The Interior brightware section gathers the small polished and chromed items that finish the cabin and engine bay of a classic MG. The components here are individually small but visually consequential, the cigar lighter on the dashboard, the winder handles on the doors and quarter lights, the polished engine-bay items visible when the bonnet is opened. Together they complete the visual finish that distinguishes a properly-restored classic MG from a car where the smaller details have been neglected.
Cigar Lighters and Dashboard Brightware
The dedicated Cigar Lighter sub-section covers the period-style cigar lighter assemblies fitted to classic-MG dashboards during production. The Lucas-style cigar lighter was standard equipment on certain higher-specification MGs and a popular optional fitment on others, typically a small chromed-bezel unit mounted in the dashboard, with the lighter element heated by current from the electrical system when the central plunger is pressed. The decorative aspect, the chromed bezel surrounding the unit, is visible on the dashboard at all times and contributes meaningfully to the period character of the cabin. The supporting dashboard brightware covers the various other small polished items on the dashboard, switch bezels, instrument trim rings and the smaller decorative items appropriate to specific applications.
Winder Handles for Windows and Quarter Lights
The dedicated Winder Handles sub-section covers the polished metal handles operating the door windows and the quarter-light glass on classic MGs. The standard classic-MG installation used a chromed or polished winder handle on each door, with a smaller separate handle for the quarter-light glass on cars where the quarter-light was a vented opening pane. The visual quality of the winder handles matters substantially, these are the door-mounted components that the driver and passenger see and operate on every journey, and tired or worn winder handles betray the rest of the interior work even when the upholstery and trim are perfect. Reproduction winder handles in the appropriate visual specifications are stocked for the principal classic-MG applications.
Polished Engine Bay Components
The dedicated Polished Engine Bay sub-section covers the chromed and polished items visible when the bonnet is opened, the brake-and-clutch fluid reservoir caps, the radiator filler cap (where the original specification was a polished or chromed cap), the polished air-filter housings used on certain higher-specification or modified cars, and the various smaller polished items that contribute to the engine bay's visual finish. For owners restoring engine bays to their original period specification or upgrading the visual finish for a show-car appearance, the polished components are individually inexpensive but collectively dramatic in their effect. The technical team is available to advise on the right specifications for a specific car and intended visual character.