Any leads please for an re-brass company, radiator cowl, lamps,lamp rims. Prefer East Anglia but could parcel force to a good company. Recommendations?

Always willing to learn something new, would someone please advise what Austin 7 of ANY model - apart from the early-model (brass) grease gun - had a brass look anywhere? Cheers, Bill in Oz

Carb ,petrol tap,petrol filler cap,mag strap,speedo outer,steering col into casting,wheel nuts,rad drain tap,water hose clips,speedo drive on gearbox,A/R and hand throttle levers at base of col,thottle ball joints,sump plug etc, all vintage period.

Hello David,

Just reading through your list of "brass" parts I really don't think you are looking for a brass "plater" Brass plating in my mind conjours up visions of cheap iron hardware items dressed up with a thin layer of "brass" coating to look like real brass but generally resembling trash.

I think that if you are trying to say, make your Zenith 22FZ Carburetter look half respectable, you would be wise to look for someone with a sandblast cabinet and who is prepared to use micro-fine glass beads in it.

That medium will clean up brass and bronze castings to look like they have just come from the foundry. Properly used, with the right grade of beads, the process is completely safe and will not adversely affect the metal. I have a small blast cabinet and use it for cleaning up Distributor bodies and even die-cast carburetters.

I personally have a distaste for a "hot-rod" appearance under the bonnet or anywhere else for that matter on an old car, and would very much prefer orignal finishes on components.

A previous owner of my Chummy has polished the lids to the Cut-Out Box and the headlamp shells which I particularly dislike, and it is only sloth and lack of organisation on my part which has held up a return to decent black enamel finish.

The bead blasting of things like sump plugs etc though, will get rid of the grot, won't damage the crispness of the various edges and may well satisfy your fetish for "brass" I have even heard it suggested that there may be a "therapeutic" effect from the beads which helps alleviate metal fatigue in such parts as a by product of the blasting, but I really would not expect that the process I have in mind would be vigourous enough for that to pertain.

Best regards

Barry R

Thanks David Howe (I assume not the first David listed) - I was aware of the parts which are brass, didn't want to list them all, although I can say that a few of the bits I have found to be painted when on Pramhoods. But I did say "brass look" and when I see such things as radshells, lamps etc in brass I must confess I'm disappointed - after all A7s were never Veterans. I think every Austin 7 has it's individuality without going that far. Cheers, Bill in Oz

Is David asking for someone to replate the brass cowl and lamps of his car, in either nickel or chrome depending on the model?
In which case the nearest chrome platers in the Red Cross directory is SB Products of Peterborough 01733 266138. Living in Manchester I don't know of any other nearer to East Anglia that is recommendable.
Dave Mann

My rad shell is in a lovely shade of unpolished grubby and dirty brass!!!!
I am too tight to get it replated!!

Keep on trucking

p.s Had a lovely at Blue hills on the Lands End yesterday, seemed to have gained a lot on the hills with the SU carb .

Steve

Thanks chums, I have decided to leave things just as is after reading of your thoughts and suggestions.