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MG TD TF 1500 - Stowing side curtains

Although there is no heading for this subject in the archives, it is likely there somewhere, just can't find it. Perhaps I am the only TD owner who struggles with stowing the side curtains. Just had mine restored so trying to be careful not to sratch paint, and following the diagram and description in the owners manual still cannot get them into the storage area so that I can close and snap it shut. Is there a trick to this? Thanks for any helpful hints.
-Rich
Richard Olson

It is an absolute bear to store the side curtains for a late three bow TD top. There was an excellent article in TSO a few years ago that made the exercise a lot easier to do. I printed these instructions out and placed them with the side curtains. I have to refer to it every time I try to store the side curtains.
I'll try to see if I can find a way to post them.
-David
D. Sander

I also follow the picture in the owner's handbook for my 2 bow TD, it is a very tight fit. I suspect the modern Stafast (or whatever it is)canvas material is thicker than the original. Moss has nice thin individual storage bags so they don't get scratched. George
George Butz

There was a thread a little while ago about someone who had modified the side screen storage compartment by adding a top opening hinged lid to ease the entry of the screens into the compartment.

I have not tried this yet but it is on my list of things to do.

Cheers,

David
David Tinker

I could be wrong, but I believe It is on Dave Braun's site were he made the side curtain top hinge to open.
C.R. Tyrell

See http://www.ttalk.info/Hinged_Side_Curtain_Lid.htm It is one on Dave DuBois' gems. Bud
Bud Krueger

Hinging the top cover of the side curtain stowage box makes getting the side curtains much easier, but still difficult until using the procedure that David S. speaks of. I don't remember the name of the person who cam up with the method, but he always went under the byline of Bullwinkle. I have a scanned copy of the pictures what goes with his procedure, but they are really very poor. David S. If your pictures are any good, perhaps you could send them to Bud K. to include in the T talk. Cheers - Dave D.
David DuBois

More on side curtain stowage. I just found the article in the Southeastern MG 'T' Register MG Talk 2003. The article was written by Blake Urban (since deceased) and the pictures are not real clear in the article. I will try to take some better pictures to include on Bud's T talk site. In the meantime, perhaps David Sander has some pictures that can be sent to Richard - the only ones I have would have to be scanned, which would cause further deterioration of the pictures. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Scanned the TSOCD for Blake's name. Nothing about side curtains. His first entry was in 1995 and the last in 2003. Bud
Bud Krueger

It could be the thicker material of the modern stayfast that is making the fit so tight.
Richard Olson

When I get home tonight I will find the instructions. It should be about 10 pm or so. Bud, when I find them it would be great if you could compile them on T TALK.
thanks, David.
D. Sander

I have tried several ways and have found the best way is to make the pack up as follows

Front o/s. With flap tucked under. Outside facing down

Then place

Front n/s. With flap tucked under. Outside facing down

Followed by rear o/s. outside facing up

Followed by rear n/s again outside facing up

Ensure that all fixing lugs are inter locked

Then with a leather belt just threaded through the buckle lower the bundle and place in the storage area.

leave the belt in place for easy removal
.
It does work and there is no damage. The trick is using the belt

Regards. Richard. MG 52 TD
Rick Hyde

As an OBTW :
Not fun in a TF either!
TTalk has my cure for the TF.
I enlarged the boot storage compartment and added a lock to it on mine.
David Sheward

While it's nice to store the side curtains where they should be,,,, but that space is the only place to store valuable spares,,, like half shaft, drum puller, spare water pump, wheel bearing, spare genny rain gear etc,,,,, The easiest is to bubgie cord the side curtains to the luggage rack,,,
SPW
STEVE WINCZE

RE Rick's instructions: perhaps embarrassing to admit, but as a Yank, I can never remember what's meant by "offside" and "nearside." Can you translate into "left" and "right" for us poor uneducated? ;-)
Rob Edwards

Rob,
Pretty sure "offside = passanger side" & "nearside = drivers" ? RHD: OFF = Left / Near = Right.
I have been wrong before ...and will be again, no doubt!
David Sheward

David, I'd be delighted to do so.
Rick, a series of photos would be outstanding. If you send them me at my email address above I'd be happyn to post them on Ttalk (http://www.ttalk.info/ as a webpage. Bud
Bud Krueger

Found it! It is on page 28 of the April 2002 TSO. It is an article called "Sidescreen Stowage for the Three Bow Top" by Blake Urban #1377
-David
D. Sander

David S. - as one of those of us who do not receive the TSO, I don't know how the pictures with Blake's original article look - I only have the article as it appeared in the Southeastern MG 'T' Register and in there, the pictures are lacking in clarity. I took a series of color pictures today, duplicating those that Blake took originally. I will transcribe his article, using my pictures and sent it to Bud K. to be put on his Ttalk site. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

I followed David Shewards suggestions for the storage bins and a movable top lid. Thanks again David! But instead of a hinge, I just made it a "loose" lid. In normal conditions the bow will hold the lid in its position and for sidescreen operations, the lid is very easy to take away. The lid has a little edge that holds the storage door upright. So, no extra locking facilities needed. Works fine and easy for me.
greetings, huib


Huib Bruijstens

See http://www.ttalk.info/SideCurtainsHyde.html for images and info from Rick Hyde Bud
Bud Krueger

David Sherwood.
It's the other way round. As you are driving, the nearside is the nearest side to the path/ sidewalk etc. The offside is closest side to the centreline of the road.
Cheers
Jon
J Harrison

Jon,
Yep..."I have been wrong before ...and will be again, no doubt!"
I have, once again, been able to ad to the confusion!
David Sheward

Thanks guys, once the knee arthroscope recovery is complete, I will be back to the stowage activity..
Rich
Richard Olson

This is taken from ebay.co.uk (which I assume is based on RHD / driving on the left...)

Off Side = The Drivers Side of the Car, often shorten to O/S.

Near Side = The Passenger Side of the Car, often shorten to N/S.

An easy way to remember is Near Side is nearest the kerb, hence, Near Side.

That means for LHD, the near side is nearest to the driver, and the off side (or you translate it to "other side") is further off (which sounds logical to me). In the UK, the driver sits on the "other side" (which to me also sounds intuitively right..)

I can fit my panels in with some effort, but mine are missing the stabilizer inlay in the lower part of the front panel (which means they flap when driving) and they come out quite wrinkled. But I rarely use them anyway, in most cases I pull up the hood and leave the windows open.

I like the storage idea below the rear board - thatīs a great add on !

Best Regards
Mike
Mike Fritsch

>That means for LHD, the near side is nearest to the driver, and the off side (or you translate it to "other side") is further off

If I understand J correctly, for LHD drive cars where there is RH traffic (e.g. the US), nearside would be /farthest/ from the curb/kerb and offside would be /nearest/ the curb/kerb, or in other words, nearside is offside and offside nearside, unless you want to say offside is offside and nearside is nearside, except that offside isn't the same as offside and nearside isn't the same as nearside! ~clutches head~

Left & ride is so much easier -- doesn't matter where you sit or on which side you drive! ;-)
Rob Edwards

That should be "left and right" of course...
Rob Edwards

Left side if your in the car ..or standing in front of it looking at it? LOL
Exit "Stage-Left" ...or was it "Camera Left"?
David Sheward

>Left side if your in the car ..or standing in front of it looking at it? LOL

I'm assuming you're joking, but in case not, it doesn't matter -- the car's left and right are the same no matter where you stand. Just like your right hand doesn't become your left just because I'm facing you from the front rather than the back... ;-)
Rob Edwards

Awhile back a Jaguar owner's manual contained a line something on the order of ..."... left and right relate to the driver, sitting in the diver's seat, facing forward.." No that's specific. Bud
Bud Krueger

to steve wincze. do you always carry all that stuff with your car?
i carry a spare tire and a tool kit. regards, tom
tom peterson

Tom,
YES,,You just never know when something will be needed,, either by us for our car, or another T type that we are out with,, Every Spring all of the stuff comes out for a supply check and gets repacked,,that way, we are always ready to go,,,(and get back without a tow)

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Steve and Annie are true friends who are always willing to pull over to help a fellow MG'r with a hand, a spare or both.
I once came back to the car to find a friendly note from Steve suggesting I check my tire pressure. It was low.
-David
D. Sander

I seem to recall seeing Steve provide someone with a half shaft at a rainy GOF at Rochester, NY, a number of years ago. Helped install it too. Bud
Bud Krueger

Trolling the archive looking for info & pics on side curtains and came across this thread from Richard Olson in 2012 seeking advice on the correct method for stowing TD side curtains. Surprising that nobody above mentioned that there are TWO entirely different methods for stowing TD side curtains, one for the 2 bow and another for the 3 bow. Use the incorrect method and they may well be nigh on impossible to remove.

These methods are both explained in considerable detail with illustrations in the two issues that I have (5 - 7/55 and 8 - 3/56) of the M.G. midget Series TD and TF Workshop Manual issued by the M.G. Car Company (and presumably in all of these issues). The sixth edition of the M.G. Midget Driver's Handbook only shows the method for the 3 bow frames. I suspect that this is the case for each Driver's Handbook edition, which will only provide detail for either the two bow or three bow car as it relates to the year of purchase, but not for both.

Worth noting however that there is nothing on this subject in the T Series Restoration Guide by Malcolm Green, Scientific Publications TD WSM, The T Series Handbook and Horst Schach's M.G. TD Restoration Manual. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Peter, thanks for posting this. I have no problem storing my side curtains in my 51 TD using the MG owner's manual. But I will be careful when I get to that point with my 53 TD. It has a three bow top. Thanks for the heads up about the different stowage methods.

Regards

Tim
Timothy Burchfield

I have no intention of reading all of this but in my shop manual there are 2 sections on how to store the curtains. It depends on factors out of my memory now, but if you choose the wrong method they won't fit!
Enough, eh?
efh Haskell

What are these side curtain thingys y'all talking about? Never fitted them. I guess I'd rather be cold and wet that put them on.
Ahrendt

This thread was discussed between 17/03/2012 and 22/04/2018

MG TD TF 1500 index

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