Meat Mesh.

Mon.25.02.08.To minimise the damage to the bonnet halves during the rubbing down process I have made a cradle to act as a support and a temporary ‘vice’ which should grip the edges and facilitate further improvements. The original bonnet vents had been filled earlier so to was the bulk of the uneven underside, but nevertheless the surface, compared with the rest of the other panels, appeared quite crude. This was probably the last remaining element of the bodywork that hadn’t been thoroughly re-worked and consequently seemed very incongruous adjacent to other highly polished sections. After several attempts to rub down the surface and three layers of satin black it was obvious that to cover the underside, with an appropriate material, was a priority. A visit to Chris of Catterall and Wood was essential proving extremely successful. Chris recommended a product that he had used for ‘screening’ but its more conventional application was in the meat industry to ward off unwanted insects. In fact, its proper title is ‘Perforated Zinc Meat Mesh’.

Berrys of Leyland are the suppliers of the material which they retail in 8x4x1.5mm sheets at a cost of £40.00. Zinc has particular properties that are similar to Aluminium but the metal has greater flexibility which is ideal for the curving contours and shapes within the bonnet. I just hope that it meets with approval having previously ‘not run it by’ the boss.

Tues.26.02.08. Cleverly and skilfully, using my newly acquired ‘snips’ from Brabbin and Rudd, I have cut and shaped the mesh for the job. A right-angled profile has been fabricated on each unit to mirror that of the existing central edge of the bonnet halves. This can now be bolted to the spine of the hinge mechanism. The two points at which the bonnet rests on the scuttle and nosecone have been left bare as both of these edges rest perfectly when in the closed position. A rubber trim will be glued to each exposed end to become the finished border. It will also be prudent to spray the entire underside with a clear satin lacquer which should aid cleaning and maintenance.

The newly trimmed seats have had their first fitting in the cockpit. The ‘mid sage leather’ against the ‘deep green’ is extremely complimentary; encouragingly the retro style basic 1962 Mk 1 buckets have been a wise choice sustaining the ‘mood’ of the car. The dummy dash and steering column together with the boot lining and box brought a unity to the cockpit area that had not been seen before. Even the very Spartan assortment of ‘trim’, temporarily sited, indicate the potential of this section of the car. The endless dash and tunnel designs, the considerations of colour against the balance of timber, leather and wool appear, initially, to have all been worthwhile.