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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Renovating Chrome Bumpers

I am harassing you lately :)

My chrome bumpers are in good condition, if you look at them from far. As soon as you get closer, you can see that the chrome is worn and/or dirty and the steal support paint is (really) tired (where still present).
Catching a glimpse of (is that correct ?) a Wheeler Dealer episode yesterday where he was restoring Triumph Stag chrome bumpers with polish gave me some motivation to start the process of restoring mine :)

- Regarding the chrome, which product do you use ? Any chrome polish from Halford would do ?
- For the steal frame, which sandpaper grade do you recommend ? Which paint ? Should I paint them black ? My car is bronze :)
- Any special tip ? :)

Thanks,
CH Hamon

The bumper supports I think were originally finished in a matt or satin black. Sounds like mine were similar to yours so I finished them in smooth Hammerite as they were badly pitted.

Depending on the condition of your chrome, a slightly abrasive cleaner such as Autosol will remove light rust and marks.
Otherwise something like Autoglym or Mothers metal cleaners are less abrasive.


Jeremy MkIII

<< My chrome bumpers are in good condition, if you look at them from far. As soon as you get closer, you can see that the chrome is worn and/or dirty >>
...sounds like mine..but they are 53 years old. Depends if you're a "driver" or a "polisher"...I'm in the former camp so just wipe them over with an oily rag and give your car a blast...
enjoy it
Dave
David Cox

Cedric,
how great that at one of your midgets is in such good service, maintenance and running condition you have the time to worry about the cosmetics.

All good advice here, especially David's, mine is use the least abrasive product first for a couple of times before moving on to a more abrasive product and use that with caution.

I would start on the chrome with any good body paint polish (Autoglym is fine others are as good for less cost). If this was not enough then I would try something like Autosol but only once or twice and then use the body paint polish.

With poorer quality reproduction bumpers, ones that slice your fingers open when you polish them, the rust can come through from the non-chrome side in which case you will need to deal with this. We used to paint the rear with silver Hammerite and then add a coat of something like Waxoyl.

Of course you can not see the bumpers when you are servicing, maintaining or repairing most items on the car - or when you are driving it.

Most classics look best from a distance and those that look good close up often are not that good to drive.
Nigel Atkins

You could just buy my chrome bumpers, on eBay at the mo. They’re very very good.
Kurt Barker

Due to constant showers down there, I did the "polish" man, as it can be down inside.

My "number plate light bracket" looks quiet poor and rusty.... Would you advise me to do something to "stop" it getting old ? Sandpaper and painting/protection ?


CH Hamon

While dissassembling, I have also been thinking (for once) : some of the screws and washers look pretty old, original, rusty,...

Do you change the screws or washers for new ones ? Do you blast them to remove the rust ? Do you had some protection (especially after blasting them) ? Do you put some grease/copper ease to...ease next dissassembly ?

Thanks to remove some of the questions from my head :P

Good night,
CH Hamon

Cedric

Nigel has been alluding to 'the other car' and you have now stated that your car is bronze.

Have I missed something?

Have you bought another one?
Dave O'Neill 2

Apologies, I should have continue the post "looking for the one" with the latest news...

Small "aparté" for who is interested :
To make a long story short : I did buy another Midget (the second one) after the "dealer" proposed me to take back the first one. Then, he "changed his mind", but I already left a deposit for the second one... The seller of the second one could keep it few weeks in his home (MG OC and MG CC member), so I decided to fix and sell the blue one during this period. Of course, for few weeks, I had both (+ the Lexus) at home... Hopefully, the blue one fund a new owner 2 weeks ago, so I can concentrate on the second one now :) Bronze, 1275, August 1972. She is only few days younger than the first one :)

Again, apologies, I should have take time to continue the story...
CH Hamon

<< some of the screws and washers look pretty old, original, rusty,...>>
it's up to you, Cedric, but things are only original once..
David Cox

Cedric
I would sand and/or wire brush the bracket and paint it with something. Something like Hammerite, although it's not as good as it used to be. For rusty brackets and chassis fittings I use Rustoleum Combicolor available in a range of colours.
Bill Bretherton

My pet hate when working on my car is reusing crusty nuts and bolts. I replace with new whenever possible.

Some of the bolts were so corroded they weren't safe to reuse anyway.
C MADGE

Bronze yellow? The best colour. Any photos?
Tarquin

In order of previous posts -

. Is that an original number plate bracket(?), I've no idea, if it works then does it matter. Clean, wire brush and Hammerite.

. Screws and washers I would replace with new (some new nut and bolts I am not so sure about now) and who is to say these rusty screws and washers are original, I've rusty fixing on my car and I know they're not original as I put them on the car.

. So was the blue car sold, no returns as you know with that car? :) And will we see the new owner posting on here?

Tarquin,
I agree with you, I almost bought one in that colour, but Cedric wasn't so keen hence the previous references to Colemans.
Nigel Atkins

Please excuse my English : by original, I mean that it might be from the manufacturing date of the car, or at least look like. I don't mean "eccentric" or "genuine/authentic and has to stay". Hope my English will improve faster than Ar*ene Wenger...

I bought new washers, but didn't bother to find new screws and bold in imperial and at good length... Was easy in my previous job to "borrow" screws and bolt from factory maintenance, as we had walls full of all kind of them, but that was back on the continent in metric system.

I disassembled everything, spent hours on sanding - still some to spend - and starting to paint in Hammerite satin black. Did polish the chrome, but not huge difference. I bought the Autosol and will give it a try... Should be finished Saturday evening :)
CH Hamon

For the "aparté" :
I was not happy to see her leaving (me), and it was not the relief you can imagine. We went through a lot together, she was moody but always came back home, and tought me a lot ! I almost sold it to one guy, but she decided not to start anymore... The final buyer had some issue with insurance, and the car finally spent one more night in my street : she didn't wanted to leave me either ! Maybe I will see her again...

Regarding the color, why is it the nicest one ? How many people agree with that ? :P The previous one was Teal Blue with brown inside: definitely a great match... Loved that combination ! And my GF too... Picture during a weekend in Kent+Surrey enclose



CH Hamon

Hi,

Bumpers are back on ! I am...torn about the result : I am really happy that my bracket don't look rusty anymore; but I think my bumpers look exactly the same.

Autosol is a really good product, but I would not call it a "renovator". It is a really a powerful cleaner, but not a renovator. I think I was a dreamer thinking that any product could renovate the chrome : once the chrome is worn and spotted, I don't think that any product can "renovate" it. I guess I would need to send it to a company who would "bath" it again: they look good enough for the moment :)

!!! Polisher alert !!!! Check the picture if you are a polisher only, and want to see what the Autosol can do ;)



CH Hamon

Concerning the painting of the brackets, I used Hammerite satin, but the spray (me, lazy ?). The layer of paint look really low and easy to scratch... I wonder if I should not buy a pot and use paintbrush instead ? What would you have use ?
CH Hamon

As I said above, I don't think Hammerite is as good as it used to be. I use Rustoleum Combicolor which I think is superior to Hammerite. I've used it extensively on my Frogeye rebuild (not external panels). I've also painted our wrought iron gate with it and it's lasted longer than the Hammerite I'd previously used.
Bill Bretherton

Bill

It seems you could have done the external panels, if this Stag is anything to go by.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V19nr1QUaL0
Dave O'Neill 2

I remember your comment Bill, sadly I saw it after I bought the Hammerite...
I wonder if the thin and fragile layer has more to deal with the spray VS paintbrush, or a brand issue....?
CH Hamon

Dave, I've read of other people doing it as well. It does flow out nicely and is very shiny but if you got it wrong, it would be difficult to remove I think. I've used it on the underside, inside the deck (boot), front end inner and wheel arches. The RAL6005 colour is close to the cellulose BRG I'm using externally and for engine bay.

Cedric, maybe the Hammerite spray is weaker, I've never used it. It's bound to be thinned.
Bill Bretherton

I sprayed my wheels with Combicolour silver. They came up very well, a good even gloss. But the surface seems fairly soft and scratches easily when done this way.
I had previously tried some on the interior boot area of my Frogeye and it seemed very good there - covered well and dried brish mark free to a high gloss. The only thing was I had second thoughts about the colour and ended up redoing it in brush applied 2K.
GuyW

Autosol will remove light rust but not pitting that's deep. I've found one application cleans and a second makes it smoother - or at least it feels that way.
It was about 12 years ago when the bumper irons were brush painted with Hammerite so maybe back then it was the good stuff. Certainly not been breached as yet :)
Jeremy MkIII

This thread was discussed between 19/06/2019 and 23/06/2019

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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