Morris Minor Owners Club

Are the semaphore body color or stainless

Hi
As far as I'm aware, the post-war Lucas Trafficators (at least the model variant fitted to the Minors) were only ever produced in Chromed finish.
They may have produced bare metal versions for other vehicles or in the pre-war period.

I have seen them painted body colour but whether factory or later , I know not!

When I got my Minor some 40+ years ago they were painted and looked original finish.
I thought I had seen some stainless ones?

Alan

I've been looking into this some more and clearly the problem with looking at colour photos of vintage cars is that if the photo is less than 40 years old the car may have been refurbished with newer trafficators.
But there again, if they were still serviceable they would be the original fit.
Basil is, as far as I can tell, fitted with his original trafficators. They were fitted but not wired up when I brought him, due to the main loom for a 61-63 style indicators being installed some years ago.
Basil's are Chrome.

Taking a browse of the MMOC MM Register website, where the trafficators are seen in side views, many of them appear to be Chrome, but also some may be body colour. http://seriesmm.mmoc.org.uk/Gallery.htm
Perhaps it may have been a trim option at some time?

I guess this could be turned on it's head and the question back to doughicks is ....'Why are you asking?'
Have you got un-chromed trafficators with the car?

The car is a 51 and was a basket case when I purchased it. They seem to be body color. That is why I'm asking.
Thanks for all the replies

As far as I'm aware, the original MMs left the factory with mild steel arm covers of the semaphores painted body colour. Certainly this was the case on my own MM. At some stage, stainless steel covers (not "chrome" plated) became standard but I'm not sure when that was - or whether it was something to do with deluxe models being introduced? I don't recall ever seeing a 4door Minor with painted arm covers. Maybe the painted covers were fitted to "basic" specification 2door cars for some years? I don't recall seeing the painted covers on anything much later than the mid 1950s.

Well I've learnt a lot from ManyMinors. Thanks.

My experience/knowledge obviously doesn't go back far enough.

I think the key thing here is to go with what you have. If they are currently painted, then stick with painted.

I would hazard a guess that Morris soon found it far easier to stock interchangeable trafficators for the production line rather than mess about having individual colours to match up. All of which would delay the assembly process.
If you think about it, they either had to paint them themselves, which would be fiddly, or order them in as specific colours; all very time consuming.

Since you asked this question, I've discovered a website 'Classic Car Portraits' and all their drawings show shiny trafficators, even their pre-war Morris 10.
But of course that could just be 'representative' illustration.
http://www.classiccarportraits.co.uk/pa ... ht4950.htm
http://www.classiccarportraits.co.uk/ol ... _M3848.htm