Morris Cooper grill slat support orientation

[Twincam]

I disassembled a Morris Cooper grill to straighten some slats and clean up the sheet metal parts that are rusty. I didn't pay attention to the way the vertical channel shaped supports were assembled because I thought they were symmetrical. As you can see in the picture, one end is slightly shorter than the other end. Which end of the support is meant to face the top?

(A former owner had curled up the ends so the grill must have been mounted with an aftermarket quick-release kit. I heated the curled ends to straighten them and reduce the likelihood of fracturing them)

grill_slat_support.jpg

[1071bob]

Long section to the bottom.

[AndyPen]

Here's the top end of one of mine Gregg. It was fitted with quick release so the bottoms were chopped on this one.

[AndyPen]

I have a NOS one in my store so can check that tomorrow as well if no-one else confirms.... (edit) but Bob1071 just has

[Twincam]

Andy, Are the bottom tabs on your grill cut off or folded forward? I can't tell from the picture. Thanks, Gregg

[AndyPen]

Andy, Are the bottom tabs on your grill cut off or folded forward? I can't tell from the picture. Thanks, Gregg

On this one they have been neatly cut off Gregg.

[Peter Laidler]

Just looking at the pics, even if the tabs have been cut off it should be an easy soft or hard solder fix

[AndyPen]

Andy, Are the bottom tabs on your grill cut off or folded forward? I can't tell from the picture. Thanks, Gregg

Here' another with the lower bits cut off and kept on a piece of string !! Plus the BNIB Leyland one which might be the one to check against - definitely longer part at the bottom

[360gts]

Trying to find a picture here of my original chrome on brass Morris cooper grille...it has copper rivets on the slats...not pop rivets.
If I can find my picture....will post to the thread.

[Twincam]

Trying to find a picture here of my original chrome on brass Morris cooper grille...it has copper rivets on the slats...not pop rivets.
If I can find my picture....will post to the thread.

I noticed most of the grills were pop-riveted. Don't know if those were factory or not but I'm pretty sure the semi-tubular copper rivets would have been original because they had the roll formed swage on the front side, where access is extremely poor and probably would have taken some pretty custom tooling to accomplish.

The picture shows me center punching the heads of the rivets prior to drilling out. The rivets were definitely copper and appeared to have a thin tin plating. Tin plated copper rivets used to be quite common because connections in electrical equipment would often rely on rivets.

I'll probably be reassembling with 3/32" aluminum pop-rivets.

Edit: Just noticed AndyPen's grill had roll swaged rivets with the roll swage on the backside. I guess nothing can be assumed about how these grills were made.

Grill_copper_rivets.jpg

[Peter Laidler]

There was a specially shaped tool used to support the heads when the solid type rivets were beaten over. Someone showed it on the forum a couple of years ago

[AndyPen]

Trying to find a picture here of my original chrome on brass Morris cooper grille...it has copper rivets on the slats...not pop rivets.
If I can find my picture....will post to the thread.

Edit: Just noticed AndyPen's grill had roll swaged rivets with the roll swage on the backside. I guess nothing can be assumed about how these grills were made.

Grill_copper_rivets.jpg

My older ones are the heavier plated brass, one I think is the original from the 1071 (more rust) and the other from the race 970.

The new BL version is lightweight - which was one reason I got it. 1972 version I think as a date is on the box.

[mellowyellow]

I,m restoring my grill at present but the fixing holes have broken off top and bottom so i,ll have to make some new bits up. Can anyone give me dims. from the centre of rivit to the centre of fixing hole.
Thanks in advance, Tim

[1071bob]

Here you go, the measurements are taken with the grill support 'flat' so you'll have to put the joggle in afterwards for the bottom fixing.

[AndyPen]

Here you go, the measurements are taken with the grill support 'flat' so you'll have to put the joggle in afterwards for the bottom fixing.

Excellent pic - wonder what those dimensions might be in inches Bob?? (12.7 = half an inch for example).

Sorry, what with all this brexiting I couldn't resist

[GraemeC]

1/2”
3/4”
1” & 1/8”

[1071bob]

1/2”
3/4”
1” & 1/8”

Correct!

[mellowyellow]

Thank you Bob, thats exactly what i need.
Cheers Tim

[winabbey]

Does this help?

HYA2596 Grille Support Bar Centre wm2.jpg

[AndyPen]

Just goes to show how amazing this forum is - nice one!!