Topic: Touching up paint around bolts

[sparky65]

For some reason I had a few places where when i tightened a bolt the paint flaked off.  I am guessing it had to do with two things.  A. it was cold and B. both areas had a higher build of primmer under the paint then i would have liked to see.  Should i take the bolts out touch up the paint and hope it doesn't flake again when i install it or find some other way to carefully paint around the bolts?  Also for future reference would heating the area around the bolt help to soften the paint to prevent this flaking?

[GScott]

I bought some thin clear plastic washers at the hardware store. They are the same size as the bolt head. Tightening them down especially fenders to the aprons no marks.  Gary Scott

[J_Speegle]

On areas such as garnish moldings (hand woodgrained and such) in the older cars we use to use pariffin on the bolt and screw heads. This coating kept the hardware from grabbing the paint (as long as we did not over tighten) and destroy the finish. Available at any grocery store (used to seal the top of food in home canning) and once everything in place you can clean the residue off with not too much effort

Just a possibility

[gjz30075]

I like Jeff's idea.    But what I've done a few times was to remove the bolt, touch up the paint and while wet, tight the bolt.     In other areas, I've cut up a milk carton to washer size needed and used it between the paint and the 'offending' part of the fastener.

[thefordshow]

Any where you can limit the amount of primer and paint build up will help in the assembly area. Cleaning up fender lips of old built up paint, Cleaning around ext.door locks and door handle holes. Also file out emblem holes of old material build up before your ready to paint will only make life easier.