From: Barry Lovelock
Date: 20 Jul 2002
Time: 09:42:20
Remote Name: 194.168.74.68
Yes, I'm sure they do work
After many years of searching, I managed to find a set for my '36 tourer. They were so thin and originally made of thin steel sheet anyway, that any attempt at de-rusting and they would have disappeared. They also had the original felt still riveted to them and it seemed a shame to destroy both that and the rivets, so I sprayed everything!
Austin called them "flyplates", suggesting they stopped the flies going in and messing up the engine compartment perhaps, but they will do exactly as you suggest.
Barry.