MG T-ABC

I'm getting ready to paint TC7801. My question is whether the firewall and tub are painted together or separately. If painted while bolted together, the bolts holding the two pieces together are painted at the same time and do not have to be painted by hand which would result in a much neater job. If painted while together, the black rubber gasket is also painted. So should the pieces be painted while together and the result being the gasket is also painted or do I paint the bolt heads individually by hand and have the gasket remain black? The real issue is whether the gasket should be black or body color or does it really make any difference? I'm planning on showing this car in national events and would prefer to have it factory correct. On my TD's it didn't make any difference because there was no large rubber gasket so they were painted while together and the bolts looked good.

The show paint that I have seen has the firewall painted separately from the body coachworks, leaving the rubber black.
The wood of the coachworks frame was painted body color. The bolt heads were painted the color of the firewall.
Since yours is a later car, then the firewall and bolts would be painted the same as the coachworks, but you may leave the rubber black -- or painted.

Probably best to paint the nuts, bolts, and washers separately and then assemble the two pieces, install the bolts and touch up later. More work but most likely close to the factory job. Thanks for the info. I'm in Williamsburg, VA. Do you spend much time in Richmond? I used to live in KC.

I would paint the firewall separately along with the bolts and install leaving the rubber black. My TC is an early car with gray firewall and it also used blackened bolts and washers which I have gone to some length to maintain as such, although nobody cares about this but me!

"..... Nobody cares about this but me!"
( ? )
Exactly what has been discussed here is the fond pursuit of many, many thousands of us, not only of the MG T world, but also anyone who wants to savor the purity of preservation.

Octagonally yours,
BOXLEY (Robert and MGTC0920)

Mark,
Sent you a PM
Octagonally yours, BOXLEY