Anyone know of a source for the thin Masonite for making a cooper s boot lid liner?

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

Get a standard one from bunnies and take it to a cabinet maker they can profile it down with their cnc router

Hi
I got the original Masonite ( if that is it's correct name ) from John Smidt Mini King NSW about two years ago for $30.00.
Brought it home and thinned it to the correct size, John can advise. I think it was 4mm and then made a jig to curve the board by bending slowly and using water. Once you get the curve you want, hold the board in place and let it dry out fully. I waited a week then remove from the jig and the board will hold that curve shape. It pays to screw the board to the boot lid as soon as you can. I painted the board after the curve process and drying.
Came out looking so original and I found some florentine bronze cup washers and screws which the factory used to screw the liner into place.
I put john onto the cup washer supplier as he had run out and was looking for a new supplier.
Hope this helps.

Regards

The material is Leatherwood Masonite.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/ ... erS124.jpg

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Hi Greg, I obtained 2.5 mm Trimboard masonite from a local upholstery supplier in Brisbane called Daley's Auto Marine & Upholstery Supplies at Acacia Ridge- 0737173900
They also supplied Trimboard embossed 1.5 and 2.5mm cardboard which is embossed with a pattern in gloss finish on one side and I believe the original boot boards were cardboard but not sure as I sold a very original board from a Mk1 to Mokesta on this forum some time ago. He may be able to confirm the original material. It would not be practical to buy a large sheet of this stuff in Brisbane and freight it to SA but they could possibly put you on to a supplier in Adelaide or you could search directory for local upholstery suppliers
Cheers
Ian

I could have had so much 4mm Masonite from the house next door when the people were ripping the walls out a few years ago

they used to use it like gyprock in the old days on the inside

Doogie,
The stuff John has is spot on, its just a little thick as stated but it is the right stuff. The replica stuff around is crap and don't use cardboard.
G.

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1970 Cooper S ex-Bathurst & ATCC
1964 Austin Cooper S ex-Group C race car
1967 Morris Cooper S ex-Group B
1962 Mini Speed sports sedan
1968-71 ex-Peter Manton Shell car

John's sheets were acquired from the factory during one of their sell-offs so are absolutely authentic. He has had the lid profile and mounting holes laser cut to the original pattern. They just need thicknessing, as Greg says, and then painted black. The current finish is the standard masonite readycoat primer.

I chuckled at Firefirey's mention above of the screws and cup washers. John is adamant the Australian Cooper S boot lid board was fixed with Florentine Bronze screws/washers but all the parts books I've seen specify nickel plated components. I've only ever seen nickel in the flesh but John has vastly more practical experience than me. For now it's one of life's little mysteries.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

I've got a stack of the florentine bronze screws from John from some time ago. I'm not entirely sure, but I think he had them plated. Its quite a challenge to find the nicely domed cross head self tappers they used. The washers are easier.

Funnily enough, I've still got an large upright closet made of the leatherwood masonite. It was quite popular back in the day as a furniture material. I keep all my deepest secrets in that closet

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

To help the search, those screws are part number RTZ604, which equates to Recessed Raised Countersunk-Head Tapping Screws Type A, 6 gauge, 1/2" long, zinc plated.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Cup washer FWP 106

Could there be a change point with YKG2S2 - 4 ?

Just checked mine owned from new, late 68 build car number 48xx.
Its all original but after 46 years its a little the worse for wear. Board is Masonite leatherwood?? embossed pattern and painted black.
Thickness is approx 3mm, perhaps a little less say 2.8mm but the ravages of time may have caused some shrinkage.
The original screws are zinc plated as mentioned above with nickel plated cup washers.
No florentine bronze anything in sight here.
IIRC??? the screws and cup washers are the same as those securing the rear edge of the door trims.

RonR

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68 build Mk1 Cooper S
72 Clubman GT project. Total restoration required

Did anyone find a local supplier of screws and cup washers that look similar or the same. Any photos??

Just wondering why John's sheet is too thick if it came from the factory and is absolutely authentic

Cheers
Steve

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1964 998cc Cooper
1971 Mini K x 2
1972 Clubman GT

Because it is the source material. BMC also needed to put them through a thicknesser before cutting to shape and drilling.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43