talking rivets

[Chewie Baker]

I've got 3 rocker covers and all 3 have hammer drive rivets holding the patent plate but pop rivets holding the Austin / Morris plate

Is this correct?

or should they both be hammer drive type?

[mk1]

They aren't hammer drive screws, they are hammered rivets.

And yes it is correct that the patent plate has hammered rivets & the makers name has pop rivets.

This is because the Patent Plate went on at an earlier stage than the makers plate, so all makes & models were done together. The makers plate was pop riveted on at the last minute most likely when the engine was in the car.

[Chewie Baker]

Good answer
Thank you Mark

[dodge44]

Just to reinforce Mark's synopsis here is a NOS example. Numbered 12G121, with just the Weslake plate attached. It's the only cover I've come across with a manufacturers name engraved - 'Westwood', which is now a lawnmower brand name but don't know if it was back then. If so another agricultural connection to go with the Qualcast exhaust manifolds (2A89607) of the period...

12G121 is shown in AKD 3502 as from engine 8AM/Fa/U/H410073 with no termination number. Cover 12A477 is shown as from 8AM/U/H409422 to H1005269 with 12A1196, 12A1197, 12A1530 and AEG172, AEA789 also listed. Given I can see no apparent difference in those early covers (Until the Auto came along and engine was raised in the subframe in late '65, early '66) I'm wondering if as least one reason for the profusion of numbers is down to different parts suppliers?

Interestingly 8AM/Fa/U/H410073 would be a 1962 engine so would also coincide with the explosion at the BMC factory in Bargoed which might explain the use of at outside supplier for this item (12G121) at the time ?

Roger

[Toby]

Just to add, it also explains why the patent plates quite often have green paint on them whilst the makers plate won't

[mk1]

the explosion at the BMC factory in Bargoed.

Tell me more!

[dodge44]

the explosion at the BMC factory in Bargoed.

Tell me more!

No credit at my end for any original research here Mark - it came from the text here : http://www.austinmemories.com/styled-25/index.html

....and yes unbelievably it was 'an explosion at the paint factory' (More or less)

I'm guessing that in the clear up some of the press tools were sent to outside plants to continue production. In that post war period a lot of the heavy machinery around was either fairly universal or war reparations. Tooling may have been unique but there were many factories able to mount it and use it.

Roger

[rich@minispares.com]

....and yes unbelievably it was 'an explosion at the paint factory' (More or less)

its a little know fact that the explosion was caused by a small group of annoracists who broke into the paint factory determined to convert the vast stocks of mid Bronze green engine paint into a mixture of both darker and lighter shades with the intensions of providing modern day 'I told you so's', and the more hard core 'you know fuckalls' with irrefutable evidence of a variance of green engine paints used - unfortunately a excess of blue paint was added to the already volatile paint mix, and the explosion was a result.

no citation required, I read it on Wikipedia

[970s]

See this 65 cover with original label, both plate blind hammer rivet!

Al

[mk1]

I don't think the picture above shows original factory rivets. The engine colour is wrong so the engine MUST have been repainted at some time.

[dodge44]

See this 65 cover with original label, both plate blind hammer rivet!

Al

Rivets do look a tad large on that one. Possible I suppose this is another of those Longbridge / Cowley assembly quirk / differences but generally I'm with Mark in that the Weslake label is attached with blind rivets and the marque plate is pop riveted. This image is of a February 1965 cover from a engine that hasn't been in a car for over 30 years. Not sure which factory it came from though but suspect Cowley.

[Hipwell]

Is there any variation between the actual cover from 1966 onwards (non riveted type).

[Austin Costin]

The pop rivets on the austin/morris plates are not ordinary pop rivets either, they are self sealing type with closed ends, still available and mainly found in the aero industry.

[mk1]

Blind pop rivels are available from most suppliers in the UK.

[JC T ONE]

Blind pop rivels are available from most suppliers in the UK.

How do they know where to go, if they are "blind"

[Chewie Baker]

Blind pop rivels are available from most suppliers in the UK.

does anyone know what size they are please?

[dodge44]

Blind pop rivels are available from most suppliers in the UK.

does anyone know what size they are please?

1/8" diameter x 1/4" long rivets worked OK for me.

[Chewie Baker]

thanks for reply Dodge