Walnut trim

[Db09]

Hi our new mgf has a walnut center dash and air vents fitted in it but they are faded is there anything I could buy to restore it our do I have buy a new set they are not cracked or warped just faded
Thanks for your help

[Plezier]

On real wood there are things one can do to restore the finish however I ahve n idea if this would work on this trim. Mat I suggest you talk to someone like Woolies whom specialise in trim restoration.

http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/

Although they are best known for their leather resoration works and products ............................. I''l bet they can also help you with this.

[Mykel]

They all do that on Mk1 cars, the quality of the “wood” (not!) is quite crappy. I have seen a good deal of 75th anniversary models, and all of them showed this issue. You could try and trace a set from a Mk2 or a TF (much better quality, especially the centre console), but this would mean you’d have to mod the heater controls and switches slightly. Rob has a how-to on his pages here.

If I were you, I actually wouldn’t bother restoring them at all, but either try to peel off the trim parts or (if this leaves too much glue stains) bin them and replace with standard black items. Your Nightfire red VVC looks fresh and modern, this whole “Olde Worlde” stuff is a bit out of place there imho. I might be tempted to paint the centre console in body color, though. But these are, of course, just my 2½d.

[Plezier]

Well it seems I am not in tune with "Modern" tastes as I would take the wood trim over almost all the others offered. As for techinical stuff that would have to be gone damn quick as I hate the dratted stuff. In fact one reason for not considering a MG ZT is the ruddy awful interior trim ....................................... its ghastly and really cheap looking. Where as the Rover 75 has a nice interior with loads of wood in fact have been looking at commplete wood trim packages for the MGF for some time. Just the price is more than I can spend on it what with other things to do before that.

I wonder if the tim is damaged by the cleaners used by these hand wash and valet places?

[Mykel]

Hm, thank God tastes are somewhat different. I like the dark grey console on my TF as well as the silver thing on the Wedgewood, but I have to admit that I had converted my first MGF (BRG/tan leather) to a full wood interior as well, with matching steering wheel and gear knob (original MGR accessory). Time passes, ideas wander, I guess.

As to the trim itself, the fading and discolouration comes from exposure to sunlight. The parts themselves seem to be made of some synth resin with a wood effect decal on the back. The resin will get yellowish over time and the decals fade or peel off, especially on the vent surrounds. The centre panel is a bit less affected, but the Mk2 version is much more solid, with the wood effect applied directly to the console (water transfer print or something like that?) and then covered with a varnish to protect.

[stuart]

To wood or not to wood...that is the question!

I had a similar problem on my old car and replaced the faded faux wood with one of the kits on e-bay for £39.99- that was OK, just really need to clean the old glue and residue off the console and vents really thoroughly.

I'm kinda with Mykel here though, I "wooded" my F and I also wooded the TF for a while before going back to standard trim- it felt wrong to me to hark back to 60's craftsmenship in a more modern car- that said, I've kept all the trim pieces just in case I change my mind in the future

That's the good thing with these cars- we all make them our own and to our tastes- no right or wrong

[adrianclifford]

Go to the Walnut Dash Company in Colchester, Essex. They already had the MK1 kit and they used my MK2 to make the kit for them too.

[Plezier]

This is how "Elsie" was when she arrived here:-





I assume she had wood trim before some one less than talented decided to paint it all silver. Dreadful and with the original Green/Black interior .............................. oH deary me So I changed it to this:-











The original Black/Green drivers seat was also split and taped up so she now has this MGF MY2000 "Luxury Parchment and Walnut" interior. We just need to get the small bit of damage to the drivers bolster repaired and the leather restored and hopefully the tan/Beige plastic painted all the same shade as there is obvious UV dmage to some of it..................................... and it will be wonderful . Ahhh BTW the roll hoops had bene fittied by a moron whom cutt eh mountign brackets off as they were obviously not needed .................................. am trying to make a new mounting bar and then deiced which MGF to fit them too.

[mgfsoldier]

Search Ebay for MGF Walnut there is a full mk1 vinyl set which looks pretty much identical to the original walnut for about £35

[stuart]

soldier...very nice mate! I think the wood lends itself and is much more desirable in the lighter tan interior than the black interior- good work though buddy...a proper job

[diesel destroyer]

Get them hydro dipped in walnut?