64 B GHN3L roadster Originality questions

[MDrex]

I am not as anal as it sounds, but I figure I might as well do it right.
1. The black vinyl cover on the rear cockpit rail. Should it have coloured piping, in my case blue, on it, or black piping. My existing piping is blue, but I am not sure that's right.
2. The 3 metal strips supporting the top of the grille to the body. Should they be body colour, black, or silver?
By the way, the book 'Original MGB' has no pictures that show either of these things from what I can see.
Thanks for your help.

 

[tony barnhill]

I'll take #2....natural, no paint or anything...but, you might want to clear coat to protect them.

 

[Steve_S]

Original MGB is a great reference, but it isn't complete nor void of mistakes. The cars used are often not stock examples.

As for your questions, the surround should match the rest of the interior. If your interior was originally black with blue piping then that's what the rail should be. The brackets for the grill if I'm not mistaken are silver zinc coated steel. I don't think they were using gold zinc at that point but I could be mistaken.

 

[bob67bgt]

Excellent questions. I THINK just the very early cars had color matching piping on the rear cockpit rail. As far as the 3 grille brackets they were body color. Bob

 

[DrEntropy]

My two pennies:

Piping was, as Steve says, matching the rest of the interior. The brackets for the grill were unpainted metal in every case I've known on GHN3L bodies unless they were repainted later.

 

[tony barnhill]

Page 53 of Clausingers (& pg 54) shows the black vinyl around the entire cockpit - black, no colored piping.

Page 65 shows the little tabs that hold the grille in place - natural, no paint.

Seek & ye shall find!

 

[bob67bgt]

Clausinger is not always correct. I still have the original rear cockpit rail in Lyndas iris blue 63 MGB. It has the early grain material and blue piping. Her car is 8085. I do not know the change point. I have never seen a original set of grille brackets that were not body color. I would say build it like you want and don't worry about it. Bob

 

[DrEntropy]

I'll second that, Bob.


I went so far as to make white "piping" across the facia crash pad here 'cause I ~LIKED~ it. Matched th' rest of th' interior and it'll "confuse th' troops" as it gets passed around. :smirk:


"Don't do what Doc do!" :laugh:

 

[Steve_S]

I agree, that book is not always accurate, especially in the photos.

As for the rails, I too removed the original material from my rear cockpit rail and it matched the rest of the interior, just like Bob's. Mine was black with white piping. Clausinger is wrong on this.