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MG TD TF 1500 - Modifications/Upgrades

I am shortly to begin restoration of a '51 TD. I would like to keep the car as original as possible, but, at the same time, make it as safe and reliable as possible. What, fellow TDers, would be your recommendations? Thanks,

Bill
Bill Reid

Another question: what are the merits of rewinding the odometer to zero vs leaving it at the original 16 thousand or so when the speedo is rebuilt?

Bill
Bill Reid

1) a MGB front sway bar or anti sway bar.

2) one of my period correct roller lifter camshafts,
no cam / lifter wear, much more power & torque,
thru the the entire stock RPM range.
Len Fanelli
Len Fanelli

How are you planning on driving the car? Around town, shows, etc? Or on the highway, with spirited manners? Are you interested in acceleration, smooth handling, or top end power?

Do you want mechanical upgrades, performance upgrades or visuals?

If performance, I would install an MGA 4.3 ring and pinion into your differential, add a 5-speed transmission, and one of my superchargers, with Len's mods as he writes.

If mechanical, I would add a spin-off filter, a solid-state SU fuel pump, a rebuilt distributor by Jeff Schlemmer at Advanced Distributor, and have all 4 shocks rebuilt by Worldwide Auto (Peter Caldwell). I would have Joe Curto rebuild your distributor, a reground RV cam and redone lifters, larger valves and balance everything. Good brakes, good tires, stainless exhaust, re-cored radiator (if it needs it), one of my stainless thermostat housings and brass core plugs, and you're good to go anywhere, for any length of time.

Speedometer doesn't matter a whit whether is says 16,000 or 0.

Tom Lange
mgtrepair.net

t lange

Install seat belts, install a set of 4.3 differential gears. IMHO, odometers set to zero create a negative image. Bud
Bud Krueger

Tom, I can't see myself doing any interstate driving, but driving secondary roads for relatively long distances (300-400 miles) would be a strong possibility.
Bill Reid

All depends on what you want to do with it. Look at it? Joy ride drive it? Go on long trips? Car shows? All these would change what you do to it.
-David.
D. Sander

Bill - Tom suggests installing a solid state fuel pump. You can get the Burlen Fuel (maker of all things SU) Hall effect fuel pump (solid state), or you can send the existing pump to me and I will restore it and install my optical trigger (solid state) modification that accomplishes the same thing at less money. Contact me at SUfuelpumps@donobi.net Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Bill,
For all kinds of driving the modifications you will enjoy:
5 speed tranny
lower rear end ratio
Anti sway bar

All original components in good working order

Some safety mods:
Seat belts
Turn signals
Third brake light

When you have all that done and are enjoying the hell out of your car and feel the need to tinker, let me know. I will send you my list of about 100 other things I have done to my early TD.

Mort


Mort 50 TD (Mobius)

"as safe and reliable as possible."
Good tires and well maintained brakes!
Then go up and reread all the suggestions.
JRN JIM

Make sure the doors fit properly into the body and onto the latches, as they did when the car left the factory. It takes some time and fiddly work, but avoids worry about the doors springing open when you are on your long back road drives, or the need to fit locks. And it gives a real sense of pride when finished properly
Ian Bowers

Bill, bottom line, let your pocket book be your guide initially, the blower and rear can be added later when the car is complete if you want them. I'd love to have one of Lens roller cams, but my engine was rebuilt and it makes no sense to remove it and tear it down just for that. So, engine work needs addressing in the beginning. If you desire, a 5 speed transmission can be added later but easier with tub off. An MGB sway bar is good. Seems everyone that has installed one likes it. There are a lot of little things to address, one being wiring and the use of relays, electronic verses mechanical. A lot depends one question, do you want a nice safe show worthy driver or a concours show car/trailer queen? Big difference on how you approach this and a decision should be done in the beginning before most work is started. JMHO. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Mort, Is that one of Jimmy Williams cars peeking out behind your TD, the Yellow one, possibly a TC? This is the one I know, a TF. PJ
Sorry Bill, didn't mean to hijack.




Paul S Jennings

Paul,
The beautiful cranberry colored red TC to the left of Mort's TD is the late Kep Phillips TC, now belongs to Kep's son Chris. Here is a better picture of the TD racer behind Mort's car. I can check to see who it belonged to. I want to say it was Erik Knudson's.
-David


D. Sander

Ah, thanks David! My whole childhood life and through my school years was around race cars and all these years later, I just can not get the curiosity about different ones out of my system. The ingenuity involved in building them has always fascinated me. I still have a couple race engines and other stuff from way back in ancient times stuffed in the back of the barn! (Grin). PJ
Paul S Jennings

PJ, Here are a couple more pics:




D. Sander

And:


D. Sander

Hi power LED lighting for safety plus 3rd brake light.
Wood dash is always nice!
Geoffrey M Baker

It does belong to Erik,,, (and Dick?)
STEVE WINCZE

Some good advise here...however (IMHO) one thing we missed here.
If you are running a car with an old wiring harness, putting some extra fusing in is a good idea. Again, (IMHO) these cars were horribly under fused. It is easy to install these were they won't be seen, and can be a great aid if you need to trouble shoot shorts down the road. headlamps and turn/parking lamps seem to be one of the first places shorts show up in these cars.(unfused!) A blown fuse is much easier to deal with than a burning car!
I am also a big fan of a fuel pump "cut-off" switch. Most of us don't drive these on a daily basis. SU carbs have been known to get the "tickler pins" stuck when sitting for extended periods. The proximity of carbs to exhaust manifold makes this a no brainer.
Also makes a great anti-theft devise having a hidden switch!
David Sheward "IZZY" TF 7427

bill, i enjoy the idea of experiencing the car as it was originally conceived, designed and built. the only modifications i did to my car was add the 4.3 rear end and my wife would not ride without lap belts. the rest is 1951 technology...mechanically restored, but 1950's all the way. i drive thousands of miles each year. last year round trip rockford, il to dallas, tx. loved it, no issues. when i got home i drove around lake michigan and rode the ferry across the lake. next summer illinois to washington state, down the pacific coast highway and rt 66 home. you maintain them like they did in the '50's they are a VERY reliable car. it is my summer daily driver.
your car..just decide what makes you happy. for me it is a chance to experience another time. regards, tom
tm peterson

Tom, I loved your post. That kind of driving is my ultimate goal.
Mort
Mort 50 TD (Mobius)

Tom,

There are a couple or three of us in Washington State area that are active here on the board. Time permitting, contact me before you get here and we could all meet up for a quick visit before you head south on your trip. It would be good to meet you.

Alex
Alex Waugh

Bill: I'm slowly but surely improving a 1951 TD, generally reasonably well-restored by the proverbial DPO. Many of the things already mentioned (fuses, improved differential gearing) are still goals for me. I have installed a (Bob Grunau) screw-on oil filter adapter and a (Dave Dubois) upgraded fuel pump. What I didn't foresee: poor wheel alignment (fixed) loose castle nuts on the rear wheel axles (fixed), erratic key switch (just rebuilt by Craig Seabourne) sloppy tie-rod ends and worn brake pedal shaft (@#$%^! - see the Archive) -- the latter two pending projects. It's good to plan your major destinations but there will be detours on the way. This is, I guess, the whole point, or we'd all be driving Toyotas.
The board is an invaluable help, as you can see by the responses you already have.
Cheers, Peter
Peter Pope

Bill: I'm slowly but surely improving a 1951 TD, generally reasonably well-restored by the proverbial DPO. Many of the things already mentioned (fuses, turn signals, improved differential gearing) are still goals for me. I have installed seat belts, a (Bob Grunau) screw-on oil filter adapter and a (Dave Dubois) upgraded fuel pump. What I didn't foresee: poor wheel alignment (fixed) loose castle nuts on the rear wheel axles (fixed), erratic key switch (just rebuilt by Craig Seabourne) sloppy tie-rod ends and worn brake pedal shaft (@#$%^! - see the Archive) -- the latter two pending projects. It's good to plan your major destinations but there will be detours on the way. This is, I guess, the whole point, or we'd all be driving Toyotas. The board is an invaluable help, as you can see by the responses you already have.
Cheers, Peter
Peter Pope

I would agree with all above, $$ available. I would add hardened rear axles if still available.
I would also prioritize -- Safety, Reliability, Driveabiliy and then Performance.
FJ Bruns

Any of my camshaft kits would fall into the category
of Reliability, Drive ability and Performance.
IMO.
Len Fanelli
Abingdon Performance
Len Fanelli

Hi bill,
I completed my nut and bolt restoration 6 years ago,. My remit was to restore my TD to be user friendly and enable me to enjoy driving in todays traffic. I therefore carried out the following mods

1/ fit a brake servo to improve the braking system

2/ fit a 5 speed gearbox (ford type 09 supplied by HI gear)
3/ fit seat belts

Since completion of my restoration I have driven over 6000 miles, the 5 speed gearbox allows me to cruise at 65mph on the motorway, I can stop quickly due to the servo and the seat belts give us the feel safe factor even though they may not give you too much protection.

In my opinion these are the best mods to carry out to make the car a pleasure drive in todays traffic.

Cheers Chris

C A Pick

alex, THANK YOU..and will do! regards, tom
tm peterson

Thanks for the great advice!
Bill Reid

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2014 and 25/01/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

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