FRONT WINGS

Post by **Willie** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:45 pm

QUERY on FRONT WINGS October 1954 onwards. On many cars there
is a clearly visible overlapping ridge level with the centre of the
headlamp and the bonnet. My 1967 car had them and I assumed that
they were original. I have just bought a new 'genuine' wing and it does
not have this ridge so, either the genuine wings are now made without
this ridge or they are NOT genuine?? My previously fitted 'pattern'
wing does not have the ridge either. Can anyone shed light on this??
Look in 'Original Morris Minor' pages 43,75,82,93+118--ridge clearly
visible. Pages 58,63,+93--no ridge??

Post by **Vernon** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 8:11 pm

I have often wondered about this too. My 1965 2-door saloon didn't have any visible seams in the front wings but my daughter's 1969 4-door had exactly what you describe. However when she bought genuine replacement wings they didn't have the overlapping ridge at the centre but they did have a diagonal seam below the headlamp.

Post by **Cam** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 10:39 pm

This 'ridge' has always caused a problem for early cars as the MMs and Series 2s did not have them.

The 'ridge' type wings were referred to as '1000' wings. Some MM owners have had to fit the later wings with the ridge as the earlier types were not available but that's the first thing you spot, and it's annoying!!

I have recently managed to get some original 1951 'non-ridge' wings for my '52 as it had 'ridge' type 1000 ones fitted and they are not correct for early 'non-1000' cars.

I don't know exactly when they changed over, but I would assume (going from others I have seen) that if you have a Minor 1000 then the ridge type is correct.

I guess Bill Hewlett (MMOC Chief Concours judge) would be the man to ask!

Post by **shaunb** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:19 pm

I've recently replaced both my '62 Traveller wings with pattern wings and they have the overlap ridge it's the first thing you notice! The fit isn't to good either, next time I'll go for genuine stuff.

Post by **Willie** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 2:30 pm

SHAUNB, that's my point, I have just bought a 'genuine' wing
which does NOT have the overlap, on the other side I have a 'pattern' wing which also does NOT have the overlap. So, either the method
of making the current 'genuine' wings has been refined or we are
not getting genuine wings when we pay the extra for them?? This
'genuine'one is from one of the best known Minor specialists.

Post by **aupickup** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 3:20 pm

i have 3 original bmc wings
they were bought in 1969 and have the ridges you are referring to.
au

Post by SR » Sat Dec 18, 2004 5:39 pm

apart from sellers sayso how can u tell a pattern from genuine? or is the ridge it?

Post by **aupickup** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 6:23 pm

i have seen this ridge on pattern and so called genuine wings, depends on where you get them from, a bit of pot luck i guess.

i dio prefer the ridge as a personal preference.

but again for every day user vehicles does it really matter.

as a point of interest, commercial `b` genuine posts have a different profile at the bottom than the cars, and yet so many have the 4 door profile.

Post by **brixtonmorris** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:19 am

hi wille as far as i was concerned the ridge was there on the original wings.
some pattend wings have a bad shape there, they stick out to far along the top of the hocky stick area.
this ridge was quite a large step on the original ones. like the metal had been folded there a few times.
pattened ones, the step is less neater and may be spot welded. i prefer no step, so i fill the step in and make it smooth.