Page 1 of 2

M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 10:01 pm
by sandman
Anyone know what the M-machine frontpanels are based on / made of?
I.e; Heritage panel, Magnum (or other budget) panel - or of their own pressing?

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 10:37 pm
by gs.davies
I have an m machine front panel. Detailing by m a machine is very good. The spot welds holding the slam to the front pressing however, were not so good.. All loose and had to be re welded. Doesn't look heritage to me.

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 10:47 pm
by Dean
i sure they are heritage( but i could be wrong), then they change the slam panel is for the correct year/mk, weld up any holes that should not be there etc.

i had a full skirt front panel from them, and all they do it weld in the missing sections to the lower corners

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:06 pm
by NicholasUpton
From the dozen I have seen it is a modified Magnum panel

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:29 pm
by Rocket
As above watch out for some poor spot welds

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:36 pm
by Daz1968
By the price of them I can't see them being heritage, I plan on using one on my mk2 however but will buy the indicator plinths to fit as well, I used magnum front panel and wings on my mk1 and had very little hassle fitting them,

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:47 pm
by 360gts
I thought I was doing the right thing...I bought a heritage front panel.
Hmmm!...usual issues..as stated in previous posts...spot welds are all wrong to start with.
Next, the indicator apertures are later style...not MK1.
The whole front parts is later style...the brackets for the license plate are later style as well.
Even the vertical support strap wasn't in the correct spot. The underside of the slam panel is also wrong...look closely at the picture and you can see the difference.

I spent days redesigning and changing the panel.
Ended up replacing the entire slam panel with one from an old car I had here..
Here is an example of the front end after it was remodeled. Have added a few arrows to show what is different.

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 5:49 am
by Old English White
I had exactly the same issues with a Heritage panel. Very disappointed - especially as I'd visited the factory before ordering it and I was assured that it was "correct" for a Mk1 :lol: . Lord help us if the ever DO create a whole Mk1 bodyshell :shock:

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 11:25 am
by rich@minispares.com
as has been discussed before, the heritage panels are just wrong for correct useage in a mk1, its because they are constrained by having to use the presses which have been modified for later rover panels


the worse bit is where the inset is fitted into the press to get rid of the mpi cutout.

the m-machine panels are a far better bet, they might be based on a pattern panel, but it requires far less work to get right.


either one is better than trying to beat one out of a flat bit of tin, though, so we should be all grateful for the supply of either!!!

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:09 pm
by Richspec
rich@minispares.com wrote:
'either one is better than trying to beat one out of a flat bit of tin',
Just make it all from alloy if you're called Paul Wiginton :!:

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:18 pm
by sandman
I really should know this, but have to ask;

What are the differences in the indicator area between Mk1 and Mk2,3,4?

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:36 pm
by Tupers
sandman wrote:I really should know this, but have to ask;

What are the differences in the indicator area between Mk1 and Mk2,3,4?

The flat portion is about 20MM larger diameter on the latter front panels. It's not a major difference but when you put a MK1 indicator on a later plinth there's a flat rim around the edge that looks a little odd.

MK1
Image

MK3
Image

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:40 pm
by Tupers
MK3, MK1 and a preplacement slam panel section I made.
Image

Difference between a pattern and OG MK1 brace.
Image

The recess in the centre of the grill aperture is also deeper on the latter pattern front panels.
Image

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 10:16 pm
by gs.davies
Tupers wrote:
sandman wrote:I really should know this, but have to ask;

What are the differences in the indicator area between Mk1 and Mk2,3,4?

The flat portion is about 20MM larger diameter on the latter front panels. It's not a major difference but when you put a MK1 indicator on a later plinth there's a flat rim around the edge that looks a little odd.

MK1
Image

MK3
Image
Bugger...

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 10:19 pm
by gs.davies
That by the way is an m machine mk1 panel. I can forgive the cut out but the plinths..?

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 11:15 pm
by Daz1968
Just give them a call as they supply new indicator plinths to old spec if you want to change them.

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2015 3:33 am
by 360gts
Had a couple of requests for a picture of the finished front panel. Bumper lip has been changed as well.
This is ready to go onto a 970...sept 64.
It has the cutaway skirt.

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 9:32 am
by Catmint
sandman wrote:Anyone know what the M-machine frontpanels are based on / made of?
I.e; Heritage panel, Magnum (or other budget) panel - or of their own pressing?
I think they used to be based on Hadrian panels, but this was bout 10 yrs ago. Not sure now as Hadrian went bang a while back

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 3:09 pm
by Alex
Didn't Magnum buy up all the Hadrian tooling ?

Re: M-Machine front panels....

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:28 am
by sandman
Daz1968 wrote:Just give them a call as they supply new indicator plinths to old spec if you want to change them.
I assume one has to cut out and re-weld these?
Any one got a photo of the plinths they sell?