• Hi Guest!
    If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Concours Experts--Zinc Plating or Cadmium Plating?

Share this page

kurts100

kurts100

Senior Member
Country flag
Offline
Have all the hardware from a '59 Bugeye ready to be replated. I'm pretty sure the Concours manual says they should be zinc plated but I just talked with someone else and they thought most British cars produced back then would have been Cadmium plated. Zinc would probably have more of a shine as the Cad would be more dull silver. Anyone know for sure?

Thanks.

Kurt
 
I can't speak for brit cars, but when we did my old Triumph mc, I was advised to use cad.
 
I have a copy of a BMC "Parts Information Bulletin" dated May 1,1964. This bulletin clarifies codes and sizes for screws, bolts, nut and washers used on BMC vehicles. There is no mention of cadmium in this bulletin, only zinc, chrome or plain finishes.

In a quick flip through the Sprite concours guide, I found several references to zinc plated bolts, screws and washers but no references to cadmium.
 
As I remember, from my 66 TR4A (which I bought new) and the guys I hung out with in those days, a couple of whom had bugeyes, everything was galvanized. I don't remember any cad plating. Can't say for sure it was never used, but I don't remember ever seeing it.
 
Sorry I haven't responded but just back from a trip. Thanks for the input. I'm told cadmium resists corrosion better, however since the Concours manual says zinc and some of the bolts that have a little plating left on them seem like zinc, that's probably what I will go with.

Thanks again everyone!

Kurt
 
I used Stainless mostly.
 
Ok, here's my opinion wanted or not :smile: unless you plan on attending and entering one of the very few concours judged shows in the US, almost all British car shows in the US are popular votes from the show entrants of all the classes. In last big MG show I went there were 450 MGs there, and only about 6-8 cars in the concours judged class. When we featured Austin Healey at Euro Auto Festival a few years back we had a really good Bugeye field, about 20+ Bugeyes and the overall winner was a Bugeye with a 1275, twin HS2 carbs, ribcage gearbox and front disc brakes, so unless you going for the very few concours judge shows in the country, build it how you want it, not like a MGB or TR6 owner will judge you harsly for something un-orignal, most vote for the car they like the best, they are not experts on your car or it's originality. In short build them to enjoy, you'll be happier in the end. If sale value is your concern for origanality, consider his, I just had a buddy sell a really correct orignal 948 bugeye and another buddy buy a tricked out 1380, rib cage, aftemarket wheels and tons of other trick period performcne add-ons, guess which car brought more money, it wasn't the orgianal car. Bottom line, most people like improvements over original.
 
:iagree: Whut he sed.

It's awfully easy to turn this from fun into a neurosis. I see this a lot with the classic bicycles crowd that I also hang out with; some things your are "allowed" to to do, and some you're not. Interminable arguments over whether you should leave the finish original, regardless of its condition, or repaint. And on and on.

Cars like this are pointless unless you have fun with them. Do whatever gives you the most enjoyment, withing broad bounds of good taste and common sense, and t'heck with what anyone else thinks.
 
Sould be silver cad. They will charge by weight. Be sure to sand blast all large bits, and remove all grease, etc. I would not use stainless fasteners, as they are not "shoulderd" in the proper areas. Many steering bits, etc are graded higher than stainless. I , for one judge do look at fastners and proper plating...it will seperate many vehicles on the field.
Cheers,
D.
 
I have a Fastenal store in town. I've used their grade 8 yellow zinc on most everything because it's high quality, relative inexpensive and looks great.
 
Back
Top