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MG MGA - Grille slats

Are the grille slats chrome plated or just polished? Hard to tell from the pictures in Clausager....

Thanks!
G Goeppner

I believe they were originally stainless steel slats riveted to two aluminum bars, while the surround was triple plated over brass.
Barney Gaylord

Barney is correct. The slats are polished stainless steel.

This means that dents and scratches can be removed, filed and polished to restored them to original condition.
S L Bryant

The original slats were definetely stainless steel, I have one. The original grills are quite obvious as the s/s slats are less bright than the surrounding chrome, they also don't cut your fingers when cleaning them.
P M Dean

An additional feature I recall is that the edges of the original slats are turned over to be double thickness on the edge, very smooth to the touch, and very strong to resist bending. I have never seen this feature on any reproduction grille, not even the superb 1500 repro grill by Moss Motors.
Barney Gaylord

I pity any small creature that hits my grill, instant sushi!
Larry Wheeler

Attached is a photo of my rather tatty dismantled original 1958 1500 grill that I have possessed since 1969.

To answer Barney the edges aren't turned over as such. The outer edge is though turned over further than the Moss 1500 one that I currently have on my car but only to about 110 degrees, i.e. to be in line with the car. The inner one isn't turned over at all. Critically both have smooth non finger cutting edges unlike my Moss one. On the original one the slats are rivetted to the 2 cross supports while on the retro one they are welded or brazed.

Having a look at the 2 together it looks as if it would be possible to fit my original slats into to my repro grill (a winter job?).

Enough geeky details for now.

Paul
P M Dean

Try again to load photo if now small enough.

P M Dean

Hi all
Detail on original edges backside. Stainless steel.
André

André M Kunz

Looks like it must have been a scary ride Andre
Bill Biggins

I did identify some original semi tubular rivets and a tool from the Saphire Rivet company for fixing the slats to the aluminium bars. I know pop rivets will do the job but I liked to find the correct bits.

http://www.sapphireproducts.co.uk/
John Francis

This thread was discussed between 02/10/2012 and 17/10/2012

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