Hi All
Is the copper bead in the wheel arch flush with the face of the wing or set back a little ?
Thanks Jim
Pretty much flush. Fixed with rivets.
I think later cars had rivets early cars had small 4g self tappers, bronzed on lower corners as per later cars.
Early wings that normally had spats are not trimmed as neatly and you neat to grind off salvaged edge overhang
Concerning paint… was the bead painted before or after fitting to the fender.
Just as a date marker, my 1st June '55 build 140DHC has rivets.
My Sept 1955 MC roadster has ID plate secured by self tapping pan-head slotted screws, not sure without checking whether size 4 or not, but presume Terry is correct.
With an XK140, I would be careful re pop-rivets being original or not.
Roger
Fair comment, but given the analysis of the jacking damage under the front of both rear wings (who would do that??) and the original paint condition under the cheap US respray I don’t think they’ve been changed. Obviously, can’t say for certain.
Just re-read Roger P’s post - are the fasteners for the ID plate an indication of what was used for the beading? The ID plate on my June '55 DHC was self-tapped, the beading rivetted…
My mistake. Didn’t read earlier post properly, just presumed the old debate about ID plates
after after after after.
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Brass bead was fitted to the fenders first, in fact was brazed at the lower ends on S681114, then painted. I see a lot of blind holes in the back, and 3 or 4 through holes for tapered screw heads. I interpret that as an indication that the original fasteners failed within the first 15 years.
Brass? I thought it was copper. Brazed at the ends.
I second that the D section finishers are / were brass…
Peter B
I saw some second hand ones at a show last year and they where brass. Leaping Cats told me they where originally brazed at the ends. I will pop rivet and Tiger seal. I think the pros generally seam seal the joint.
Late chiming in, but definitely brass.
As to the original question, in my car they’re positioned pretty much flush, as Roger said, but in the area behind the door they’re just a little proud so that blocking the primer surfacer down during paint prep actually flattened the bead a tiny bit and required a material addition to restore the half round profile. At the top of the arch, mid wheel well opening, the beads are slightly recessed.
OK, brass it is - I’m a long way off needing to worry about them yet anyway. Still fighting the right side doorskin, which is not proving as straightforward as the left one was.
I am going to buck the trend and say they were made of copper!
Roger, it took many hours of work to get my aluminum doors flat - actually, a slight crown - using a shrinking disc and 6000-rpm body grinder.
I shot the colour coats little over a week ago and took this video two hours after. You can see how flat I was able to get the door. Using the shrinking disc is the only way I know how to pull it off.
It certainly looks nice and flat, Nick. Is there not a risk of that changing when the diagonal bracing strap is adjusted? Probably more of an issue with a DHC.
OK - I’m going to take a flap wheel to mine, which I know are original, and see for sure!
