Restoring a Tickford frame on a MG VA By Peter van den Heuvel
It all started back in 1998 with the acquisition of a restored VA chassis and engine and the remains of a Tickford body. Once all the rubble was sorted out the remaining parts of the old Tickford frame were attached to the chassis brackets. As most of the wooden bits were in a very bad condition Peter decided to make a brand new frame from ash using the old frame members as a pattern. As also new rear wheel arch timbers had to be made and as no steam bending experience was available it was decided to make templates on which arches could be made by glueing thin layers of wood together.
So a start was made at the back frame to find out the correct radius for the templates from a board of plywood to create new wheel arch timbers.
The finished mould around which the thin layers of wood could be bend and glued.
The laminating in process
On the left hand side of the body the old wood has now been replaced by newly made timbers copied from the old wood. Also the new back seat timbers connecting the two wheel arches are now in place, creating some rigidity.
New wheel arch still attached to the mould is being tried for size using the old timbers on the rh side of the body
Here the old wood frame at the back is now replaced by new timbers exactly copied from the old timbers.
A view on the inside looking against the rear of the backseat back. Before building up the frame it is very important to establish the exact centre of the body/chassis and to do all measurements from there.
Left hand wheel arch in place
Left hand rear corner finished with wheel arch attached to chassis bracket
Left hand rear corner viewed from underneath
Both wheel arches now in place. Seat back frame plays a major role in the body stiffness connecting both sides and to the frame. A new metal wheel arch is being tried for size.
Biggest challenge was the copying of the A posts. They do not have any flat surface anywhere. (see below)
Trial fit of left hand door after connecting the front frame with the back frame.
Start of the metal cladding with the B post and the sill
With the metal wheel arches in place the covering of the rest of the body can begin.
A lot of attention went into the aligning of the back part of the body, the doors, scuttle and bonnet.
A proud Peter with the wood framing and metal work finished
After taking the now solid and rigid body of the chassis it was painted separately.
Part of the hood frame mechanism on the lh side
Part of the hood frame mechanism on the rh side
Woodwork around the backseat
Recreating the storage space with a hinged top in the back seat middle
Peter Ratcliffe recreated a new Tickford hood and did all the trimming