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talbot
United Kingdom
718 Posts |
 Posted - 22/09/2008 : 09:20:30
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Those of you that are familiar with M Type bodies will know that the two ash rails that form the top of the boot opening, and support the lid, are curved in two directions. They obviously curve when viewed in plan to form the boat tail. They also curve in side elevation with the tail being about 2" lower than the seat support rail. The kit of parts that came with my car has flat rails - and in fact many of the 'photos I have of restored M Types shows boot lids to be horizontal. My problem is compounded since I am using an original boot lid which is curved. Has anyone made up rails which curve in both directions? To cut them from a solid piece will be difficult so perhaps lamination using some thin pieces of ash would be easier or even a number of sheets of 3 ply wood. A problem will be, though, clamping strips to my boot lid to conform to the curvature - the top surface is rounded and doesn't provide a good platform for a G clamp. Also there is a good length of rail extending further than the lid (mine is a short one) and I fear the laminations will droop giving a kink in the rail. I am considering making a buck out of some scrap timber with one face matching the boot and the other being flat so I have a good clamping surface but that will be another day's work. Can anyone give me some advice please?
Cheers
Jan T |
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John Haine
United Kingdom
208 Posts |
Posted - 22/09/2008 : 09:50:42
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Jan,
You are quite right about the downward bend. My original frame is like that - the straight ones are surely incorrect.
Keith Portsmore once told me, at least that is how I understood it, that the top rails were formed by bending, so as to reduce the chance of the boot settling once loaded. You might like to consult him - I regret I have no contact details.
John |
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Blue M
United Kingdom
1472 Posts |
Posted - 22/09/2008 : 19:50:05
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Jan,
When I rebuilt the tail on my M I found that bending the side rails was quite easy. You are lucky in that you have the original boot to go by. I fixed the rails at the front first and then fiddled around with them at the back with clamps. I then fixed the boot lid on - at this point there was no ply on the lid so I could see what I was doing. I was then able to fit uprights between the bottom and top rails which pushed the top rail up to follow the curve of the lid. My car had an upright on the offside which appeared to be original so I kept that in. On the nearside I took it out after I fixed on the ply. Of course you have to make sure you haven't got the rear post too high. Anyway, the point is, the rails aren't actually cut in three dimensions, they are just fortunately long enough to bend, and once bent they don't seem to alter once the ply is on.
Regards
Ian |
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talbot
United Kingdom
718 Posts |
Posted - 22/09/2008 : 20:57:07
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Thanks John and Ian for the replies. The problem is well illustrated on page 118 of MG Road Cars - Vol 1. You can clearly see the curve in the boot lid and the straight rails, Don't know who the car belongs to but perhaps they used Ian's technique and forced the rails to fit the lid prior to skinning with plywood.
Jan T |
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