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 - TD - Help on some details, please

Hello to all,

I am considering the possibility of buying an MG TD I have been offered. Before taking this step, I have been reading some information on the car and searching the Inet for more of it. After doing my homework, I dare to ask to you experts, about several details I am worried about.

The car is apparently in a very good condition. It was imported from USA to Spain last year, and restored. The colour is not original (beige with brown fenders and biscuit leather upholstery). It seems to be one of the latest TD, since it has the round tail lights, and the car number is about 24XXX.

Here are my doubts/questions:

There are some (about 4) bolts forming a semi-circle on each side of the body in the vertical panel between the door and the engine hood, at the height of the door handle, below the windshield bracket. These are some kind of mushroom-head bolts painted in body colour. It seems that they hold something inside the body (or the body to something) and only the heads are visible. I've never seen these bolts in other TDs. Are they original in this late model?

The two carburettors have independent round air filters, in the style of the MG TF. As far as I know, TDs had only one filter with an air distributor to the carburettors. Is this correct in all TDs?

The side curtains and the wiper motor are missing. I have an idea of the cost of new (Moss). Is it possible to get some used, less expensive material?

Thank you for everybody who responds.

Jesus in Spain
J. Benajes

Jesus,

The color is not standard, but sounds like it may be nice looking (cracker and cream I believe the Brits refer to it, and was used on TAs, TBs, and TCs I think).

I have never seen those bolts as you described before in any TD. If the current owner will allow, remove the panel on the inside of the car to get access and see what the bolts are attached to. Certainly very unusual. Perhaps there were some structural issues that a previous owner repaired using these bolts?

The air filters you describe are not at all unusual (mine has them as well). They were a period replacement, and often the years have seen the loss of the original filter components. Replacement with these filters was an inexpensive alternative (the original oil bath can cost several hundred dollars to replace).

Side curtains can be expensive to replace (as you have seen if you checked Moss). I found a set for mine a while ago on EBay for about 1/3 the cost of Moss, but I got lucky (plus they were black vinyl rather than tan StayFast as appropriate). If you don't plan on getting caught in the rain, you might be able to live without them. If you have the metal frames, you may be able to have the curtains made at an automotive upholstery supplier and save some money. As for the wiper motor, it can be replaced certainly, but if you don't drive in the rain...

Hope this helps.

Larry Thompson
'51TD
Larry Thompson

Are these round headed bolts (carrige bolts) above and below the door striker? I have seen many cars with these bolts as someone though it would be stronger for the door strikers to have bolts that passed through the entire body rather than into the wood or captive nuts of the striker receivers. There should be nuts on the inside at the striker plates if so.

If not I can't guess.
Chris Couper

Hello,

Thank to all who responded to my inquiries.

Larry's is a practical advice: the region of Spain where I live in is just a little more rainy than California, so I am sure that the car can be driven most of the time without weather equipment, included the wiper motor.

The issue of the suspicious bolts is more disquieting. Well, the car in question is about 250 miles far, so unfortunately it is not easy to go by and have a look. I took some pictures of the car, but unwisely, not of those bolts. As far as I can remember they were placed more advanced than the door striker and they seemed to be very heavy too, so they must hold something strong in place.

I know that before buying the car, I must take a close look at that part of the body.

Thank you again.

Jesus
J. Benajes

My 52 TD has those carriage bolts holding the door striker on. My TD was restored more than a few years ago and this looks like it was a quick fix for someone to hold the door strikers in postion.I recently repinned the door hinges and I had to reshape the hinges to get the door to close properly, loads of fun those doors. I am in the process of working out a way to fill the holes and use the standard bolts and screws to mount the door strikers. The heads of the carriage bolts were not even painted when I bought this car. I have them painted now , so they are less visible, But I know they are there and they drive me nuts!

David

52 TD 22604
David Garrison

The bolts on the side are definitely not original. I'm not sure, but is it possible that the bolts tie the body back to the frame bar for added rigidity? (the bar i'm refering to runs from one frame rail up to the cowl and back down to the other frame rail... you can see it in the MOSS catalog page showing the TD-TF Chassis)

My TD has a good share of twist and i could see someone trying to stiffen it up this way.

what do you guys think?
Rob
'51 TD
Robert Bonaz

I've seen side curtains and wiper motors on e-bay several other times in the last few years. Don't recall prices. Check regularly if you're not in a hurry.

I don't think the color was original, but I believe that cars could be ordered from the factory with primer only and then painted after delivery. Thus, the color probably is not unrepresentative of a few TDs during the early 50s.

No idea about the bolts.

Steve Markman
50 TD
Steve Markman

This thread was discussed between 03/05/2002 and 22/05/2002

MG TD TF 1500 index

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