BT7 polished or painted windscreen post

[britndablood]

Dose anyone know some background on the originality of the windscreen posts? Mine were polished at one time but I see most of them are now painted body color. Did they come both ways or is it just easier to maintain if they are painted? If they are supposed to be polised I was considering having them anodized after they are polished.

Casey Yunker

 

[Randy Forbes]

Painted the primary body color is correct, though mine were raw (slightly polished) aluminum when I got my car (painted metallic silver at that time).

I've preferred to keep mine in their lightly polished state, as it makes the windshield assembly appear less weighty, and does match the cockpit trim.

It should be pointed out, that there are a number of things <span style="font-style: italic">not right</span> about my car, but it suits me just fine :wink:

 

[britndablood]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to try and polish mine unless the pits are too deep.

 

[Johnny]

Some people polish them for aesthics, like Randy, others get tired of repainting the top of the posts everytime they put the top up. You see the securing brackets on the top always seem to strike the top of the painted posts first thus chipping the paint off. After polishing you might consider applying some clear coat to this area.

Isn't it fun owning a British Car? You never run out of things to tinker with.

 

[bighealeysource]

I agree with Randy and Johnny - think the polished posts look better and makes the windshield assembly seem right to me versus the painted posts. You can usually find someone local to polish those up for you for a very reasonable price or grab your bench grinder, put on some polishing pads, and go for it !
Regards,
Mike

 

[57_BN4]

Goodness, well there's my learn something every day fact out of the way before breakfast! I had always assumed the pillars were anodised as that is what mine are and they look rather nice. Guess I'd better pull them out of the re-anodising pile then.

Andy.

 

[nevets]

I'm a bit of a slave to correctness but they do look very nice unpainted and yes, the paint is easily chipped from putting the top up (mine are chipped). Interesting that the windshield posts on a bug-eye sprite are natural aluminum. I guess the Healey design team wasn't so concerned about consistency across the product line...

 

[Rob Glasgow]

I had mine professionally polished in 1982 when I repainted the car. They were never anodized or clear coated afterwards. All I've ever done is polish with them with either Mother's or Simichrome every year or so. Still look like chrome. I've had other owners give me a hard time about not having correct painted posts. Of course, those are the same folks with the chrome wire wheels......

 

[magooster]

My posts were annodized aluminum when I bought the car. I often wondered if they
were original or not because all my books show painted units. So when I had the
car painted I went ahead and had the posts painted body color. And of course
that was the first area to get scratched and marked up from the top latches, just as some of the other guys mentioned. That area really draws your eyes attention.

They will be returned to the natural color again some day.

 

[TimK]

Mine were painted black and I like them that way, and yes I have chrome wire wheels....

 

[AUSMHLY]

I've had other owners give me a hard time about not having correct painted posts. Of course, those are the same folks with the chrome wire wheels......

That's funny! I sometimes feel that I should be wearing a shirt with a big circular target on it. When I show my car, I'll hear, hey, you know Healey's didn't come out of the factory like that. Someday I'm going to type up a list of all the non-correct things about my car. Then when someone points out something, I be prepared. Oh, my, let me see if that's on the list. It is, twice!

 

[bighealeysource]

A lot of us have made "improvements" to our Healeys like the polished posts or polished cockpit trim as I have on my BN6 plus all kinds of mechanical things. Those that try to strictly follow the Concours Guidelines are to be admired and I really appreciate those cars too. I love some of the Nasty Boys out there and they sure aint stock ! Let's hope we don't become like some of the guys who own Porsche 356's where if you have the wrong screw or part you are shunned by some. Anyway, know of a great place in Atlanta to get the posts and trim polished for a very reasonable price so if anyone needs it drop me a PM.
Regards,
Mike

 

[Randy Forbes]

Well, another aspect, is those that have their cars truly 100% as built by the factory (with whatever variances that may've included), are probably less likely to be out driving them on any given day.

While my car isn't stock, it's nice to look at, and it certainly isn't stationary art :wink: