Thread: 51 MG restoration.

When you were saying how large the gaps were, I was wondering if wood shrinkage along with everything loosening up might be part of the 'WHY'.

Even all metal cars have expansion and contraction. My Auto Body Instructor told us that from a cold morning to a hot afternoon a car could easily 'grow' 1/4".

Long story short: A friend who had grown up in Southern California had a new '76 Z28 and an overhead power cable was dropped on it while it was parked here in Walla Walla and needed a complete paint job after the repairs. He insisted that the top coat be lacquer no matter how much I told him why not he insisted.

Less then two years ago that lacquer finish was cracked and hazed due to this area usually getting sub zero winters and 105+ summers and his car was a daily driver.

Years later when he had it repainted it wasn't in lacquer--

The shrinkage is all in the end grain measurements I’m observing, as in from end to end. Guess that makes sense as it’s not really thickness or curve changes that I’m seeing. Regardless, through fate or happenstance the way I epoxied the new assy’s and the old one stand alone there isnt any real impact on the build, just some adjustments to be made as I move forward.

Back in the 40s and 50s all cars were painted with Lacquer. It looked great out of the showroom but you had to wax it constantly or it lost it's shine fast and if you looked at it too long it would start to crack. Also the old chrome bumpers that started to pit after a couple of years.

Originally Posted by 32t

Do they use Lucas or Lucifer type wiring?

Ah yes, good old Lucas, "the prince of darkness."

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Back in the 40s and 50s all cars were painted with Lacquer. It looked great out of the showroom but you had to wax it constantly or it lost it's shine fast and if you looked at it too long it would start to crack. Also the old chrome bumpers that started to pit after a couple of years.

I may differ with you, as I was into cars, most of the cars were painted with various enamels . . . varnish with pigment if you will. You will still see uncrazed examples in junk yards and some on the road. Looking at them, the putty like thickness of the finish is the key and lack of metallic bling. They were buffed and waxed often.
JMHO
Then there were "Acrylic enamels " which dried much faster allowing less damage from handling and shipping.

As far as I know the older cars had nitrocellulose lacquers applied to them which was an improvement over the older lacquers. I know later on they stated using primitive enamels on trim parts.

Got my replacement rear hubs cleaned up and the new bearing pressed in today.

Nice, non dented inner lips..

Already reinstalled on the car.
I test fit my new rear wood and repaired body frame on the main frame and as feared, too much steel still. Angles good, but the thickness of the connector tab interferes, so grind off the tab, remove that amount and tack it back together.
Definitely better than being too short..

I am enjoying this thread still as at some point I would still like to get my mom a 1952....

They are out there, in various conditions and price points..

Starting to marry the frames back together.
Woo hoo!
Every step forward is exciting now and aids in the ‘almost done’ fantasy playing in my head..