JAP 6 Engine Plate

[trusty220]

I’m doing a little facelift on my 3-speed Trusty that I used to plough with and discovered that the engine plate with the starting instructions has dissolved- that’s the only way to describe it because the lower corner consisted only of white powder where the aluminium had corroded.

Does anyone know where I can get another plate from, or, failing that, have an original one that I can get copied?

The one that I am after is 4 1/4″ wide by 3 1/4″ high, made from aluminium and has “JAP Industrial Unit” written across the top. The picture doesn’t really give much away, but here it is anyway!

Attachments:

1. 

[vhgmcbuddy]

I used Vintage Brass Plates (https://www.vintagebrassplates.co.uk/) when restoring my SIMAR 56a. I did have originals for Chris to work from, but he would still be able to make a new one using your ‘dissolved’ plate to get the size and font correct, plus a decent photograph of a complete plate. If you are lucky, he may have made one in the past, so have the artwork already on file.

[charlie]

It has probably dissolved due to inter metal corrosion between the aluminium and steel. Something Land Rover owners are well aware of, made worse by the addition of a an electrolyte such as salt water.

[trusty220]

Salt water has probably been the cause because it is on the front of the cowling, just the right place to catch all of the spray off the road when travelling to and from matches. Steel rivets won’t have helped, but who would have thought that these machines would last for so long?

I’ll give Vintage Brass Plates a call to see if they’ve done one already- you never know! I don’t think my plate will make a good copy though as it is barely legible.

[Author]

Posts