ACS 65C - Mk 1 Cooper S

[mk1]

As far as I am aware most badges were always secured by the mouse jonnies, not by the spring clip. The only exception I can think of are Austin & Morris Cooper Front Badges.

[richardACS]

Interesting - if that is so (i.e. just the front austin cooper badge) do you think it was because the badge would have a closer fit to the supporting panel maybe easier for cleaning?

I recall this type of metal spring clip was also used on the rear 'Jaguar' badge on the boot lid of the so called Mk 1 Jaguar.

[mk1]

The front badges had MUCH larger pins so the Mouse Jonnies weren't an option.

My experience of those spring clips (Speedwell supplied them with their badges) is that it is quite difficult to get them clamped right up meaning the badge has a tendency to rattle, this is also a common feature of a lot of original Austin & Morris Cooper front badges. The Mouse Jonnies eliminate this issue & also give some protection to the paint in the holes.

Thinking about it, I believe the MK1 Austin Mini badge DID indeed use those spring clips.

[Peter Laidler]

Those hockey stick grille-end thinggies and lots of little similar bits were made by Challow Engineering near Wantage (owned by the PUTT family. John was a pal of mine.....) for years and years for Unipart. They also made moggy minor F and R wings plus a zillion other small bits. Just thought I'd throw that in for posterity... You never know when it might come up in a mini or moggy minor themed quiz.

Added a bit later....... Something else know locally round here too. The first sheet metal prototypes of various forms of sump-guards, made and formulated to ideas from Comps - including Terry Mitchell the Chief Engineer at MG - were made and tried by a small sheet metal works along the Radley Road in Abingdon. Owned by Don FATHERS who died recently. Only made from from thin easy guillotined and spot welded sheet metal to finalise the idea for production elsewhere.

I think that they also had the last(?) cadmium plating plant too....... or certainly the last legal one! But never say never

[richardACS]

Peter - are you a mind reader?

Someone, somewhere is doing cadmium plating in the uk I just kind find the route in

[mk1]

There are a few places offering cad plating in the UK, but it is VERY EXPENSIVE due to the pollution dangers. You have to justify getting the parts plated & It can only be used on specific approved parts & assemblies.

NOT a straight forward business at all.

It is very unlikely that any plater with the correct approvals would be prepared to slip "the odd guvy job" out of the back door.

https://www.swmf.co.uk/processes/cadmium-plating/

[Peter Laidler]

To be truly honest, from the engineering and metallurgical point of view, I never quite inderstood what advantage cadmium plating had over phosphating (or parkerising as we also used to call it) was. Except that one was a goldy colour and was easily attacked by any saline solution - such as salt water while the other was a light to dark grey and was as tough as old boots in most environments. On that basis, I'd have and did have some of my bits bead blasted and phosphated THEN painted in a wishy-washy gold. But, alas, it ain't original. (But since we had a huge phosphate plant at work, it was cheap. But there was an example of where I saw just how durable phosphating was).

The last person I knew that managed to get Cad Plate done at Challow was the late Steve Smith

[mk1]

Cad plating is silvery grey.

[richardACS]

Silvery grey is how I recall it, although it appears there were alternative finishes.

In the states Cadmium plating is still widely available, Jaguar used it extensively in the 1960's and it looks so right when and where it has been used in a restoration, Zinc by comparison is too bright and shiny.

Was it used for the fixings/SU bracketry in the Minis during the 60's?

[timmy201]

This is the type in my 850 parts book with part number PFR108

915FF776-6389-4D46-AB90-1E60BAC182CB.png

I’ve also seen these
https://www.classicminispares.co.nz/sto ... clip-24a72

[mk1]

It was used widely in the UK up until the 1980's when it's very damaging enviro toxic nature was properly recognised, like all the heavy metals it can cause a wide range of issues ranging from birth abnormalities in humans and animals to cancers, it REALLY isn't nice stuff at all. All the original tin can master cylinders are Cad plated, amongst other bits.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32466586/

You can get a VERY, VERY cad like finish by Zinc plating with little of no brightener in the tank, burnish it afterwards & no one would be any the wiser. The anti corrosive properties aren't as good though.

You'd almost think I had spent many years plating stuff at one time wouldn't you

[richardACS]

Strangely perhaps the badge pins on the non cooper minis were of a larger dia and did have those sprung washer type clips, I must dig mine out to show....

[AndyPen]

I'll check my badges but one of the Morris Cooper ones has been threaded with a course thread and nuts and washers added. Anti theft perhaps?

[mk1]

Generally speaking MK1 front badges have larger posts & steel clips.

[Nick W]

Fred's "Cad copy" master cylinders look great...recon you'd have more luck finding out what's in Hendersons Relish than how these are done though

[Peter Laidler]

WELL off the subject now but has anyone noticed another great idea in Nick W's picture (above). A 1" diameter lifting bar across the car mounted across the steering rack mounting area. Makes a good lifting bar for a couple of blokes OR a place to support a cross-bar on a couple of axle stands.

[richardACS]

Well mentioned Peter...

[kit of bits]

WELL off the subject now but has anyone noticed another great idea in Nick W's picture (above). A 1" diameter lifting bar across the car mounted across the steering rack mounting area. Makes a good lifting bar for a couple of blokes OR a place to support a cross-bar on a couple of axle stands.

That’s also a good way to strap a freshly painted shell onto a trailer
D

[richardACS]

Here is the link to show the work that's gone into the shell...

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... hKdUt3LUJR

[richardACS]

After a too long absense I did manage to get the ball rolling with preparation to squaring holes in the headlamp aperture: