[Healeys] Ah, the rivet...and the Assumptions Within

[Curt/Nancy Arndt]

Olin,

Your credentials as an engineer explain everything.  I am well aware of the
typical engineer's lack of spelling skills ;-)

Regarding the rivet and those wishing to restore their cars with this
feature in place.. a few details are in order.

As Gary has explained, the rivet is there to hold the clip in place on the
back side of the chrome ring.  Original rings with the rivet  if you have
yours, can be properly restored but it requires some work.

First of all the rivet is nickel plated copper and not chrome, which is why
on many original cars, after years of polishing the nickel wears off to the
underlying copper.  Also, the clip on the back side is zinc plated steel, so
just re-plating the ring in chrome ring with the rivet and clip in place is
not correct.

Others have had good success with drilling out the rivet, then chrome
plating the ring and zinc plating the clip then re-attaching the clip with a
new nickel plated rivet.  A bit of work but this is Concours after all, and
that's how they were produced by Lucas.  And, in anticipation of the obvious
question...yes I will check on where I found the proper rivets.

I too have had no luck in 20+ years finding NOS chrome rings for my 100.

Regarding the use of NOS parts... one common item I have seen over the years
is the use of the NOS grill for the 100.  This grill, even though it's a
factory replacement in NOT the same as the original due to the obvious flat
top on the chrome surround and will receive a deduction in Concours judging
if used.  So one more example where the factory replacement is different
than what was normally installed at the factory.

Cheers,

Curt
Purdue '78

On Mon, Dec 6, 2010 at 7:47 AM, Healey <healey at hunterbane.com> wrote:

> As an engineer, I do not take responsibility for my lack of spelling
> detail.
>
>  Olin Brimberry
> 61 3000 MKII
> BT7 Sideshifter TriCarb
> healey at hunterbane.com
> www.hunterbane.com