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MG MGA - Heater Blanking Plate - What Color ??

I'm removing my heater from my 1960 MGA 1600 Roadster and installing a heater blanking plate. What is the correct color for the plate. Is it body color to match the shelf or is it black as was the heater box. Appreciate the help !!
Michael Hosier

Michael,

I believe this plate was originally painted black.

The only parts on the car that were painted body colour (apart from the obvious doors wings, bonnet, rear plinths and boot lid!)are those parts that were fitted to the shell prior to painting! e.g. the latch and safety catch for the bonnet.

Painted bodies did not vary according to specification/market/options i.e they are interchangeable. As far as I am aware there were no paint colour sensitive parts on the factory assembly line. (Apart from interior trim and some dasboard combinations)

I do not know, but I assume this was also the case for CKD activities in, for example, Australia.

Neil
Neil McGurk

Neil,

Australian built MGA's were painted locally. Areas such as the bonnet and boot prop rods (black on Abingdon A's) were painted body colour. On my unrestored 1600 there are even signs of overspray on the splate plate seals. The heater blanking plate on this car was also body colour (heaters were not normally fitted on Australian CKD A's).

Steven
Steven Hill

Hi Michael,
Original MGA by Clausager, page 91, last paragraph on the Heater Kit reads "If the heater was not fitted, the hole in the bulkhead shelf was covered by a black cover plate" (there is a mention above that this applies to Australian CKD cars). That is not to say that Steven is not correct - no one know all the details exactly (part of fun of MGAs debating these points!)
The BMC part lists for MGA defines the bolt type for this plate, from memory, it is a Phillips head cap screw #10-32 - 5/8" long.
You can get the Blanking Plates from Kilmartin Automotive Sheetmetal here in Aust. kas@ncable.net.au $A19.90 + postage (top quality)

Mike 60 MGA roadster
Mike Ellsmore

I found this in the archives also from

Mick Anderson, Sydney NSW Australia
My Service Parts List for the mga twin cam shows the following and the pushrod car should be the same.
Screw is part number PPZ0310.
Washer is part number LWZ203.

Part Number PPZ0310 is a Phillips recessed screw UNF. Zinc plated. Pan Head - Pointed.
Diameter No. 10 and length 5/8 inch.

Part Number LWZ203 is a Spring Washer - Medium Section. Zinc Plated. Size No. 10

Regards
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Black using the same screws and rubber gasket as the heater.
R J Brown

Black it would seem to be then .... many thanks to all !!
Michael Hosier

Black it is.
Back in the 80's I found an original blanking plate for my Twin-Cam and it was black.
(It came out of California by the way.)

Rich
Rich McKIe

This thread was discussed on 23/03/2007

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