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MG TD TF 1500 - PO Modifications

I thought it would be interesting to see some of the PO modifications others found when they purchased their TD's. Here are a few of mine; this first one is the last dash that was in Little T before dis-assembly. It has a mahogany veneer surface, notice anything missing?


Richard Taylor

Here is one of the matching mahogany door panels. This PO might of been into boating.


Richard Taylor

Here is the last fuel pump; not sure the brand. Its got a neat old glass fuel bowl filter seperator which I would actually use but unfortunately the fittings on a SU fuel pump are in the wrong place for it too work. Notice the fuel pump bracket, it is painted a silver/gray color that is close to the color used on the wheels. I have wondered if this is original because I had a 77 midget and it seems some of the engine brackets were silver on it as well.


Richard Taylor

Here is a better shot of the fuel pump bracket showing the silver paint color.


Richard Taylor

You don't need no stinkeeing tach! The pump looks like a Bendix model to me. Very popular replacement in the 60's because it would accept positive ground and the Su's weren't readily available. Unfortunatley it's low pressure (about 5 lbs) is still to much for most SU floats without a regulator. I talk from experience when the mechanical pump went out on my Sprite ever so many years ago.

The bracket assembly actually looks like a TF frame mount from the pictures and my foggy memory.
LaVerne Downey

By common I mean this was on the TD.

I think you got a nicer mount.


LaVerne Downey

Richard - The pump is a Facet high capacity pump - overkill for the TD and quite noisy. The bracket is the correct one for a TD (albeit, the wrong color - should be black). Don't be tempted to reinstall that filter on the inlet side of the pump - see the article, SU Fuel Pumps Facts and Myths in the SU Fuel Pump Articles section of my web site at: http://homepages.donobi.net/sufuelpumps/ for details. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Hey LaVerne

I installed a pump back near the tank years ago in my old 77 midget; that was the only way I could keep it from vapor locking. I never thought it was the actual heat causing it; even though it only did it when it was hot outside but I think the tiny fuel line was a contributor to the problem as well.

Come on guys lets see some more pics. I know probably every MG out there has been jury rigged by some PO at some point.
Richard Taylor

Richard,

Pumps are better at pushing than pulling. The pump low in the rear of the car is the better system, and MG eventually went to it during the TF production run. The vapor lock on our cars is most often due to fuel boiling in the transverse arm between the bowl and the carburetor bridge than in any other location.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Being the only mechanic on my car since 1979, I have become my own PO since I have been reponsible for the car for over half its life.

The OPOs (other previous owner)s put in a rather nice black Amco interior, top and side curtains. They went a bit overboard on chrome, but the chrome also protected the car.

The things they did that was weird (see image) is put in a proper turn signal relay but mounted it over the body plate, and proceded to paint the tub from ivory to red... with almost all the ancilaries in place. hmmmmm. I mean, how often do you have to touch the relay box? The four wire sized holes that were drilled in the upper scuttle for the turn signal wires and the 50s period flasher selector stalk wirh the light at the end were a bit bush.

I'm the one who wired the rear lights with a separate rear wire prior to the rebuild. But beyond that, everything done since has been fine (until I become the next PO for real).

warmly,
dave


Dave Braun

Turn signals? Heck ya we can hook you up with those. We'll just drill some 2" holes in yer tub and mount these babies in there....


LaVerne Downey

Get my nephew Newt to do some special wiring and install that nice toggle switch and yer good to go.

Heck for another 20 bucks I'll have Newt put in that radio out of the Falcon Billy Bob rolled last month.


LaVerne Downey

LOL and today we fixate over what color the nuts and bolts should be.

LavVerne, maybe your PO was also a Goldwing owner. My brother owning one I have been to several Honda Hoots and after viewing thousands it appears you just can't have enough lights.

Dave a PO had drilled a hole right through my body plate for some reason. I had it filled on the tub and thought about seeing if someone could fill the hole in the plate with brass but decided to leave it for history.

Regards,
Rich
Richard Taylor

How about cowl-mounted wipers for the TD Flathead! I think not, they'll be welded up, along with a few other unwanted holes. Marvin


Marvin Stuart

And here's someone's attempt at TF"izing" the rear of a TD. Fortunately, I have a few reclaimable donor parts from a basket case to use in my T-series period correct Ford flathead V-8 powered TD. Marvin


Marvin Stuart

Richard,

I think I had the same PO as since I have the mahogany door panel as well. Hard to see but I also had the house front door lock mounted on it.

Dave


Dave Runnings

Holes? Heck ya we got holes. Newt got that new DeeeWalt cordless drill at the pawn shop last week so he tested her out on yer TD. Got purt near 40 before he ran out of juice. Makes the cars run faster. I hear Smokey Yanuk does it to git rid of weight so it must be a good thing.


LaVerne Downey

Dave B. - "The things they did that was weird (see image) is put in a proper turn signal relay but mounted it over the body plate..."

I seem to remember that the TF has the turn signal mounted in that spot. Do you suppose that the OPO used a TF as the pattern for mounting parts?

Richard - "I installed a pump back near the tank years ago in my old 77 midget; that was the only way I could keep it from vapor locking."

I don't know the Midgets well, but a lot of them came with a mechanical fuel pump on the side of the engine. this arrangement was definitely prone to vapor locking as the fuel was being drawn deep into the hot engine compartment and as such was under a reduced pressure (vacuum if you will), which is a great recipe for vapor lock. Some of the Midgets came with a AUF 214 electric fuel pump in the rear of the car, which delivers fuel to the carburetors under pressure, making it much less prone to vapor locking. If you decide to mount a pump in the back of the TD, look at the late TFs for mounting set up and be sure that you get a high pressure (2.7psi) pump intended for rear mounting (it looks the same as the low pressure pumps that are mounted in the engine compartment). A low pressure pump mounted in the back of the car, while it will work, will be on the weak side and could cause fuel starvation at higher speeds. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Two more holes to weld up. The two screw holes to secure the door latch to the tub, seen often, are no longer needed. Another fix. Marvin


Marvin Stuart

David,

The 77 Midget did have a mechanical pump on the engine and a PO had mounted an additional electrical pump up on the firewall and the strange thing about the setup was it was hooked up to the headlight switch. I purchased it in the winter so the mechanical pump worked fine but I couldnt figure out what the strange noise was everytime I turned on the headlights. I finally traced the noise down to the pump but couldn't figure out why it was there considering the fact it had a mechanical pump on the engine.

When it got Summer and the weather heated up I started having problems with it missing so when it did I would turn on the lights. About August it got hot enough outside that the forward electric pump didnt fix the problem so I finally moved it back next to the tank and that cured the vapor lock problem; Oh, and I wired it to a fused ignition circuit.

I really liked the 77 Midget but you about had to drag a net behind you to catch the parts as they fell off:)

Regards,
Rich
Richard Taylor

I think those holes are standard equipment Marvin. Having tried to weld up some holes in the past with wood behind the sheet metal and making charcol briquttes I decided that these got the JB weld with the new 3/8" oak dowel and some bondo finish. We'll see how well it holds up.


LaVerne Downey

Laverne. To weld up holes in sheet metal you need a plate of copper. I use a 3/16" thick plate.Mine is 8" long x 3" wide. I just found it that size and never cut it down. Place it behind the hole and weld it up. weld will not stick to the copper.
Sandy
SANDY SANDERS

I welded in a bunch of holes Sandy. For the large ones I cut and fit some sheet metal. Only 4 I didn't touch with the MIG were the ones on the door pillar. Didn't want to fry the wood. Did it once before and it wasn't pretty.
LaVerne Downey

Okay, if "holes" and DPO's are now the subject, not being a welder and not wanting to be a DPO someday, here is what I've tested so far to patch holes:

Put a piece of Bondo fiberglass matt on a piece of waxed paper. Spread Bondo over the fiberglass. Turn paper over and apply the mess to back side of the whole & let dry. Then remove wax paper (comes right off). Then apply more bondo to front side of hole & let dry. Sand and feather both sides. Obviously the back side of this piece (front spash guard) won't show and may not be as "pretty" as front. I realize I have about 10 times too much bondo on here, but I haven't done any sanding on it yet (DA sander has not arrived yet!). The blue looking stuff is the fiberglass patch. They also make something called Bondo Hair, but not avail. locally. Might work?

With zero experience doing this, what do you all think? Will it hold up or fall off in a year? It's hard as a rock!


Ed Haskell

I had a choice with the Wolseley... replace all and any metal that had holes, rust, cheese.....prime and paint - $20,000
Remove rust...use fibreglass filler, bondo as needed, prime and paint - $8000.00
Had to go the 2nd route...




gblawson(gordon)

Ed, I wouldn't have been so concerned with the back side. If were talking about small holes then I would have rather seen a weld fill. If they are larger then a patch weld would have been my preference. I've been doing both on my project. I don't really see any need for the bondo on the underside of the panel. It's not going to show. If the top of the panel has that much of a high surface then you need to get it pounded down. If the "hole your talking about was that big then I'd definatley get a new piece of metal and weld it in there myself. Will the stuff hold together? Depends on a lot of things but the answer is most likely if you sanded the good metal down with some rough paper so it could get a good bite and you kept the bondo to less than an 1/8 inch.

PS: I hear they got over 3' at Powderhorn In 24 hrs. Wish I still skied sometimes.
LaVerne Downey

Ok, Someone steals your dash. Them TD gauges are hard to find. So why not go with Triumph?


Bruce E Cunha

Don't have the money to have that tarnished chrome radiator cowl rechromed. Not to worry. Buff the heck out of it and get down to the brass. Ever wonder what your TD would look like with a shiny brass radiator cowl. Wonder no more.




Bruce E Cunha

LaVerne, I went skiing Sunday and now have a 8" bruise to show for my efforts. I was minding my own business and got rear-ended by some kid out of control. I think I could have held on but he grabbed me as he fell and the rest is history.

Bruce, when I got Little T which consisted of a rolling chassis with engine and transmission and many many boxes a PO had purchased one of the aftermarket tachs to replace the missing one. I believe a working Triumph clock would be better than the repos that are right twice a day. Hmmm is it a coincidence they are in the tach and could they be tacky. LOL

Sorry fellas couldnt pass that one up. Oh, and really sorry to the guy who bought it from me.

Regards,
Rich
Richard Taylor

ed, in regard to you hole patch technique. new bondo is not supposed to shrink like the old bondo, but i think anything more than 1/8" is still a lot.. i see in all the recent articles i have been reading the guys are now using a self etching epoxy primer UNDER the bondo. it will keep moisture from the backside of the bondo. and the bondo will adhere. are you sure you couldn't find a friend with a mig welder to put metal in your body holes? regards, tom
tom peterson

Tom, yea, I've read a lot of threads here about stripping the sheet metal then immediatly applying primer and I ask myself "shouldn't they bondo first"? Do the rest of you apply primer before bondo or after?

Yea all, I wish I had a MIG but 1)I don't know how and 2)my wife is already raising eyebrows as the workshop grows! That hole in my photo by the way is about the size of a quarter (PO's attempt at a fog light), hence I rigured the patch on the back was needed.
Ed Haskell

Yes indeed, holes everywhere. At times I thought that the car had been attacked by metal eating termites ! Holes for an oil cooler, holes for a heater, holes for a badge bar, 2 complete sets of holes to attach the rear wings, holes for front wing mirrors, rotted out battery box,hole for an antenna in the rear splash apron....

I also had:
-3/8 inch thick bondo all over the front 1/2 of a front wing
-3/8 inch thick bondo all over the front splash apron
-black faced smiths ammeter and oil/temp gauge mixed with the green faced tach and speedo
-8inch chrome headlight buckets with 8 to 7" adapter rings
and my favorite, a chromed strting crank handle (see attached pic)......very pretty but the plating no longer allows the brass handle to spin around the rest of the shaft. somehow i just don't think that's too safe.

Bud P.


Bud Precht

Now days its prime first...bondo then prime over...
gblawson(gordon)

Bud P

Funny, I went not to long ago and looked at a TF my cousin had for sale and her cars crank was chromed as well. Since she has had it since she was 16 and is now close to 70 I was wondering if it came that way. The car is in great shape but unfortunately many years ago they had it painted the Miami Dolphins colors otherwise it would be close to all original.

Regards,
Rich
Richard Taylor

This thread was discussed between 23/02/2010 and 26/02/2010

MG TD TF 1500 index

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