Paint or interior first?

[sharkman]

I know this has been addressed at some point before, but I can't seem to find the posts. I've gone through all of the mechanicals, now for the cosmetics. The carpet, dash, and console are good, but seat covers, door panels, and pillars need replacement. Outside, the front bumper and bumperettes are needed, as well as some minor bodywork and paint. I've had conflicting answers as to fix the interior or do the paint and body first. What's the consensus out there?

TIA

sharkman

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Interior. No chance of a small scratch or ding to the new paint as you pull the seats and other stuff out of the interior.

 

[Robin7TFour]

Sharkman, are you going to do a complete paint job? door jams and threshholds! if so, i would gut the interior then paint. you can get coverage in places you may not realise till after you put things back on (gee, why didn't i paint that).
you can allways mask off the paint job with thin sheets of shipping foam to protect the car while finishing the trim work.
also, if making any changes ,do a test fit before paint and adjust then. it will be 'right' for final assembly.

Robin

Bob, sorry to disagree with you. i've seen the mouse ruin a few interior pieces by trying to mask off and cover. just to save a buck in labor..go figure?

 

[mfendley]

I pulled out the entire interior including the glass, had the car painted, and then put the new interior pieces during re-assembly.

 

[Evolution1980]

Paint first.
Sanding, priming...no matter how good you mask off, the dust gets in every single nook and cranny imaginable. And given some of the angles that you have to shoot the car with the paint, it's nice not to have to worry about a little overspray here or there or not getting under the masking.

IMHO, if you are taking out your interior, the biggest concern is not jamming your seat rails into the door panels when taking them out of the car. I found it's just easier to be careful removing interior pieces than trying to worrying about not getting paint and crap inside the car.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

I stand corrected. You guys are getting more areas painted than I'm used to seeing when a car gets painted. Door jambs and all of these other areas are usually extra. I'm going to paint my car the same color so these areas don't become an issue.