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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Clock rebuild

OK fellows help me out. I had all the instruments rebuilt when I rebuilt my TD 3 years ago. Clock worked fine (a relative term) for 2 years then nothing. I have no desire to send it back for another rebuild, but would like to have at least an approximation of time while driving. Yes I know, for you wise guys out there, the clock is accurate 2 times a day! The conversions to a modern clock are too expensive for my tastes. Has anyone ever taken one of these things apart ( and successfully put it back together! ) and fixed it? Could it be that the contacts are filmed over? Any suggestions appreciated. Rob
Rob Silverman

Rob,
I will be "watching" for the answer to this one.....I think the hands for the clock in my TF are in
there somewhere!....Hope so anyway. I was thinking about sending mine out for repair.....for what
they charge for this would expect more than 2 years service!
Best of luck,
David
David Sheward

Gentlemen;
Have you talked to Hal Kramer (halandjoan@aol.com) He rebuilt the clock in my TD I think it was under $50.00 (June'99) and he stands behind his work. Alot of people on this site recommend him.

Tim.
Tim

I second the motion about Hal Kramer, who fixed mine and it is running fine.
Prime cause of failure is the whisker that catches the spark, and has a short lifespan because of the current it carries. Lifespan can be improved by transistorizing the circuit, which lowers the current . .
Hal did this for me, also. It's similar to transistorizing the points in the fuel pump.
Before I got mine fixed there was a cheap alternative that served me well. At a local Target store I spent $9.95 on a Snoopy miniature clock. There were several variations in style, and this one had a small statue of Snoopy and a golf ball with a recess that holds what looks like a wristwatch without a strap. The watch is the exact size of the hole in our Odometers, and it slips perfectly into the hole. I used some sticky gum from the local hardware store, designed to hold china plates, etc on the shelf during earthquakes, to keep it in place. Kept perfect time and hardly anyone noticed that it wasn't original.
Another option which I planned but never got around to was to place a decal of the original clock face (Skip Kelsey has these at Shadetreemotors.com) onto a thin sheet of brass or similar, and glue a quartz clockworks (from catalogues, or take apart a wristwatch) to the back. The spindles on a standard watch are pretty short, so the clock face can't be too thick. I planned to take a strip about an inch and a half wide by 3 inches long and bend it to form the same depth as the original clock to attach to the original screws in the back of the odometer housing. Anyhow, Hal saved me from all that.

Andy Moyce
52 TD
Andy Moyce

Nisonger Inst. Sales & Serv.> Bob Castagenetta. I have used him personally for 40 years.All of which have been at Nisonger. 914-381-1952. Mamaroneck N.Y. Len
Len Fanelli

After putting up with never seeing a "T" series clock which worked and being motivated by the question on this thread I decided to have a go at one of my clocks. When I moved the reset knob, I noticed a lot of friction so a little light oil and a few turns of the knob restored free movement of the hands. Of course it still wouldn't work. I checked the circuit and the coil was ok and when I carefully moved the balance wheel back and forth, the circuit opened and closed showing the points were working. Applying power to the circuit and watching, under a magnifier, what was happening at the points I saw that the end of the "cat's whisker" was getting hung up on the pin (the other side of the points from the cat's whisker). It appeared that the cat's whisker had been eroded away electrically and was too short and was jamming against the pin instead of sliding over it. I bent the pin slightly outward toward the cat's whisker and the clock has been working just fine for the last couple of days.
Regards, Hugh Pite
Hugh Pite

I have 2 clocks, condition unknown that came with a purchase of MGTD used and new parts that I found. I am trying to figure out my new digital camera so I can e mail pictures of them. If someone can provide numbers or what other way of identifying them please advise.

Don
Don

Vintage Restorations, The Old Bakery, Windmill Street, Turnbridge Wells Kent TN2 4UU England, had restored all my clocks in a splendid way, often making new ones out of total wrecks. I highly recommend their quality for all instruments rebuilds.

However there are a few inherent faults in the design of that clock. First, never mind that you should avoid turning it off for a while, since the contacts will oxidize. But after a period of about two to three years, they fail because of wear in the contacts or elsewhere. And no matter what I tried I could not avoid that. I am currently experimenting with a precise, quartz-driven digital electronic circuit that drives the coil directly, but even that gives some problems, which I won't describe here.

Denis
Denis L. Baggi

I just got my clock back from Hal Kramer. He cleaned, adjusted and installed transistors to reduce amperage on the contacts. It is running +/- 1 minute per day--wow---better than some of my regular clocks!! Thanks to all on the board, I am very pleased. Rob
Rob Silverman

Let me add another positive comment in Hal Kramer's direction. For any of you out there with access to the New England MG T Register's publication "The Sacred Octagon", Hal wrote a very concise article describing the inner mysteries of these little enigmas, complete with technical drawings, in the June 1992 issue. I recommend it as very informative reading for anyone with a question regarding our "right twice a day" clocks.
Jim Threadgill

This thread was discussed between 05/02/2001 and 15/03/2001

MG TD TF 1500 index

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