[Healeys] RM Auction Monterey - 3 Healeys for sale

[Chris Dimmock]

When I restored my BJ8, I took a similar tack.
I Zinc plated anything that I need to remove to maintain the car. E.g. Shock
refill bolts. Diff drain plug and filler bolts. Sump plug. Steering box filler
plug.
I could have painted them, as per factory original.
Paint - thats the cheapest way to do it.
But then you'll just crack the paint first time you undo to check/ adjust /
top up. Then it rusts. Then it looks like crap. And what's it look like 10
years later?
The factory didn't care!
Don't get me wrong. I love concours. I love the pursuit of originality.
That is critical to our Marque.
No buts.
I love how our cars were built.
My personal view is based on long term ownership. Using the car. Maintaining
it. And long term presentation. It is very important to know when you have
deviated from the standards. As long as you KNOW it's not correct - that's
fine. That's why concours guidelines are so important.
I could just paint my plated nuts and bolts black anytime!!!
Having said that, I still have a BJ8 generator, armstrong shocks, BJ8 Lucas
starter, etc. Period mods? Yes. Triple webers? Yes
Positive earth? Yes.
Plated nuts rather than painted? Guilty.
;-)
However, I never thought of plating the BJ8 bonnet side strikers and main
bonnet striker..... I just wish the accountants at BMC thought of this stuff
too. I think they were too focused on the pennies.....
Best
Chris
PS And I can overspray my spark plugs later too!
On 02/08/2012, at 11:03 AM, Michael MacLean <rrengineer.mike at att.net> wrote:

>     Thank you Curt....
>    Tom actually does things like chrome plate high wear areas like the plate
that the
> prop rod for the bonnet.  If painted, it would be scratched the first time
it
> was used. ...
> Mike MacLean
>
> --- On Wed, 8/1/12, Curt/Nancy Arndt <cnaarndt at gmail.com> wrote:
> Listers,
>
> Tom Rocke is a friend

> That being said, Tom builds a nice driving car they're just not Concours
> correct.  I don't loose sleep over it.  FWIW.