The Tinware

     As I've mentioned before the tinware, that is mudguards, headlamp, rear chainguard, toolboxes and fuel tank, was in a fairly poor state. The front mudguard was a non-Panther guard, holed with rust and chopped up when we loaded the van. The rear mudguard was a deeply valanced Panther type but upon dismantling it turned out to be a Panther front guard with a rusty extension bolted on to make up the length. The rear chainguard was the correct one although it had been repaired with the lower section replaced and fixed with pop-rivets. I decided to reuse this as is, just clean and paint. The toolboxes had both lost their lower third to the rust worm and were put to one side for later consideration. The headlamp was rusty on its lower half but recoverable, the fuel tank was beyond salvation. The rear number plate and the seat pan were both rusty and a little moth-eaten but usable.


Remains of the front guard.

Rear mudguard as taken off.

The fuel tank beyond repair



Seat, foam, pan and cover

       The mudguards were stripped of paint and the numerous drilled holes and the odd rusted thin area were welded up and filled. The replacement back mudguard from my shed appears to be from a BSA as it had a recess at the bottom for the swinging arm. This was dressed out (for which read hit with a large hammer!) All the parts were rubbed down, sprayed with a primer filler then a couple of coats of top coat. I used a cutting compound and polish on this for a decent finish but went through to the primer on the rear mudguard so had to start again on that. Finish is not concours but looks adequate to me so the parts were bolted to the frame.

 

Front mudguard and headlamp shell.

Rear mudguard, number plate and chainguard.

Seat pan.

     The replacement fuel tank is on its way and there is still work to do on the toolboxes but I shall turn to the engine next after a longish break during which I hope to lace up some wheels..