attachment. There is also a thin washer under each rivet head to space it off the bonnet to allow the chrome pieces to snap on more easily. With that said they are not easy to remove. I have a Series 1.5 and was able to remove the headlight bucket to get access to the back side of the rivets and cut them off. Not sure if you can do the same on the Series 2? Cheers,
Richard

 

Hi Gjbacci, I also have a series 1.5. When I removed the two chrome pieces surrounding the lights, I slid them off the rivets. I could not unsnapped them off without the possibility of damaging them. I pushed on it from the bottom and they slid off towards the top. I don't know if they will go on the same way or it will be easier to snap them on as they are supposed to be installed.
Good luck and let us know how you got them off.

 

Thanks to both of you who responded. It helped me understand what was going on.

here is what I finally did to get them off. Sprayed some lubricant (pb blaster) down the strips. With a wood drift tapped the strips Rowan the eye broke end. As the strip got close to the first rivet I didn’t want to push it as this would cause it to deform. At that point the rivet was visible below the end of the strip and it was an easy access to cut the rivet clean with a metal drift. Then I slid the strip in the opposite direction and they slid compleyetly off without damage.

no luck popping the strip off the rivet. I restored an MGB which has stainless steel side rails and they are held on by a similar system. They pop off easily without damage but they are sturdier than the e type chrome finishers.

thanks for your help.

 

Glad you were able to remove the finishing strips without damage.
Bill.