Yes, yes - I know 'tis a contentious subject - can we explain chequer-plate?

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

It's one of those things that ever divides opinion, thus best not go there. It's died a death somewhat, yet chequer-plate is still pretty common. I always greet the sight with a bemused smile.

Here's an example @ Bonham's thus chequer-plate is still happening:

https://carsonline.bonhams.com/en/listings/land-rover/series-2a/cbb78ccb-2dc9-4482-9c4b-5975ce73267e

My question, people pay money, hard-earned, and the first port of call is the wing-tops? A lot of you did or do fit the stuff. I'm baffled. It's not something that's going anywhere soon, it has a life of its own.
Do I fit some too?

[diffwhine]

Although unsightly, it is an effective way of protecting wings and bonnets if they are used for standing on and for access. Its also great for covering up existing dents and damage on wings. Personally I hate the stuff, but it has its place. For chequer plate, to me, it falls into the "not really necessary for how I use a Land Rover" category.

I have no desire to climb onto it, I want to get into it.

[Richard]

I don't like it either. Some put it everywhere, wing tops, bonnet, sill panels, footwells, pick-up floor, rear wing, dash panels, door bottoms, you name it. I'm always aware it could be there to hide something. In Dutch it's called traanplaat, translated literally 'tear plate', probably because of the tear-shaped thingies on them. Then again maybe just because it brings tears to your eyes  

Richard

[GHOBHW]

I can see its uses depending on the person, but 99% of land rovers don't really need it. so its down to personal preference at that point.

my 130 had it on the bonnet and wings, though the roof rack was used every single day, so climbing on the bonnet/wings was common place. (once had an 88" chassis on that roof rack...)

my 88" also gets used a lot with the roof rack, so the bonnet and wings get climbed on a lot again, but I left them bare and haven't noticed any flexing or dings as of yet.

I have put it into the tub though, as I throw a lot of heavy stuff in there, so that takes the beating, rather than the tub itself

[Wittsend]

Are you trying to start a fight

Chequer plate requires no explanation or justification.

The subject has been done to death many times.

As always - it's your vehicle, you are free to do as you wish.


    :judge

[GlenAnderson]

They are good for covering damage.

I have some on the wing tops, mainly to cover the damage done by a combination of the previous owner, the wing mirrors, and carelessness.

If my wings were mint, I'd probably not have any, but then again without them they wouldn't be mint for long.

One thing that I have done with my wing tops was to paint them bronze green to match, so that they don't jump out at you visually.

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

One famous example... I've seen this vehicle in the flesh. He gets about a bit. Dan Ward's 1 ton is a lovely thing. Ex-SEB. Chequer-plate on Dan's is unlike any I've seen. Clear as day, it's real. Fine mesh - not a third/fourth owner add on - I sure it's 'period' and been sat on that wing-top from day one. Dan will correct me, maybe the whole top panel is made of the stuff?

My brother worked for a utility in the 80s.  His van truly was supplied as a ladder, his was a Sherpa box-van covered in the stuff. Probably H&S illegal now.

Southern Electricity set Dan's up as a 1 ton ladder. Where clambering about an LR becomes a daily occurrence I see it. And yup, I'll take Dan's '1 ton ladder' in a heart-beat.

[Craig T]

I believe some Carawagons (Maybe Dormobiles) had the tread plate thing from new as well. It was on the wing tops I think and the front edge of the bonnet.

I personally, don't like it either but agree it can cover damage and it can look "purposeful" on certain vehicles.
My friends series 3 has it on the wing tops but when we rebuilt the Land Rover and he painted it Lara Croft edition dark grey, He etch primed and satin black painted the tread plate. It blends in pretty well now.

Craig.

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

That'd be the dividing line. Where it 'looks' purposeful, over where it 'is purposeful'.

[Theshed]

Mine came with it on the wing tops.
I would not have chose it, but I have no desire to take it off.
My only minor concern is after washing you can see water coming out from under for quite some time.

[22900013A]

One famous example... I've seen this vehicle in the flesh. He gets about a bit. Dan Ward's 1 ton is a lovely thing. Ex-SEB. Chequer-plate on Dan's is unlike any I've seen. Clear as day, it's real. Fine mesh - not a third/fourth owner add on - I sure it's 'period' and been sat on that wing-top from day one. Dan will correct me, maybe the whole top panel is made of the stuff?

My brother worked for a utility in the 80s.  His van truly was supplied as a ladder, his was a Sherpa box-van covered in the stuff. Probably H&S illegal now.

Southern Electricity set Dan's up as a 1 ton ladder. Where clambering about an LR becomes a daily occurrence I see it. And yup, I'll take Dan's '1 ton ladder' in a heart-beat.

Certainly there from new so far as I can establish, seen identical set ups on other Seb vehicles. Some depots had it in a shape much like the newer stuff (ie narrower, not coming down to the curved sections of the wing) but I'm the same material.
In the context of accessing the roof equipment or indeed being used for carrying kit it has a place. I recall setting in the bonnet of a 110, with various channel sections etc stacked on, we just drove to the pole locations and I slid off the appropriate kit. Easy.

Can't quite see why it would need to be on horizontal surfaces myself, that usually looks really terrible. Also, like fitting Defender mirrors, it's anachronistic, as 5 bar plate was really a late 70s/early 80s invention so far as I can see.

[JonB]

SEB/SSE trucks have always had protection on the wings and bonnet. As a linesman we used the wings as a workbench, steel channels were carried across fields led on the bonnet, and because we had so much equipment to carry in the back, we all carried our earth chains (cables to connect the overhead lines to earth when working on them)on top of the ladders as well as putting a few road cones upside down between a couple of rungs 😇 so we were always climbing all over them

Jon

[22900013A]

SEB/SSE trucks have always had protection on the wings and bonnet. As a linesman we used the wings as a workbench, steel channels were carried across fields led on the bonnet, and because we had so much equipment to carry in the back, we all carried our earth chains (cables to connect the overhead lines to earth when working on them)on top of the ladders as well as putting a few road cones upside down between a couple of rungs 😇 so we were always climbing all over them

Jon

Most of ours did at other DNOs. We had a 130 which had played wings but a plain bonnet, the bonnet ended up trashed pretty quickly.
The earliest pic I have with 5 bar plate is a Y reg YEB series 3 with plates on the wings and bonnets.

[Phil2014]

I'm not fussed either way by chequer plate, although I'd be more likely to remove it than put it on. My 1960 ex electricity board 109 has it on the wing tops, no idea who fitted it or when, but it's staying on.
Phil.

[Dopey]

Nothing wrong with real chequer plate, I mean the real stuff, not the thin bake'o foil stuff that for show, I have the real stuff on mine.

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