Original Aluminium sill covers

[PaulB]

Does anyone know what the coating was on the original aluminium sill covers? Can it be re-finished?
Thanks,

[tonyh]

They are brushed aluminium no coating, very difficult to re-finish.

[Gemini 51]

I always thought the finish was anodized giving a chrome like finish, don't recall ever seeing a brushed aluminium finish but I could be wrong......but not possible to do much with them, polishing doesn't work

[djtaylor]

I gave up trying to progressively polish mine with finer and finer abrasives. I was finishing at 3000 grit but I don't think I spent enough time at each stage. They're supposed to be mirror finish, not brushed.

Here's a pic from 1985 https://flic.kr/p/234jGVD

After about half a day working on one and making a good need on the patio, headed inside to order some stainless ones.

[DJT]

As Tony says above, the original ones were brushed aluminium. Aftermarket ones are stainless steel and can be polished to a mirror finish.

[djtaylor]

I tend to disagree about them being brushed. The ones Dad had fitted that I showed in my pic from 1985 were anything but brushed. They were already polished finish aluminium.

[malc4d]

yellowbothchromestrip.jpg2013-06-23-435.jpg

SORRY DJTAYLOR…. Your pics show that your dads car had BOTH types of chrome strips. I would guess that it came originally with the thin single strip just under the doors, as top right pic, then later fitted with aftermarket full cill covers under the original chrome.

[DJT]

I think that Tonyh has seen more Stags than anyone having worked on them since the 70s. The brushed aluminium ones were only factory fitted to Federal (USA) cars from the outset, and to other markets (including UK) from LD40001.

[tonyh]

Original factory sill covers became unavailable from BL in about 1983, they were aluminium with a light brushed finish, aftermarket sill covers are mirror stainless steel, the top strip that retains the sill cover on the original BL ones are an aluminium extrusion, the aftermarket retaining strips are made from a strip of stainless steel folded over. Sill covers were fitted from from 1976 chassis number LD40,000 onwards.

[Gemini 51]

That looks like the definitive answer to me, this sort knowledge is in danger of being lost unless the details are recorded and held, Peter Robinson....perhaps ?

[djtaylor]

So this is where it becomes interesting because the ones that were on Dad's car were on a 1975 model, aluminium, fitted as an accessory and with a mirror finish, fitted somewhere between 1976 and 1985 as the '85 photos are the only ones I have other than one where it had steel wheels with the trim. What fun to be such geeks over something as mundane as a sill cover!

I don't know whether someone else at the time was producing mirror finish aluminium ones then? I concur that the retaining strip is stainless steel but not the panels themselves. I can't remember if there are any stickers that remain on the inside, I don't recall any when I swapped them over last summer.

[redstag]

From a late Triumph brochure

76 stag brochure1.PNG

[djtaylor]

Right so with that degree of reflection, would that be referred to as a brushed finish or a mirror finish? In my view, a brushed finished tends to be somewhat matt and non reflective.

[andrewc]

My 1977 Stag sill covers are certainly anodised aluminium but I wouldn't describe them as brushed. They are shiny but do have a slight satin look to them. Maybe that is where the confusion is coming in. The car has been in the family since the early 80's and I am sure has original covers.

[andrewc]

They look very similar to the photo from redstag