My name is Craig S. Nelson, US Navy (ret). I am currently a 5th year senior at McPherson College in Kansas and will graduate in May 2016 with a B.S. in Automotive Restoration Management and a B.S. in Automotive Restoration Technology.

I am currently interning at a shop for the summer, started last month, and must depart in early August. The goal is to finish the electrical and final assembly before I leave on a '67 E-Type Series 1.5 OTS with the 4.2L engine. The car already had the metal/body finishing done and was painted before I arrived. I may periodically post questions to help speed things along. We have various parts books, service manuals, and JCNA judging guides.

The owner, the shop, and I need to know if the body surfaces under and around our data plate(s) seen in the picture are correct. The JCNA rulebooks are not specific enough other than saying that the firewall area should be gloss body color. Should there be any surface "roughness", or should the surface be smooth?

I'm sure there will be a comment about our use of Phillips head screws to secure the data plate. Rivets may or may not happen.

I can always be reached at (619) 944-8971 or nelscra@bulldog.mcpherson.edu.


Thanks.

 

Compared to my mostly original 1966 OTS, most of the "roughness" in your photo does not look right. That includes the horizontal stiffening section to which the filter bracket is attached. In your photo, take a close look at the horizontal painted area outboard of the bottom of the ID plate: that is the appropriate level of smoothness for this area, especially for the vertical surfaces, which should be no different than the rest of the engine compartment sheet metal. For the joint areas around this compartment where welds occur, there can be a good bit of roughness, paint runs, etc. - these cars were "built to a budget" (Sir William was a bit tight with every farthing), so no special pains were taken with the surface finish in these areas, especial where it is difficult for the bloke on the spray gun to hit it just right. Another check point on your car would be to go to the other side of the engine compartment where the mirror image section is - both sections should look roughly the same as to finish. Also, all redundant holes should be capped off with rubber plugs. And, lose those screws - the absence of rivets will be like waving a red hanky in a judge's face.

 

Screws will not pass DMV inspection either. Will be flagged at any auction.

 

Also all of the fuel filters I have seen have been skewed about 35-40% from the firewall. And ditto in rivets