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poulsendk
Denmark
270 Posts |
 Posted - 04/11/2006 : 20:48:53
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Originally I was going to buy a new MG M type standard body for my 1930 MG M, at ASHFRAME INTERNATIONAL, but now this company has shut down their business, and now I don't know where to find similar company that makes these types of bodies.
I am aware of the fact that Barry Walker makes them, but I was hoping to find another company to be able to compare prices and quality.
Cheers
Jorgen
mgm 1930 mgm 1931 |
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LewPalmer
USA
3243 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 23:12:58
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I don't have any personal experience, but Steve Gilbert (S.J. Gilbert) in Weybride, Surrey gets good reviews.
Lew Palmer
Registrar, NAMMMR |
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LewPalmer
USA
3243 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 23:13:59
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Make that "Weybridge"
Lew Palmer
Registrar, NAMMMR |
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davies
United Kingdom
699 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2006 : 09:58:13
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| I can put you in touch with a guy in the Midlands (U.K) who does very good M bodies.First class craftsman - no VAT !!!. Suggest you e.mail me directly if interested,Regards Rich |
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tholden
United Kingdom
1638 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2006 : 16:06:45
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Jorgen I sent you an E mail but it has been returned. Can you E mail me at tholden@supanet.com and I will send it to you by reply. Tery
Terry Holden |
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poulsendk
Denmark
270 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2006 : 19:31:37
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Thanks Terry for your mail and the photo of the J2.
I talkt with David Cooksey at Silverstone this year, about making a M type body. He told my he coud make one for my, I send him a mail ca. 5 weeks ago, and he has not answerd my.
Jorgen
mgm 1930 mgm 1931 |
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bahnisch
Australia
674 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2006 : 08:57:26
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| Steve Gilbert did a superb job of my F2 body and I should say that assuming that he does M-types they would be of a similar standard. |
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Old Grey M
United Kingdom
52 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2006 : 14:45:11
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Whoever makes it ensure that they shape the upper boot section to a compond curve. Most replica bodies that I have seen only curve in one plane towards the pointed tail. They should also curve downwards slightly.
Mike |
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3101 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2006 : 19:21:14
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Jorgen,
It might be nice to have the floor constructed the way it appears in the well known factory body delivery picture (probably taken early 1930).I can go on about this at some length but with your permission I can email a copy of the picture and the detail of the picture and drawings and photos summing up what I feel the floor was like originally. I tried to get help on this before but I had almost no response. Luckily I found a highly original car in Wales which confirmed the factory photo detail (I don't believe it was coincidence).
Sam |
Edited by - sam christie on 12/11/2006 19:22:42 |
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Shack
United Kingdom
15 Posts |
Posted - 13/11/2006 : 19:16:49
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Sam, could you email me the floor details to mrshackleton@hotmail.com ? I think my body must have been supplied by BW as it looks identical to the photo in his catalogue. Anyone know why he finishes the leading edge of the rear wing section with a vertical edge when the wing is curved!
Martin |
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Alex
United Kingdom
48 Posts |
Posted - 14/11/2006 : 11:01:35
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Because getting the shape right requires both patience and the rear wing, and a willingness to lift it on and off a dozen times until they match!
I've looked up his online catalogue (out of pure curiousity - there's no danger of my buying anything), and can't quite tell whether the boot lid curves down as it should. It looks completely flat, but camera lenses can do strange things... Making the tail 'droop' in the correct fashion is, of course, easy. Making a boot lid that fits onto it, curving down and in at the same time, is less so!
So: just remember that anyone who knows what they're doing with wood can make a body that is beautifully put together. Getting it the right shape is what takes the time and gives the headaches! And when it's finished and on the car, you don't see the woodwork; you only see the shape... |
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Alex
United Kingdom
48 Posts |
Posted - 14/11/2006 : 16:14:38
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Further thoughts - glancing at BW's site, the new M-type bodies he offers have a one-piece floor, without the details in the factory photograph Sam mentions. In other words, the footwells are one with the floor, which means that you can't remove the gearbox without first removing either the engine or the complete body! I originally got a pattern for my floor from Andy King, who told me that that was taken from an original, and that didn't have the removable footwells (although I've added them).
It's possible that these details changed over the production life of the M-type. On Brian Bowles' M-type, there's a wooden frame underneath the floor, and the entire floor panels on either side can be unscrewed and lifted out as a routine matter without disturbing anything else. |
Edited by - Alex on 14/11/2006 16:16:03 |
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poulsendk
Denmark
270 Posts |
Posted - 14/11/2006 : 18:34:06
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Thanks a LOT to everybody for your kind help!!!
And special thanks to Sam for the photos!!
You guys have given me stuff to think about and stuff that I didn't know allready!! :)
@Davies: I'm very interrested in some info about the guy in the Midlands, who makes new M-bodies.
Please mail me at poulsendk@stofanet.dk
@bahnisch: I wonder,... do you have an email address to S.J. Gilbert ?? I have his normal address and phone number.
Please let this thread grow!!! A lot of good info is shared here!! :)
Cheers,
Jorgen
mgm 1930 mgm 1931 |
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bahnisch
Australia
674 Posts |
Posted - 15/11/2006 : 09:14:20
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| Sorry, I do not have an email address for Steve Gilbert. Perhaps he does not have one ? |
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3101 Posts |
Posted - 15/11/2006 : 10:31:36
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My apoligies about being slow to share my pictures sooner-I have just changed computers and I am adjusting to this.I promise to send these when I get on top of the technology. In the meantime if you have a copy of The Magic of the Marque by Mike Allison and turn to page 282 you will see a copy of the well known body delivery picture.
I bought a print of this from the Register (highly recommended)many years ago and scanned the detail of the body underside visible to the left.Because the body is almost square on to the camera distortion is minimal. In a reasonable quality print the removeable panels are clealy visible.Guessing that the underfloor angle-iron bracing was probably 1" I was able to deduce the approximate dimensions.The angle iron will need a notch to allow brake pedal linkage clearance. By measuring the angles of the corners of these boards it was simple to cut out plywood patterns to match.To my astonishment the panels fit.
When I looked at the most original untouched M-type I could find (Mike Lowndes' car in Wales)I arrived just too late to photograph the original floor but it had just been replaced with a faithful copy.This floor is the same as the factory picture and was constructed only on the basis of what had been there before.Mike's car has a very low chassis number but a close look at the body delivery picture clearly shows later bodies (doors with front of door hinges and later dashboards). These two independent sources lead me to believe that this was the standard floor and that the similarity is not coincidence or my imagination.
The body delivery picture contains all sorts of detail but the under body view shows such things as -
A The boot floor diff access panel
B The seat adjusters
C The bolts for the rear door post brackets
D The flange on the propshaft tunel
E The battery access hole (font edge of seat visible)
F The angle iron floor brace across the floor
G & H The gearbox access panels (Different shapes by the way)
I Cut out in the passenger side access panel for access to the filler
J The steel insert in the driver's side panel ie the heal well.
K Brake linkage groove in driver's side access panel - count the laminations in the ply !
L The bolts securing the access panel brackets ( brackets which also attach to the toeboard ).
M The steel cover for the three speed gearbox.
The body delivery picture shows all sorts of detail. The really unexpected thing about this picture is that the driver's floor panel widens towards the front presumably to allow more space for the driver's left foot.
I obtained a pattern from the steel cover of the gearbox fitted to an M-type in Scotland (Myreton Motor Museum).I believe that this cover is original partly because it does not fit the prsent (not quite right) floor in the car.I cannot prove that this cover is original but circumstantial evidence suggests it is (it also resembles the ones which are illustrated in the old road reports). I cut out a steel copy of this and it matches the panels cut out to the shape in the old photo down to the unexpected shape of the driver's floor panel. And it all fits round the gearbox.
I would be very keen for others to cross check the evidence . I cannot explain the evidence which the photograph presents any other way but perhaps I lack objectivity. I find it very hard to believe that the factory would have turned out a car with a body which did not allow access for removal of the gearbox.
Lastly, the good news is that if this evidence is correct modifying an 'all in one floor' to match the factory picture is quite simple.
Sam |
Edited by - sam christie on 15/11/2006 10:36:05 |
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davies
United Kingdom
699 Posts |
Posted - 15/11/2006 : 13:40:06
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| I agree with Alex, BW's rear end looks completely flat when in actual fact it should have a gentle curve.It is well worth the trouble to get it right. Rich |
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