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MG TD TF 1500 - Pot Metal

I believe the door lock covers on the TD are so called "pot metal" but I'm curious if there are any other chromed pot metal parts on the TD?? Anyone know for sure?

I know what pot metal is but I never really thought about it until a chrome shop I called asked me if my windscreen side supports and cowl brackets were "pot metal."

TIA

Larry
L Karpman

53 TAILIGHT PLINTHS ARE POT METAL
SANDY
conrad sanders

I think the door handles are also pot metal... I thought most of the windscreen was brass, but not sure about the supports?

Just had an estimate to do 7 pieces of pot metal (two side spears and a trunk license plate light from the Wolseley)... seems they have to do a ton of work to pot metal if there are bumps and corrosion! The estimate was $780.00, about the amount a club member paid for every piece of chrome on his TD! (brought the side pieces home and left the light part for $125.)


gblawson(gordon)

I'd sure like to know for sure what the composition of the metal is on the windsceeen frame, side supports, and cowl brackets. I "assumed" they were brass and steel repectively.

Cheers

Larry
L Karpman

larry,

the windscreen side supports are definately brass, the frame is steel, i had all parts rechromed with no problems.
Regards Chris
C A Pick

Reactivated thread.

Following on from the initial question, my TD windscreen is all brass including the frame.

However I'm looking to repair pot metal, white metal, monkey metal or diecast as it's apparently all the same stuff. I have some ignition switches with broken tabs on the lock body cover & wondered whether repair was possible using a product called Super Alloy 1 from Muggy Weld. Anyone have any experience using this product? According to the maker's blurb on the Internet it's even better than sliced bread! It's not available here. Almost $200 for the starter kit including bank charges & shipping to Oz so I don't want to waste my time & money on something that doesn't work. I also have some overlong lock body covers with good tabs that I thought I could possibly cut down & weld using this stuff. Of course any other suggestions are welcomed. I don't have a lathe so turning some up in say brass is out of the question. Cheers
Peter TD 5801


P Hehir

I just paid over $700 for a TF windshield frame and spare tire wing nut. Chroming is expensive and mainly due to the EPAs regulations for disposal of chemicals. PJ
Paul161

Chroming is expensive. It should be. Hexavalent chromium is one of the most toxic chemicals around, with long term severe physiological effects demonstrated in very low dosages. You do NOT want this stuff in your water supply because some cheap chroming shop wants to save you a few bucks by dumping it into the well in their back yard. It needs to be disposed of very carefully, or every chroming shop would be a Superfund site. I have absolutely no problem paying extra for chrome.
My windshield and cowl pieces cost about $500 to chrome. I also believe that the windscreen is 100% steel and brass.
Geoffrey M Baker

X2

Imagine if the EPA didn't exist and industry had continued the practices for the 40s, 50s, 60s through to today.

Google Love Canal for a taste.

.....
MAndrus

Don't forget about the time spend refinishing ,filling dings/scratches, metal finishing, polishing, and prepping the parts. They must be perfect first. That has to add a lot to the cost. George
George Butz


During the last depression, I would carefully add the price of purchasing after market replacements.
I would then take a group to the platers and say.

"Here is what it would cost to get new ones, can you plate them for that, or less?"

Usually it worked.

Jim B.
Jim B in NJ

Most of understand that 99% of the work is prepping the item to be chromed. The item has to be polished to look like glass, then it's chromed. Any defect left will show up in the chrome. As far as my pot metal tail light plinths, I bought repos from Moss and you can not tell the difference from a NOS one. They fit perfect also. PJ
Paul161

Peter:
I purchased some stuff, sort of a powered metal with a "special" flux. It was supposed to work.
NO Way.

Here is what I would suggest.

Have the broken parts copper plated.
Then you can solder with a tin-silver solder using regular flux.

Explain to the plater what you are doing so he does not waist time making the part look nice.

I have used this process to solder to NiChrome, in the past.

There is a lossey RF cable called RG-22. The center conductor is NiChrome. Other than swagging there is no good way to get an RF connector onto the center conductor. Swagging is not all that good for Bandwidth.

Jim B.
Jim B in NJ

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not looking to have the parts chromed as they are not seen. I was seeking info on repairing pot metal using a product I'd found on the Internet called Super Alloy 1 from Muggy Weld & asked if anyone had any success using this stuff. I need a structural repair as the mazak lock body cover tabs need building up & are under some stress. Jim I'm not sure any solder would be strong enough even the stuff with 45% silver content.

Recently had my windscreen replated & all the components were brass, including the frame, side supports & brackets except of course for the hidden bottom internal corner brackets inside the frame. These are the only bits that are steel. I agree chrome plating is expensive however I do understand why, given the toxicity, the extensive preparation & the 3 part plating process (copper, nickel & finally the chrome). Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Has anyone had any experience with the Spray Chrome process? It is suppose to be very effective on pot metal parts as it is an epoxy base that fills the pits. Personally , I hae never seen a part done doing this.
... CR
C.R. Tyrell

Peter,
Super Alloy 1 is a US made product. Here in the US, the cost for the basic kit (5 1/8" rods and a bottle of flux) is US $59 plus $11 shipping. The 5/32" rod kit with 7 rods is also $59.

I have no direct experience with this material, but have used the aluminum rods. The problem with those is the approximately 750 degree temps required which puts you dangerously close to the melting point of the base metal. I have ruined more than one aluminum part trying to repair it.

It might be worth a try on a piece of scrap just to see how effective it is and how strong. But at those Australian prices, is it worth the gamble?

Cheers,
Lew
Lew3

I have no experience with the Spray Chrome Process. I don't know if this is the same stuff that Jay Leno featured on his garage. You might want to look through his website and see if you can find the spray chrome product he demonstrated.
Geoffrey M Baker

Not that I have tried it nor really know of a product by name but what about some of these casting compounds that have ground up metal in them? For pot metal that might be the best route as I don't think you can weld it very well.

http://www.smooth-on.com/Urethane-Plastic-a/c5_1119_1211/index.html

Christopher Couper

This thread was discussed between 14/02/2009 and 01/09/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

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