Nitty Details

The following items are the hardest to achieve for a person who is trying to create an absolutely original car. In a Concours d'Elegance these would be the items that could differentiate two winning cars. Some of these items will most likely be impossible to achieve but they are interesting goals to pursue if you want the ultimate in originality.

It may well be that there never was an original TF once it left the dealer showroom/lot, especially in the United States. It appears that modifying the car was one of the major features of the model. This is attested by all the accessories that were available at the time from dealers and parts suppliers such as Arnolt and others.

Note: To see a picture of the detail item in a separate window click on the icon.

Item		Source
Engine number that matches body plate		N/A
Size of front hood side panel piping (smaller diameter than rest of exterior piping)		Make it yourself by taking the cord out of a piece of the piping that you used on the rest of the body and replace it with a 1/4" inch diameter cord
Break in wing/running board piping		TF's rear wings were installed with the body tub. This meant the rear wing piping had to be separate from the front wing piping so a split was required just forward of the joint of the running board and rear fender. They also used an aluminum wire several inches long to form the sharp turn at the fender.
Exhaust pipe diameter
Original engine oil pan bolts
Original soft metal tappet cover bolts
Correct battery (series, Lucas, vented caps)		Abingdon Spares
Cap style battery cable connectors at battery		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares, Rhode Island Wiring Services, Narragansett Reproductions, Bygone Spares and Restoration
Black braided negative battery and starter cables		Rhode Island Wiring Services, Narragansett Reproductions , Bygone Spares and Restoration
Rubber starter switch (not nylon) and rubber boots
Original spark plug wires (lacquer coated black cloth braided wire)		Check NOS at classic car parts shops. Vintage Ford
Original spark plug caps (black bakelite)
Spark plug wire retainer at distributor (red fiberboard)
Original black coil		Moss Motors
Correct dates (within a few months prior to car date) on starter, generator, and coil		British Auto Electric
Braided and cloth covered wires and loom, black sheath with correct colored tracer		Rhode Island Wiring Services, Narragansett Reproductions, Abingdon Spares, Moss Motors, Bygone Spares and Restoration
Correct (small diameter) braided fuel lines		From the Frame Up
Wooden battery box liner		Moss Motors, 407-710
Rubber pads between battery and battery clamp		Rob Grantham
Rubber Battery Buffer Pads		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares; Use the brake adjustment hole plugs
Double slotted conduit straps (3) for temperature capillary tube on radiator stabilizer tube.		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares 65 051
Double slotted conduit strap on front of the firewall stabilizer tube for the right front light harness to keep it from fowling the steering column.		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares 65 051
Radiator drain pipe
ID plates finished in nickel silver		Moss Motors 408-730, 408-740
Oil cap finished in nickel silver or cad
Etched 'Auster' windscreen emblem
Correct nuts (fat) on windscreen frame
Brass finished flat 'D' washer and lock nut on windscreen sideframe (under Acorn nut)		Just remove plating or brass plate if steel.
Dunlop tires 5.50x15		No known source.
Glass tail and side lamp lenses		Moss Motors
Lucas "Anchor" quartz iodine headlamps
Flat topped bumpers		No known source except originals.
No rubber packing on bumper overriders		Many do like to add this to their cars but they did not have this originally.
Front license plate with correct 'Z' brackets to bumper
Original tachometer and speedometer cables
Plastic sheath on tachometer cable		Use heat shrink tubing
Original starter and choke cables
Rubber grommet on tach cable brace at firewall		Abingdon Spares
Underscuttle above dash matches dash color, not body color		Use dash paint
Under dash cover in black Rexine		Abingdon Spares, Moss Motors
Correct knobs on dash with appropriate letter marker
Original interior materials (Rexine)
Leather on map pocket tops and door piping, seat tops		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares, Heritage Upholstery & Trim
Correct number of pleats on seat cushions (6) with wider borders		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares, Heritage Upholstery & Trim
Correct holes on firewall (there were some empties, see manuals)
Original top/tonneau materials
Original half tonneau cover		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares
Correct radiator hoses		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares
Correct (thin and textured) rubber radiator webbing strip		1/16" thick x 1/2" wide x 10 feet roll. Rubber Sheet Roll. You will have to cut the 1" size in half.
Correct routing and copper carburetor overflow lines with clip on front engine plate		Note the clip should be on the front of the engine bearer plate and attached just below the timing chain cover right side bulge.
Original hose clamps (radiator hoses, air cleaner, steering column)		Moss Motors 326-388
Original tan marbled steering wheel		I have not been happy with the reproduction units as I feel the color is too dark. If you have an old wheel you might want to check with Kimble Engineering, in the UK. They reportedly have the original mold tooling for the steering wheel and has them made in the original materials (even in the original city). Also note that I believe the centerpiece to be darker than what is generally accepted today. See finish details for more information and the attached image.
Original steering wheel center piece		Moss Motors 262-340. Will need to be repainted.
Plain door threshold plates
Original Karvel unbound carpeting		Heritage Upholstery & Trim, Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares
Original transmission dipstick cover wing nut
Mahogany rotary cut marine plywood floorboards 1/2" thick		Boulter Marine Plywood
Tan leather steering wheel excluder at scuttle with correct clamp		Moss Motors 454-040
Sewn in rubber footwell with MG logo on LHD cars		There is no exact source for this. You may be able to carefully carve out a channel for the stitching in the edge with one of the reproductions.
Painted interior color fuel tank strap bolt heads and washers, hinges for side curtain box		N/A
Paint extends onto the rim of the gas tank sides		Don't mask the gas tank sides and paint from the center to the outside. You may need to clean the paint off of the chrome edge a bit after it drys
Original tools and tool case		The In-Point for reproductions
Original hand crank with brass handle, clips on rear of seat back		Moss Motors 386-150
Original operation manual, workshop manual, parts catalog
Original dealer brochures
Original Factory Accessories
Direction of and correct type of bolts and nuts (see manuals for guidance on positions)		N/A
Correct washers		Clarke Spares and Restorations
Correct frame clips for brake lines, wiring and fuel line		Moss Motors 326-326
Black Oxide Temperature Capillary Tube		You will need to finish this yourself if you have a restored gauge. See the finish section.
Rear end stenciled with TF		Either in yellow or white. Not all cars had this stencil but many did.
Triplex Windshield Etching		Lew Palmer
Exterior machine screw and washer on hood at top bow		Fastenal Finish Washer The washers and machine screw head were painted a flat tan to match the hood fabric.
Hidem cap painted flat tan		Cap was nailed in place and then the nail was hand painted.
Wiring loom serial number tag		On the black ground wire that attaches to the bonnet side panel on the carburetor side of the car A unique numerical brass collar.

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