1967 Morris Oxford Traveller - Holy thread revival batman

Steering wheel prep

I had hoped to paint the steering wheel with the dashboard. But it wasn't prepped, so it got put to one-side.
With a bit of spare time before Gin O'clock, I started.
This is my wheel, a chrome horn ring, and a nice motif in the middle gives it some style, without those - boring.



The rear was looking a bit tattier.



Stripping the paint I did manually with 100grit sandpaper.
A horrible job, so I sat down with supplies of sandpaper - 3 1/2 hours later I had this.
I had to do it all in one sitting, because I knew coming back to it would be off putting.



Thankfully cracks are minimal.



That was enough for the weekend, as I wanted to double check how to paint it.

I've got some plastics adhesive promoter - I think that'll be a good first coat. Then follow up with 2K primer filler, and maroon 2K top coat like the dash.

Thanks for looking

That looks cracking, and you are doing a lovely job on the resto.
Nice to see a 6-cyl too  

I'm not from Aus but I'm down here suffering your interminable nice weather

We were in Sydney up until May and decided to do a road trip for 3 months which is now up to 5. Slowly heading back down to NSW. Got our 2nd jab yesterday so we can get back in.

The direct to gloss acrylic's are very good - you can also advance the curing times if you wish with the addition of a fast cure additive - primarily known has 'rocket' in the trade - it comes in very handy on occasions - ideal for the smaller jobs / single panels when you want to accelerate the curing times (especially in colder weather temperatures) 

www.jawel.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=142_185&products_id=4105 

Had to store the steering wheel somewhere safe.
So I put it loosly on the column.

Couldn't resist putting on the horn ring and centre badge to bring it to life.



Alas one of the threads used to hold the horn ring in place pulled out. I'll have to add some inserts when the wheel goes on finally.

The trim around the centre badge might need to go maroon, but I'll see what it looks like when the dash is back in.

Thanks for looking.

a very "Buck Rogers" wheel - more than I ever would have expected. Looks great!

pid363 I'll wait until the dash is in, and then see what needs two-toning - but I suspect something will

Talking of dashboards - time to start fitting it up.

Polished up the stainless trim that splits the paint, and just generally took some time putting it all back together.

Loving my period warning light, made by Arcolectric – that is hooked up to the NoDiz as a shift light 
That design of warning lights reminds of the amusement arcades of the 70's, and gives me happy memories.

It was well worth the time refining the glovebox fit.
Pinning the hinges meant it was a breeze to put back together with no chips of paint lost.



I didn’t wet sand the paint, it is good enough as it is IMHO. It is direct to gloss 2K whereas the rest of the car is cellulose, so I'm hoping I can polish the external paint to a similar gloss.

Painted screws hold the glove box liner in place 😊

AFR gauge nicely hidden and keeps the dash period.

I cut a piece of vinyl as a quick mat for the base. I might do that in carpet or even leather when I’ve got an offcut to hand.



I wanted to refine the radio blanking plate I use in the middle of the dash.

I use that to hide the voltmeter/USB and head unit controls.

So, 3D print an insert
Then I used VHB tape to stick the two together.



On the other side I’ve got 4 ickle recessed magnets.

The mounting screws ape the controls on an old school radio.



The screw heads keep everything aligned, and I got lucky with the strength of the magnets.
The blanking plate looks a bit brighter than the rest of the dash, but I've only noticed that in pictures, and not in real life.



Heater control knobs aren’t pushed fully home, as they are a bit of a swine, so they can stay like that for now.

I’ll be able to put the instruments and chrome/mesh trim in when I get back.

Some brass coloured paint has turned up for the mesh, and the tacho has been sent off for electronic conversion - that should be back soon.

Thanks for looking

I finally got around to fitting the dash back into the car.
I'm liking it a lot.
The clock is a spare, I'm working on a AA battery powered quartz conversion, converted positive earth clocks in a metal dash, are a fire risk.
The gearknob need a rework too, as the interior is going more oxblood, rather than the original brighter red.
I'm loving the MGA mirror too.



I threw the steering wheel on to complete the effect.



I'm stoked about the way the glovebox has turned out. 
Hiding the modern air-fuel gauge has worked out well.



The rest of the tech hides behind the radio blanking plate.



I'm naively hoping little of that ever has to come out again. 

But I haven't fitted the wheel and column shroud permanently and I know the steering box/column has to come out to paint the engine bay.
Also the expensively modified tacho isn't working properly yet either 

But there is quite a bit more space in the garage now that lot is in the rightful place.

Thanks for looking.