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MG MGA - Chrome Plated SU's

Hi,

Anyone tried this ?

Thanks.
DA MacFarlane

There's a special section in hell...

FRM
FR Millmore

I suppose a pair of polished and chrome plated SUs are something we could all reflect on!

Sorry!

good answer FRM!

You could buy a pair of those plastic shiny dashpot covers DA and fit them to see if you really like them.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

DA, the main problem is that chrome plating does have a thickness. Even if only a few thousandths of an inch it would be enough to change the size of the internal ports and alter the fit between the slide and the vacuum dome which is critical since there is no seal there, just a carefully matched set of components. That's why you don't ever want to interchange parts from one SU with another in that area. Could it be done, yes, would it work, NO. Stick with a little bit of metal polish and perhaps some very mild media blasting on the carb bodies if you want a bit of bling. They can look pretty good when nicely detailed in that manner.

B Young

That is one really clean engine bay B, it looks almost surgicaly clean. Must be really hard to maintain that standard and run the car at the same time.
I must admit that the carbs look good polished but luckily for me, I prefer the alternative unpolished, gasoline dripping, dashpot oil smeared, just raced hard look.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

Just curious was all...I didn't need bullsh*t sarcasm from Millmore and Firth.
I've been running these things for years and never considered it. Just had a young guy ask about it.
English tw*ts ( and it's not an "i" )
DA MacFarlane

By the way, Thanks B Young. More what I'd expect from this forum.
DA MacFarlane

Colin, not my car by any stretch of the imagination, just a photo I found on line and liked. It's a Sprite in the photo anyway, not an MGA.
The engine compartment in my MGA looks quite a bit different as the car is still under long term construction. Photo below.
DA, I try to answer the questions posed if I can and have the experience to do so. If you ask for an opinion then that's another matter all together, I have plenty of those and I don't charge much for any of them. LOL
It's Bill by the way, used to say that on my avatar, but I had to change it a few months ago when my e-mail address got published on some other website and the moderator here asked me to alter it.

B Young

Thanks Bill. I appreciate your candor and humour. As I said, it's what I would expect ( and have generally experienced ) with respect to this forum.
Not sure why these two thought this was appropriate to respond like this. Oh well, their problem.
Here's mine at a "car show" with expensive Porsche and BMW's - the 'A' was most popular !!

DA MacFarlane

DA,

Colyn mentioned plastic covers. I've not seen them, but my B came with metal chrome plated covers. I wasn't going to use them, but I also ended up with a pair of chrome plated air filter cans from a parts car. After I rebuilt the engine and cleaned up the engine bay, the unpolished dash pots looked out of place, so I put the chrome covers on to save the polishing time. I prefer the polished aluminum, but it's a lot of work, and once I had a buffing wheel fling a dash pot to the floor.

I don't have a close-up pic, but you can get an idea from this one.

Charley

C R Huff

I hate ot say it DA, but I thought FRM's response was great! Humorous and not at all offensive. I like the vintage polished aluminum look myself, but again, that's a matter of taste. Chrome just doesn't belong there.
Mike Parker

Lighten up Dunc, a bit of humour is OK.
Art Pearse

Sarcasm is not humour.
It's the lowest form of...

I'm OK with FRM 's post...it is funny but the other one...sorry.

Maybe I took this the wrong way.

Must be the Highland blood.

Anyway - no offence meant - none taken.
DA MacFarlane

Gentlemen:
I believe I purchased my chrome slip on carb covers from Moss but I do NOT think I have seen them since.
Newbie and having trouble uploading pics but will try.
Sincerely,
Bob

Robert Allison

Hi all as a matter of interest I copied this photo from a book on sprites that dates from 1967 and it appears to show what looks like a brand new frogeye with everything chromed or highly polished, I wonder if the factory did it for display purposes, as no one would have been restoring frogeyes back then I wouldn't have thought



gordon

g c pugh

Thickness of plating would not be "a few thou" - typically, it would be about half a thou.
Geoff E

DA I also think you may have taken things the wrong way, the banter on this forum is almost always meant in good humor, I know colyn personally and I’m sure he would be mortified if he thought he had caused any offence, on reflexion that is lol, all the best, Vin
Vin Rafter

Sorry you took such great offence DA, and I must admit that I was a little taken aback by your response!

My reply was intended to amuse rather than offend, hence the awful "reflect-on" pun.

Also I did suggest the chrome carb covers which should have indicated that I was actually being helpful.

I admit that chromed carbs would not be on my wish list but each to their own.

But as my 2nd reply showed, I quite like the look of polished alloy carbs and I think mine actually started out like that and have gradually aquired more of a matt finish over the years.

Got some Scottish ancestry in my background too DA but maybe mine is linked more to the Billy Connelly lineage!

Colyn







Colyn Firth

Apologies to all.

Duncan
DA MacFarlane

Burlen Fuel Systems in the UK offers chrome and nickel plating as an option when they refurbish SU's. Maybe worth contacting them with your questions?
Sylvester Harvin

This thread was discussed between 23/03/2011 and 25/03/2011

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