Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray White]

I am anxious about fitting the new hood to my MG TC project. Firstly I have to hope that I secure the frame in the right place; secondly, I have never fitted a hood before and seeing as the new one has been hand made by a specialist it cost a small fortune.! I can't afford to stuff it up but I am reluctant to hand over hundreds more to a trimmer who may or may no do the job well.

Part of the problem is that I have a new body tub and therefore no points of reference to go by. There are scant few diagrams for fitting a hood to a TC. Most are for the TA; the body of which is 4" narrower.

On the plus side, the car is quite small and a friend has offered to help me.

[Bitumen Boy]

[Ray White]

The use of plastic in interiors is one thing but it has been infiltrating engines for a while now. I may have mentioned this before (memory fails me) but I know a young mechanic who works with his Dad out of a Garage near me. He bought a modern Audi sports car with a powerful V8 engine. There was a problem with the variable valve timing so he stripped the engine. What he found was a broken timing chain tensioner. Not worn out but broken ...because it was made of plastic.

The engineers at Audi are probably some of the best in the world but although I have no evidence for it, their efforts would seem to have been undermined by penny pinching .

Blinkered bean counters probably.

[Bitumen Boy]

[bjacko]

I can confirm plastic parts have a calendar life rather than a mileage life. my Rover Starter Motor (Lucas) ceased working due to a non available plastic interior part having broken. The car has only done 34,000 kms.
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1938 Morris 8 Ser II Coupe Utility (Pickup)
1985 Rover SD1 VDP

[ukdave2002]

I rebuilt the front end of a accident damaged 2008 Renault Clio a few years back, I was amazed at how much of the bodywork was held in with plastic clips, the downside being a few had broken in the accident and a few more broke during dismantling.

The plus side is that your not fighting with rusted steel fasteners, and reassembly is very quick, you do need a supply of new clips thankfully they are cheap.

Regarding the general debate regarding "plastics" its a generic term that unfortunately generates images of the junk that used to come out of Hong Kong in the 70's ! these days some of the poly composite plastics have many better qualities than steel, gun barrels have been made from them, they are used all over the place in the aviation industry for weight and durability advantages.

What I would be wary of, is cheaper non OEM plastic parts, they may not be using the original manufacturers spec, and to the naked eye, difficult to differentiate from the original material.

[Ray White]

My Range Rover P38 is strewn with cheap and nasty plastic stuff which surprised me. I thought they were supposed to be a quality car but compared to my Wife's Lexus it is really quite poor.