Morris Minor Owners Club

Nearly 18 years and 50,000+ miles after the original restoration, there are a number of small cosmetic welding jobs required - the usual splits on the front doors below the quarter lights and a small split at the front of the bonnet. Then there is a 200mm long 'supermarket' scratch to the LH rear wing and a few bubbles in the paint on the RH rear wing.

The actual body shell is totally rust free, thanks to the previous 'back to bare metal' job and some excellent preparation by the paintshop, but rather than risk a potentially obvious change in paint shade colour of the resprayed panels, I am in the process of completely stripping the car (of parts, not another bare metal job!) ahead of a total respray.

Which brings me to the point of the post! The door hinges have been painted body colour on the outside, but are bare metal on the side mating with the door and bodyshell - what colour/finish should the hinges be?

The screws fixing them to the doors and shell - bare, body colour or plated?

The door 'restraint' - bare, body colour or plated?

Finally does anyone have a spare door hinge to body screw please? I have lost one (5/16" BSF Phillips 'Crosshead' countersunk head).

I am not looking for concours, but would like to get it right where possible/sensible.

Hi Richard, i dont think any paint was used on the backs of the hinges, but i would use a zinc primmer on the casting and then a aerosol colour to seal it after its been de rusted graham

Agreed, all the ones that I have taken off have been bare metal on the reverse. Given that the screws/bolts have painted heads, it suggests that paint was applied after assembly. Hopefully someone will have direct knowledge of the production line to confirm this.

Thanks for the replies.

Maybe the doors with hinges were originally fitted to the body before painting? So then the hinges and screws will be body colour, but no paint on the hinge sides fixed to the body? I don't remember what I did in 1998, but the doors were definitely taken off the body for stripping and painting, and by the look of it I left the hinges on the doors (as original?)

This time I think at least a coat of primer on the back of the hinges and painted body colour on the front, but kept separate from both doors and body.