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MG MGA - Identification plate restoration

The black background on my car's identification plate is starting to lift off - otherwise the plate is in great condition.
How can this be repainted and still retain the polished metal bits and raised lettering on the plate?
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Mike,
Talk with someone familiar with offset printing. There are techniques for doing just what you describe.
BOL,
Doug
D Sjostrom

First read this about plate design, originality, and production changes: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/restore/rt107.htm

The rectangular area containing the Car Number is raised, clear, and stamped and/or engraved. Ditto for the engine Number for the 1500 cars. Some 1600 cars had "SEE ENGINE" stamped, while later production had it etched in relief.

All of the rest of the lettering and border are raised and clear with the balance of the background relieved and black. It was not originally painted. The black patina is a result of the same chemical etching process that produced the relieved background.

Several months ago someone on this BBS who is in this plate etching business was investigating the possibility of reproducing these plates in original configuration. Check the archives for that thread. I think it may have run out of enthusiasm when it turned out to have so many different combinations of number marking for the car number, some parts engraved, some parts machine stamped, some parts hand stamped on a table, some parts hand stamped on the car.

The blank plate before numbering had only one basic design and was always etched for background relief with similar process. There was one minor change of artwork in late production to make the words "SEE ENGINE" to be etched rather than stamped. For exact reproduction as original that would require two different artworks for the different blank plates. I don't think that alone would have stopped reproduction of original style plates.

For restoration of your original plate, I presume you would like to try painting in the relieved background. I have never tried this, but I do have some idea how it might be done. Start by cleaning the plate, and make it as flat as possible. I suggest cutting a wood block the same size as the plate and at least 3/4 inch thick, and attaching the plate to the block with adhesive or double sided tape. This will hold the plate while providing a large relief space around the sides for working space for your hands. You might also rub some wax into the engraved and stamped lettering of the car number (and engine number) to prevent paint from filling these depressions.

Give the plate an overall light spray of flat black enamel (less is better). The next step is to remove the paint from the raised surfaces before the paint is completely dry. If you mess this up you can clean off all of the paint with solvent and start over with a repaint.

To remove paint from the foreground surface I suggest using a round rubber bar, something like an insert for a re-useable pencil eraser (hand held stick or motor driven machine). A larger diameter rubber bar which is stiffer would probably work better. Wet the rubber bar with a light coat of solvent. Lay the bar at the rear edge of the plate and draw it slowly forward as you rotate the bar in the opposite direction to wipe the paint from the surface and collect it on the bar. After a short distance, perhaps half an inch across the plate, and less than one turn of the bar, clean the paint from the bar with solvent, wet the bar with solvent again, and then take up where you left off.

I could think of a few other ways to remove paint from the front surface of the plate. If you have a drill press you might mount a Scotch buffing wheel and run it slowly with a very light touch as you move the plate beneath it to remove the surface paint. Or, on a flat table top place a clean lint free cloth barely dampened with solvent and wipe the face of the plate across the cloth to remove the surface paint.

I would be open to any other suggestions. If anyone tries this and has any success with these or any other technique I would like to hear about it. For anything that works (or doesn't work) I would post the results on MGAguru.com
Barney Gaylord

Well guys, this is what I did on my Sprite. I have a West German market Sprite and the ID plate is different from North American plates and is nla. So I had little choice but to give it a shot.

I masked off the rectangular border so that it would not have to be messed with, the plate was cleaned and painted with a gloss black. When the paint dried it settled down into the valleys around the letters. I took a utility razor blade and set it at a 45 degree angle and drug it gently from the upper left corner and stopped at the lower right. The angles seemed to work as no paint was removed down in the recess and only paint removed from the letters showed. The added bonus was that the aluminum was polished as the razor scraped the paint off.

Clear coat it after you finish.

Mark
M Whitt

Ditto to Mark's idea. I did the same thing and it worked well. I pressed the plate as flat as I could first.
John Vallely
John Vallely

You can also buy a new one and then have Todd Clarke imprint it with your numbers. You have to see what the cost difference is of restoring or buying a new one.
JEFF BECKER

Current new/replacement plates are not relieved-inlayed like the original ones, so would not pass concours show inspection.
Barney Gaylord

Thanks guys,
I now have another job if it ever snows down here and I cannot take it out for a while!
My plate is an original Australian assembly plate (relieved-inlayed not screen printed). They are different to the UK and US plates. I will send Barney a photo - he may want to put it on his site so us guys downunder don't feel left out.

Mike
Mike Ellsmore

I have these Australian ID plates on site in the Aus CKD cars History slide show here:
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/ckd/ppt/11.htm
and about 15 slides to follow. The Aus 1600-MK-II plates are also different from the Aus MK-I plates.
Barney Gaylord

You're the Guru!
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Barney,

I'm the guy investigating about the plates last time. It's exactly one year ago. The artwork is done. But you are right when you write:"I think it may have run out of enthusiasm when it turned out to have so many different combinations". At least there are two different versions: with "SEE ENGINE" etched and without it.

The second problem is that I have to make about 200 pcs. per version. I'm not an MG stuff dealer and I don't have authorization for using the MG logo.

May be somebody out there has and is interested in such a number of plates.

Robert
Robert Mueller

Robert, - Put me down as your first customer. Also contact the major parts suppliers. There will definitely be a market for original style ID plates. You might find your first 100 or more customers on this BBS and/or on the mgs e-mail list. If the parts are not excessively expensive they should take a substantial portion of the market from the existing non-original plates. In the long run a premium part of the market may be providing the service for marking the plates to duplicate the original engraving and stamping styles.

I don't think the use of the MG logo for this purpose would be any problem. It is already being done by others, and I don't suppose the current MG car company would have any interest in reproduction plates for a car model already 45 years out of production.
Barney Gaylord

I'll take one, and I suspect that my brother will want one for his car as well.
Del Rawlins

Robert - I could use two plates also.
Don
D.M. MacDonald

Robert, have you an estimated price based on your batch of 200?

Derek Nicholson

Furthermore, I think if you came up with a plate that is correct in every respect, your market would not be limited to those who are restoring cars now. I suspect that a lot of "incorrect" reproduction data plates would be coming off cars, to be replaced with yours, depending on how much the cost is.
Del Rawlins

Robert - I'd also buy one.
- Ken
Ken Doris

You all make me more confident that this project should be realized. I have contacted Todd Clarke by e-mail for checking his interest in doing the dealing with these plates. Since he didn't reply yet I guess he is on christmas holiday. Let's give him some time ...

Robert
Robert Mueller

Robert,

Add another customer to your list. My car is in good shape, but my ID plate is mostly worn away. A nice new original-look plate would be a great addition.

-Chuck Mosher
Chuck Mosher

Hi Robert
Put me on your list too. Thanks. Mark
MLS Somers

I'd go for a new one too
dominic clancy

I need one for my '58 Coupe (came without a plate)that I am rebuilding, so I am a potential customer also.

Peter.
P. Tilbury

When they are ready I will take one>
Gordon
Gordon Harrison

This thread was discussed between 26/12/2006 and 05/01/2007

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