MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

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 - Shock Absorber Colour

I have just rebuilt the rear shock absorbers and the casings are now clean aluminium and the levers steel. Should the casings be left unpainted? If not what colour should they be? Most I have seen are either black or corroded aluminium but I recall from years ago my Austin A35 had green ones - front and back - or maybe that was just the engine colour. The 60s are a long time ago!

Jan T
J Targosz

Jan,
Black,,, the bare casings start to look "shabby" after a while,
SPW
Steve Wincze

The shocks were painted with the chassis. A lot of replacements were painted proprietary colors (Monroe were blue, Monroe yellow). I choose to leave the casting bare and paint the steel links I think it just looks right, but that is just me.
David
D. Sander

When Peter Caldwell rebuilt mine, I had him leave the casing plain and paint the arms on the front, the rear shocks are chassis black. PJ




Paul S Jennings

On My "A" the shocks were cleaned back to the natural pot metal colour, to keep them from corroding I painted them aluminum. The arms were painted black.... on the original arms before cleaning their was a green stripe of paint , of which I reproduced. I had read somewhere that the colour was a code that reflected the valving in the shock. Maybe some one could confirm this marking.
...CR
C.R. Tyrell

We bought a brand new replacement set of Armstrong's in the 60's and they were bronze.

But the car came with black like everything else on the chassis that did not move.


Christopher Couper

Is that a Pinto in the background? 197?
D. Sander

I have just bought a rattle can of aluminium paint used for aluminium wheels and a can of the special lacquer to go over it. If it will protect wheels it should be ok for the shockers.

Jan
J Targosz

Jan,

If you are talking TFs,there is a photograph of a TF (without its body panels yet mounted) in the Factory grounds and it seems to depict the front shock absorbers as Black. Yes,I know,I know...... it is a black and white
photogragh!

Always painted my TF shock absorbers Black,(both lever arms and body)semi gloss. I suspect in Australia,the shock absorber when reconditioned,was painted Green.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
R GRANTHAM

Dave. Yep. A fire bomb Pinto. I think this is 1972? It was my fathers who went from the TD to a 55 T-Bird, then a MGC GT and then the Pinto. What a declining order. He did reclaim himself a bit by then buying a MB 280 SL.

I had faithfully restored the bronze finish on the shocks thinking that was original until somebody pointed it out for me later :-)

You can have a field day with that picture by pointing out all the other mistakes that are in there too. I can see at least 4.
Christopher Couper

Chris,
Small world. My dad has a 55 t-bird, a TD and a B. No Pinto though.
David
D. Sander

Spent hours cleaning mine and then sent them to Moss for a rebuilt. They sent them back painted black which had chipped in transit. I was disgusted. So I cleaned them again. Personally I like the brass and aluminium natural which I spray with a Lacquer to protect them. Not original I know but that's how I like them.


D Lamb

When I was re attaching me rear shocks on the TF I noticed an additional hole in the chassis behind the shock. Does anyone know what this is for. See Pic. Thanks


D Lamb

I'm just struggling with the same question. Having cleaned away the grime of the last 60 years, I thought that engine red on the body and black arms would look nice (it is about the rear shocks at the moment).
Or will the originality police tell me off for that ?
They are still blank...

Rgds, Mike
Mike Fritsch

Depends if you want nice or if you want original. Your choice.

Matthew.
M Magilton

This thread was discussed between 14/03/2015 and 19/03/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

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