Metalware

technical data -

The locks used were all of the Wilmot Breeden MRN series and many of the metal fixings were supplied by Wilmot Breeden (part numbers follow).


maintenance -

To be written...


problems -

The bumpers are particularly malleable and may bend easily on impact. This may lead to the boot lid of Barker bodied cars catching on the ironwork. If hit hard enough, the bumper irons may crack at the lowermost point where they pass under the bodyshell.
If the chassis is solid the brackets may easily be bent back to shape, by bolting a long bar through the bumper bolt hole or sliding a 3' length of scaffold pole over the iron, then (with the bar in the vertical position) pulling away from the car to bend the bracket. Since considerable force must be applied, take care, if using a pole, that it does not slip.

The secondary check mechanism on the door latches of Briggs bodied cars may break and the catch abutment plate may wear. This may lead to the doors swinging open if not closed fully.
The spring-loaded, moving ratchet type catch is fitted within the larger latch part on the pillar and may break, losing the spring. If the catch is no longer pushed out by the spring, the center part can be replaced by a flat strip of brass. This will require a hole punched (for the pivot pin) another hole part-way through to take the spring, and one end cut to half its thickness to keep the moving end in place. The strip must be filed to a wedge shape to match the original and a suitable replacement spring found.

The teardrop embellishment for the front wings of the Briggs bodied cars were originally held onto the car by three screws soldered to the back, retained by washers and nuts. The nuts may corrode and the screws shear off when an attempt is made to undo them. As a result of this (and failed attempts to fix it) the teardrops are often lost or damaged.
The solution is to solder new screws to the teardrop in place of the old ones.


removal -

To be written...


other notes -

The rear overriders on the Barker bodied LD10 are deliberately fitted upside-down (ie. shorter end uppermost). This was presumably due to a design fault.

The bonnet hinges for the Reliant Rebel (part nos. 8593 and 8594) are identical parts (to the Barker boot hinges), but note the hand must be reversed for use on the boot. It may be possible to obtain these through Unipart.
Apparently the MG 'Y' type (YA, YB or YT) also used identical hinges, these may be available from the Octagon Car Club, or through NTG Motor Services Ltd, as part number C569.

Weston Body Hardware Limited produce a boot handle with the correct critical dimensions (part number 1/13400 with 44mm fixing hole), tho it is a modern interpretation and thus lacks much of the detailed refinement of the original.

The door lock catch plate of the Briggs-bodied LD10 can be replaced by that of the Ford V8 Pilot.
Ford V8 Pilot exterior door handles may also be used on the LD10, altho they require a nut & bolt, whereas the original body plate used a stud.

It is highly probable that the petrol filler cap was also a Wilmot Breeden part.

Suitable interior, spring-loaded escutcheons may be available from Vintage Supplies Ltd. part number #219.


diagrams -

All images are scanned from originals, wherever possible, at 100dpi (unless otherwise noted) and must be scaled when printed to preserve the original size (eg. scale up by 3 times for a 300dpi printer).

Note, however, that due to slight scaling inaccuracies during both the scanning and inevitably the printing, these images should be taken as an approximation for reference only.
In addition, drawings, measurements and notes of materials used are intended as a guide and aid to the restorer, and not necessarily a definitive, or even guaranteed correct, reference.

This metal pin, from the bonnet catch, retains the 2 springs used by the opening mechanism.


None yet.