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MG MGB Technical - BGT Cant Rail Covers.

As far as I know, there has never been a source of reproduction plastic cant rail covers - the bits that "smooth over" the welds and seams along the side rails fore to aft and are themselves covered with headlining material.
After successfully installing the new Webasto a few years ago, I've never been happy with the lack of cant rail covers (mine were disposed of before I could fabricate a copy).
Does anyone have a pair of covers I could borrow, copy and return? Of course happy to pay all costs. Or of course I would buy a pair if anyone has spares.
Thanks all.
John.
J P Hall

For whatever reason mine (75) are nothing more than stout vinyl glued to the body. I've peeled corners back and it's painted body-colour underneath, with no sign of a join to the flange for the door seal, it just curves down.

A pal when restoring his CB car did manage to get a set from one of the breakers, who carefully peeled them off! However I didn't see them so don't know what they were like.
paulh4

That's right, Paul - I remember mine were plastic, and brittle on removal; excellent photos in the archives.
Living where I live, I can't look at another BGT to remind myself how the trim is finished over/on the cant rail covers.If anyone has time to post a photo, it would be very helpful as I can see I'll end up fabricating something to give a better finish.
I might post a photo of my unsatisfactory finish tomorrow, to show what all the fuss is about.
J P Hall

I don't know if these will help.

Basically it looks like the cant rail covers are put on before anything else, with the front one on before the sides.

All the edges bar two tuck under the headlining, screen seal, door seals, B-post trim, rear window seals, C-post trim and rear cant rail. The only visible edges are on the side covers where they cover the front cover.

Front sections:

paulh4

Rear section:

paulh4

Excellent thanks Paul - I'll post the pics of my current (unsatisfactory) setup later today for comparison. Mine is a '73, and when we put the Webasto in, the plastic cant rail covers were definitely covered in material matching the headlining. Appeared to be original.
J P Hall

So this first pic is showing my trimmer's idea of running uninterrupted headlining from the rear side window to the edge of the Webasto. It didn't work. The cant rail covers give a break line between the 2 surfaces, and cover the metal imperfections underneath.

J P Hall

... and this shows the rhs door opening, with again the headlining extending uninterrupted down to the door seal. Again a messy finish compared with the finish obtained by the original designers!
Hence my keenness to obtain an original cant rail cover or pair, to fabricate a copy and re-do the side walls.
Any offers of help will be much appreciated.
Yours,
John.

J P Hall

This thread was discussed between 04/07/2019 and 08/07/2019

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