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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Chrome trim not straight.??

Hi
If you have a look at the two attached photos you can clearly see that the chrome trip down the side of the car doesn't make a straight line.

Is it supposed to??

If it is - which part(s) is(are) incorrect??

In the photo from the rear quarter it looks as though the door strip is too high at the rear end and the rear arch strip is too high at the front end.

In the photo from the front it looks like the rear wing strip should be higher at the rear end.

I couldn't find a photo taken side on of a midget with chrome strips to compare it to.

Any ideas on which bits wrong and the best way to rectify it??

Thanks in advance. David


David Banks

2nd photo


David Banks

Hi David

If you Check Alan Lo's Mk1 Midget (the earlest currently running in the UK) On Mike Authers website you will see a very nice side shot
http://www.mgmidgets.com/stock_midgets.php
Gary Lazarus

yes it is supose to but most of the times there is a litlle kink in it some where

On mine there is


Onno Könemann

I suppose ideally it should look closer to this. You first need to prise off the chrome strips and stretch a 2" band of masking tape from front to rear - so that the tape makes a good a line as you can get and picking up as many mounts along the way as possible. Sometimes its easier to have an assistant hold down the front of the tape and for you to walk back letting it unroll under tension - and keep walking back past the rear wing to a point maybe 6' behind the car. You can then stretch the tape and lay it on the bodyside just underneath the mounts. It will take quite a few attempts to get a good line. It needs to look good from all views so keep looking at it and adjusting it till its right. Now you'll realise the first and last clip are OK and most of the rest are bad. If you're lucky you'll be able to redrill and get a good line within the curtain area of the old one - if not you'll know what to do next time.


f pollock

I was geared up to put on my side chrome until my 8 year old complained (he's real picky about mods to "his" Midget). I put magnets on the backside of the trim to get good alignment, then ran tape along the top and bottom, then removed trim, then got ready to drill before "he" stopped me. I'll do it sometime though.
The rear is supposed to curve down slightly towards the tailight lenses I believe. Maybe good he stopped me, as it looks like mine still wasn't straight (front looks out of wack a bit yet).


J Van Dyke

Hey David,

To me it looks like the installer started at the front, and went to the door, then started at the rear at a predetemined spot and went to the back side of the door, then used the door strip as an adjust ment to meet the front and rear togather


OTOH....It could be an optical illussion if the rear quarter panal has a lot of bow out and the back edge of the door is alighned tomeet the bow in the rear front of the 1/4.

I see this in my work alot as a house painter/paperhanger where old walls (100 year +) sway in and out with the "off" studing, and hanging chair rail or boaders makes them look like they are waving up and down when you look at them from straight on like J vans pic. above

Just my opinion

Prop
Prop

I spent a lot of time perusing period photos about this when we put our first Midget together and as a result concluded that the front wing and door were straight, but the rear wing wasn't. Being rushed at present I haven't had time to compare in detail, but it appears that Davids rear strip starts and finishes in the right place.

Where it is wrong is that the moulding was originally fitted with a gentle vertical curve so that it started straight and inline with the other mouldings at the front end of the wing, but curved downwards a bit as it went over the wheel arch to end up about halfway up the tail lamp.

With more time I could give a bit more detail about what I measured off the various photos.
Paul Walbran

Here is my first midget in the mid 70's.

This was pretty original.

Richard.




richard boobier

If you stick 'em on the car with magnets you will see that vertical location is pretty critical, too high or low and the strips will be too long or short. I can still see the (poorly prepped) spots where the original strips used to be, but they don't seem quite right for my strips. I plan on redoing what I did and taking a lot of time to be sure they are straight as drilling 46 or so holes in my body panels is not something I take lightly. I bought a slew of little round earth magnets and glued them to a plastic strip that I slid into the moulding. I was hoping it would be good enough to run that way but I don't trust it. Still, a great way to ensure proper alignment.... I hope.
J Van Dyke

Funny thing about these strips are they look perfect from one angle then from another they look really awkward.....

Note Alan's Midget on Mike Authers website.... Fantastic car and I'm surprised he's selling it....

Oh, it's a £1000.00 cheaper in this months MASCOT directly from Alan.... :-)

Mark.
M T Boldry

Vary nice J Van,

I got to get me a set of those Fat Bumpres....that is such a class act look.

Prop
Prop

Here it is with trim (magnets)
I like it.
I think I took that before I lowered the front. It looks much better with a lowered front.



J Van Dyke

just a thought, but instead of drilling holes can these strips not be stuck on with double sided body tape? then if it looks really wrong all you need is a hairdrier to get them off & try again!

That's my plan for my M I D G E T letters, when I get round to it, drilling holes in a perfectly good piece of metal just seems cruel!

-Craig
C Robertson

I was going to suggest that, but i think it all comes down to the paint adhiesion to the car.

I USED 1/2 inch double stick foam tape to do my trim, but its next to the rocker panal, its been on solid for several years...but it dosnt see much rain or weather, which may be a flaw in the idea.

How I applied it?

the trim is hollow on the backside, So I cut the strip to length, leaving the tape on both sides I trimed the foam tape to width then used a dull 6 inch putty/scraper and pressed it into the trim to test fit, then pulled it back out, and peeled about 12 inchs at a time from the back as I pushed it into the trim with the putty knife. then I got auto trim adhisive tape which is black and thin...double sided and pulled the backing of the foam tape inside the hollow trim and the backing of the auto trim tape and applied to each other, then peels the back side of the auto trim tape and applies to car.

the reason why for the 2 sepreate foam and trim tapes?

my fear is using the thin black auto trim tape by itsself wouldnt have a good stick as its contact area would only be on the 2 thin edges, but with 1/2 inch foam filling the cavity and being stuck on the walls of the hollow trim and to the auto trim tape...well you get the idea. The reason for the Black Auto trim tape, is to create a smother stick on the car surface as the foam tape has alot of valleys and high spots...this way the trim sits nice,flat, and perfect on the car

Prop
Prop

I love that tape idea!! I had similar thoughts for my magnet thing but in the end, though the magnets were very strong, their own weight made the trim too heavy t stick well.
I might just try the tape thing, beats the heck out of drilling hols in the wrong spots.....ouch
J Van Dyke

I gota tell ya I wasnt to whoppie about drilling 42 holes for something that might still jump off the car driving at 67 miles an hour.

Like I said, my car rarely sees rain, If yours is an outside non sheltered daily rain driver in he cold weather....Id experment 1st. That Double sticky foam does breakdown fast over a year when left to the elements

Prop
Prop

As Mark says, it depends on the angle. My Midget, GAN1 7303, is absolutely original, and on this picture the chrome strip looks straight.


Tore

But on this picture you can clearly see that the rear strip is going down towards the tail lamp.

Sorry about the picture quality, it is scanned from a colour slide. Car is dismantled now and being rebuilt.

Tore


Tore

Here is a pic of our old car where you can see the strip dipping slightly to the rear. Car was totally original and un restored.

John


John Payne

Here is my 63. The front trim was removed and replaced in 1968, but from the A-pillar back is original. It is ment to curve down slightly in the back.


B Durham

I know I am always late to the conversation on this BBS, but I am sure I remember discussing with Alan Lo at Castle Combe 3 years ago how his trim was wrong and it should curve down slightly. The only "fault" on an otherwise immaculate car. Lets hope one of us enthusiasts buys it!

Mark
Mark '59 Frog

Well I am very glad that I asked the question - it seems it is as it should be and that has saved me a LOT of work. Many thanks to everyone who responded.
David Banks

This thread was discussed between 30/09/2009 and 14/10/2009

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