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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 - Kind of OT

First found this old car 4 years ago. Difficult to tell much about it given its surroundings. Stored in the old garage 39 years ago to keep a 16 year old from bugging his father for the use thereof. Kept in touch over the years and finally came to terms with the owner last week. First picture is after 30 minutes of digging her out. Tires held air and the brakes were not locked up. More cleaning and carefull manuvering brought it into the light and in the trailer. Two nights work and she roared to life again. Guess I have a new project - better go introduce myself to the A folks. Dan


Dan Craig

Soap and water goes a long way. Crappy paint job on a non-rusty car.


Dan Craig

Congrats, looks like a keeper!
Len Fanelli

Wow!! Congrats, Dan. Now don't desert us. Bud
Bud Krueger

Nice! Twin Cam?
David Sheward

Good car Dan, hope to get down there one day to see it. Maybe next year in St. Charles if I can make it.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

WOW Dan, What an accomplishment! Knowing you, it will be a real prize winner.
Jim Merz

I hate to say it as I own both a TD and an MGB, but i do think the MGA is the best looking of the MG's Great find.
Bruce Cunha

Very pretty! Been thinking about one myself. Mike
MW Davis

Nice! I've got a 1962 MkII that I've had since '88 (my first MG of three). Very driveable-- I've gone across country at 70 mph for 10 hours at a time. Of course, the MkII came with a lower rear ratio.

That one looks like a 1600.

FWIW, and except for this BBS, there seems to be more technical and restoration information available on the MGAs than the TDs.

You can start with www.mgaguru.com.

I wish there was a mgtdguru.com-- maybe when I retire I'll start one :).
David Littlefield

Good find Dan. I guess we will be finding you on the MGA section for a few years. Amazingly, the wiring is almost exactly like a 53 TD or TF and the drive train like an early B... except for the brakes, they're weird. The body and chassis on the other hand...

Warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Thanks for the support, guys. Car is a 60 model 1600. Thinkin I might make it a driver for a time before hitting it hot and heavy. Never started with a driving vehicle before. Somebody wanna come take it apart and put it in 12 boxes so I can deal with it in a more familiar condition for my projects?
Dan Craig

Great find. An MGA was my intro to the MG world back in 1965. I spent $1200 of my $1400 Navy reenlistment bonus on a 1960 MGA and drove it from California to North Carolina when I got orders to Vietnam. My sister wrecked it for me while i was there and I haven't spoken to her since...grin.
Gene Gillam

A perfectly normal and I daresay totally correct response to such a heinous act.
Dan Craig

Dan,

Very nice looking, as is. There are a lot of restored MGs around but very few unmolested MGAs. The wiring on the 1600 is a little different from that of the TF (for Dave). The MGA 1600 does not have the direction/brake light relay. The A is a great car and I'm sure you will love it!
David Werblow

I am new to the MGB. Ive owned MGs continuously since 1951, and I thought I was smart, but I was stung buying my first MGB. The car looked gorgeous - Weber, extractor exhaust, new Minilites and tyres, new Robbins top and tonneau, Nardi wheel, and that Union Jack paint scheme - I was smitten! But when I took it for inspection, the car was refused because of the non-existent structural beams under the doors; and yes, the doors were (barely) touching at the top.

Starting with the MGB archives, Ive spent the last few days researching the best source for quality parts. My first stop was Moss, but enquiries told me that their sill kits are a mix of Steelcraft and Asian metal. I spent a lot of time on the B&G site but their parts, like HZK496K and HZK497K, whilst having numbers almost like Heritage part numbers, are deceiving and again, I understand that B&G mix Heritage and Steelcraft in the sill kits.

So I went to the Heritage site http://www.bmh-ltd.com/mgbparts.htm#
and selected the parts from that. From talking with restorers, I now realize that Heritage apparently make the best panels, and thats what I should be using. Whilst price is important, the structural integrity of the car trumps price and I want the best quality and the best work.

Before I plunk down my credit card, does anybody have any comments.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qu.

34 PA
51 TD
54 TF (bought new)
65 midget GAN3
79 MGB



Gordon A Clark

The Heritage panels are worth the extra money. They actually fit out of the box. Some of the other manufactures don't even come close to having the correct shape.


LaVerne

You might check to see if they include VAT in their prices, as many of the British suppliers do. Since they are shipping overseas you shouldn't pay VAT.

VAT is now 20%, so that could be significant in your cost analysis.
David Littlefield

Too bad about the MGB. Doing the sills is no picnic even with Heritage parts (Been there). One of the worst things about the job is cutting the old metal out. Don't know what the going rate for the job is in Canada but it may be well worth having a professional, that knows MGBs, do it.


David Werblow

This thread was discussed between 09/08/2012 and 15/08/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.