PLATING FINISHES ON SOME PARTS OF MY 1938 ARIEL SQUARE FOUR

[ralph thetford]

What type of Plating finish should there be on (1)--The Strap that holds the magneto in position, (2)--- The small diameter oil feed pipes from the crank case to the rocker box and (3)---The rocker box lid special nuts---they all dirty and old look and like unpolished chrome but are they supposed to be dull chrome or polished chrome or are supposed to be zinc plated ?.
Regards Ralph

[paul.jameson]

So far as I know Ralph, the magneto strap was black painted. The small diameter oil pipes were dipped in something or other to plate them. The easy solution (and one which nobody has yet suggested looks wrong on my bikes) is to paint them with silver Hammerite Smooth. You would get away with the same trick on the rocker box nuts - which you can hardly see once the tank is on anyway.

[malcolm.johnson]

A favourite of mine is ZG90 "galvanize" spray. Looks good, dries quickly and very durable even when treat to a spannering! Couple of coats direct to bare metal.

[Mick D]

Hi Malcolm
Any chance you could post a photo of the finish? - sounds interesting.
Regards Mick

[malcolm.johnson]

Hi Mick, I have had a quick look and here is a picture of the mag/dyno of my Sq4 I recently rebuilt. Probably not the correct finish, but the dynamo body and the two straps are done in ZG90 spray. I once did the iron hubs off an A10 before building the wheels and when done they looked like bead blasted alloy. It is reasonably cheap and readily available. I was put onto it by an engineer friend who uses it to touch up on galvanised parts after a weld has been necessary. Do shake the can well!

[Mick D]

Thanks Malcolm
I'll certainly investigate that further.
Regards Mick