Sidescreen door brackets

[PhilJane]

Hi All,

My sidescreens are off to Ken Mumford for recovering at present. Ken was fairly sure I had original sidescreens judging mainly from the finish but also the fact that the (almost redundant) retaining straps were present. The sidescreens were covered in white vinyl which Ken believes would have made them originaly from a USA car, as very few RHD cars had white sidescreens. Well, they fitted fairly well, so I was happy to give them to Ken for refurbishment.

The next issue comes with the sidescreen support brackets on the inside of the doors. Currently they are painted but showing a few scars due to the juggling act of fitting. I had thought of chrome plating rather than paint, which might be more durable in the long run and possibly look more attractive than the paint finish. Do members think this is a bit too "bling" and prefer paint? What was the original finish? I don't think I have a concours winner here so not so worried from that aspect.

[TR 2100]

Hi All,

My sidescreens are off to Ken Mumford for recovering at present. Ken was fairly sure I had original sidescreens judging mainly from the finish but also the fact that the (almost redundant) retaining straps were present. The sidescreens were covered in white vinyl which Ken believes would have made them originaly from a USA car, as very few RHD cars had white sidescreens. Well, they fitted fairly well, so I was happy to give them to Ken for refurbishment.

The next issue comes with the sidescreen support brackets on the inside of the doors. Currently they are painted but showing a few scars due to the juggling act of fitting. I had thought of chrome plating rather than paint, which might be more durable in the long run and possibly look more attractive than the paint finish. Do members think this is a bit too "bling" and prefer paint? What was the original finish? I don't think I have a concours winner here so not so worried from that aspect.

 

White sidescreens were probably more commonly specified on US

cars, especially as a colour contrast rather than matching a

white car, but I wouldn't take that as anything other than a

general indication. I take it they were not original to the car?

 

Original finish was chrome for the early wedge brackets and

aluminium paint for the dzus brackets.

 

As you say, the paint tends to scratch off the dzus brackets

so chrome would be harder wearing.

You could call chroming dzus brackets bling, but there's a good

reason for doing it. That's the reason I have had my (TR4) bonnet

catch chromed and I don't feel it's bling. Others may disagree -

up to them.

 

When all said and done, stuff everyone else - it's what you like.

 

AlanR

[Rodbr]

My car was specified with White hood and sidescreens, on a Black car with black interior. I can think of nothing worse than scratched black paint. There seems to be a bit of dubiety about painted, bare metal, zinc colour or chrome on Dzus plates. I have decided that I prefer them to be chromed and have gone down that route. Right or wrong that is our judgement and sod anyone that defers. It is your car and you should not feel pressured to do one thing because that is what it might originally be. In my view ther are a small number of cars that deserve to have a sympathetic restoration to as near as they were on production, the rest should be up to the individual and in any case it is not an irreversible thing.

The dzus plates could be removed and treated to what ever you or a future owner would want.

 

Enjoy and be damned IMHO. And definately not "bling", Bling is chromed everything two tone upholstery piping and my Offenhauser rocker cover"

 

Best of.

Rgds

Rod

Edited December 21, 2010 by Rodbr

[Don Elliott]

Going just from memory, I think that the TRA judging standards in USA accept "painted body colour", "painted silver Hammertone" and "chrome plated".

[Paul Down]

Not original but durable and much less expensive than chrome is "Zinc Passivate" finish.

 

Quite a pleasant appearance and not nearly as bright as chrome.

[TomMull]

Going just from memory, I think that the TRA judging standards in USA accept "painted body colour", "painted silver Hammertone" and "chrome plated".

 

 

Don, That's my understanding too but I've never seen an original set chromed. Kind of moot now since most of the TR3s around have been restored and have chromed side curtain plates. Tom

[Mychael]

My car originally had the "wedge" type brackets and they were painted. I upgraded to the Dzus type and had them Chromed. They were already Chromed on my first TR a 61 model.

[PhilJane]

My car originally had the "wedge" type brackets and they were painted. I upgraded to the Dzus type and had them Chromed. They were already Chromed on my first TR a 61 model.

 

All,

Many thanks for all your valuable replies. To summarise, it seems the earlier wedge brackets were chromed and the later Dzus fastener brackets were originally a silver Hammerite painted finish, although now it is a fairly common practice to have them chromed with concours judges also accepting chrome. I noted the option of the passivated zinc finish which is quite popular for steel pipes etc but I am not sure if it might clash a little with the chrome in the car. On balance, it has to be chrome!

[stuart]

You could always go for "Bright" Nickel finish. Cheaper than chrome and looks as good.

Stuart.

[BrianC]

...the later Dzus fastener brackets were originally a silver Hammerite painted finish

 

I'm not convinced about the factory using Hammerite (or any other hammer finish). Other than black or chrome, the only other finish I remember seeing on cars in the early '70s and reasonably likely to have been fairly original, had them in a silver/aluminium paint similar to the steel wheels.

 

However, I think some wiper motor cases were hammer finish, so I suppose it's possible they could have used it on the sidescreen brackets.