Bill B wrote:
John Smidt wrote:
Does anyone Know how many times the factory changed the shape and materials
on the Mini grille surround?
Were there any aftermarket suppliers making copies of the surround in the period when genuine ones were freely available? Could that account for the variations?
As well as the problems that p7676 also had getting the surround to fit flush to the body, the main problem I had with so many samples I tried was that if the top of the surround sat close to the top edge of the bonnet close panel, the 2 ends finished far too high and would never line up with the "whiskers" under the blinker lamps.
The earlier model grille surround sat over the top of the grille panel in the center section, from memory there was the early type, then a narrow type made from steel and chrome plated the next type was a narrow type made of stainless steel.
I have been told the very early type was made of brass, I have never seen one, but that is not to say they were not made, I know some very early door hinges were made of brass so it is possible that the grille surround
was made in brass as well.
I had grille surrounds made in the late 60's in Australia, as the new price at the time was very high, the ones I had made and still do, were made of steel & chrome plated, and they fit over the top lip of the grille panel, as most Mini's did until around some time in 1967