Morris Minor Owners Club

Injection or die moulding vs deep drawing? Maybe the aluminum was drawn as well. The aluminum can is very light. Any credence to the story that aluminum panels were used in post war English cars because it was more available than steel?

59Elva wrote: ↑Thu Aug 13, 2026 1:10 pm Injection or die moulding vs deep drawing? Maybe the aluminum was drawn as well. The aluminum can is very light. Any credence to the story that aluminum panels were used in post war English cars because it was more available than steel?

Yes that is true. There was a great deal of aluminium sheet available from WW2 aircraft production that was no longer needed for that purpose. Series 1 Land Rover has aluminium body panels.


Stephen

How long did it take to use up the surplus? My ‘60 MGA had aluminum doors, trunk and hood ( boot and bonnet). I believe the big Healeys and Jag XK120s did as well. Does England have domestic aluminum production? I’ve heard of the historical coal, tin and copper mining.

svenedin wrote: ↑Thu Aug 13, 2026 1:14 pm

59Elva wrote: ↑Thu Aug 13, 2026 1:10 pm Injection or die moulding vs deep drawing? Maybe the aluminum was drawn as well. The aluminum can is very light. Any credence to the story that aluminum panels were used in post war English cars because it was more available than steel?

Yes that is true. There was a great deal of aluminium sheet available from WW2 aircraft production that was no longer needed for that purpose. Series 1 Land Rover has aluminium body panels.


Stephen

Not just series 1. Lots more than those.

Not England but Scotland did because it had sufficient hydro electric power to power the smelters and they used vast amounts of electricity in the smelting process.
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/20 ... -abertarff