Chrome items

[Shelly Harris]

Is the chrome cover on my power steering pump and the one over the fuse box considered stock or are those after market items? I know from the factory the exterior of the Mark II was short on chrome as compared to other mid 1950s cars.

[Barry Wolk]

No chrome items show up in the P.O.s. I believe they were dealer installed options.

[Shelly Harris]

When you're car is judged at a show do you lose points because their not original items?

[Barry Wolk]

Don't know. Stopped caring about points a long time ago.

[Keith W Colonna]

Shelly,
Have you checked the authenticity guide for MKII? I don't have a copy but I have heard that the dealers often dressed up the under hood by chroming the fuse box cover and air cleaner. I have also seen many MKII's with these specific parts chromed and often wondered why? And why not other stuff while they're at it? It seems to be limited to just those two items. Except for the occaisional extremist who unnecessarily chromed the valve covers.
That air cleaner to have chromed would be very, very expensive with all the seams, curves needing buffing, tripled plating, etc.. Why would that have been done aftermarket when there is so much more needing attention on the car?

[Shelly Harris]

Shelly,
Have you checked the authenticity guide for MKII?

No.

What I find interesting is that the cover for the fuses is certainly unique and special for Mark II, therefore I'd consider it a nice rare item on our cars. However, my chrome cover on the power steering pump is an item I have never seen on the few Mark IIs I've personally seen, but it must have been an item suitable for many other cars and therefore not unique. Same thing for the chrome oil filter cap.

[Chuck Lutz]

Shelly, Buddy Holiday mentions in his book about colors and chrome. The oil filler cap is supposed to be chrome. I also remember reading (still looking for it) where it is acceptable for the fuse cover to be chrome. I'll try to find it again.

[Nick DeSpirito]

Chuck,

That book is from the '70's. I wouldn't use that as a guide. The current restoration manual states that the fuse box cover should be painted gloss black. I've never seen a power steering cover on a Mark II chromed, but I have seen chromed air cleaners. IMO, they didn't come from the factory like that. I think that they were done in chrome by previous owners who weren't worried about originality to "dress up" the engine bay.

As for judging, it's all up to the team (and their collective knowledge on the car) that's assigned to judge. For example, At the 1994 LCOC ENM, I got points taken off for not having the right resonators. I have the canister type on my car and one of the judges said that the car should have the bullet type. Well come to find out after talking to Lowell, they used both types on the Mark II and both are correct. I lost points for nothing.

[Barry Wolk]

I lost a point because I had a black coil wire instead of a brown one. It was the last time I ever had my car points judged.

[Nick DeSpirito]

Bottom line is, if you're looking to have your Mark II judged, get the most recent Authenticity manual, correct any differences on your car, and more importantly have the manual in your possession when the car is judged so if there's any discrepancies, you can point them out from the book. I know what's wrong with my car, petty things (IMO) that are not significant in my book to address right now. I'll get to them, someday...

I registered, but wasn't going to have my car judged at Lancaster, with all the work that had to be done for the meet I figured I wouldn't have time. I didn't even have time to wash it. I never had time to detail it. I just pulled it out of the garage, gassed up, and hit the highway. It was dirty and had bugs stuck to the front from the drive down. All of the others were being judged, so I said heck with it and I let it be judged, taking 3rd place primary. Bugs, dirt and all. :D

I'm with Barry on judging.

[Mad Scientist]

Bugs, dirt and all. :D

I'm with Barry on judging.
Dittio

As far as the bugs go just tell them that they are original 1950 factory installed bugs. :D

[Barry Wolk]

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with club judging. It's their sandbox and get to make the rules for how their game is played. I simply choose not to play.

It does seem, though, that the experts relish in telling you whats wrong with your car. In concours judging you're told what's right with your car. I like that much better.

I do cringe at the "experts" that claim to know exactly how a vehicle left the factory with no consideration for the availability of certain parts or use of replacement workers.

Does anyone seriously think that the guy on the assembly line gave a crap about what color the coil wire was that he was installing? I think not.

I understand, though, that LCOC judges are mild compared to Corvette and Porsche nutbags.:rolleyes:

[Don Henschel]

No.

However, my chrome cover on the power steering pump is an item I have never seen on the few Mark IIs I've personally seen, but it must have been an item suitable for many other cars and therefore not unique. Same thing for the chrome oil filter cap. My fuse box cover, power steering pump cover, oil filler cap, engine cooling fan, and both engine and transmission oil dipsticks are chrome. Thats the way they were when I got the car.

[Nick DeSpirito]

Don,

Oil filler cap, and both dip stick handles were chrome from the factory. I have never seen an engine fan on a Mark II done in chrome. Must be easy to wipe clean. :)