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MG TD TF 1500 - Tonneau cover colour advice?

Hi all.
Having just got the new interior panel and seat trim kit in biscuit,it seems I cannot get a tonneau the same colour from that supplier?
The maker they use does one in a slightly darker shade of biscuit,tan!
Should the tonneau be the same colour as the panels and seats,or is a contrasting colour common or normal?
I havent yet looked at another supplier,but most will likely use the same maker for TF stuff anyway.
The original TF I saw recently had dark brown seats/trim with a lighter hood and screens, but dont know if they were actually originals!

Your thoughts sought!!

Cheers
Pilkie

There's a saying that men can only distinguish 8 colors, so there's a challenge. Since I would consider biscuit something you eat and tan is what you get in the sun, will gladly refrain from any advive in this matter...

Rgds Mike
Mike Fritsch

I usually see the tonneau the same color as the hood....
Rob Edwards

FWIW...I bought a biscuit tonneau cover a couple of years ago. If I had to do it over again I would definitely get black. Primarily it doesn't show the dirt. It also looks fine. But mine is no where near a show car, strictly a nice looking driver. If I ever replace the top it will also be black.
Mort
Mort Resnicoff (50 TD-Mobius)

Mort,

I don't know any color that doesn't show the dirt--but black is surely NOT the one. Not only does it show any and all dirt, but it's not easy to get clean.


David Werblow

Half or full tonneau?
More for show or more to keep the weather out?
Same as hood colour is the usual option. Pick the fabric carefully, take home a sample if you can. If you can easily leave dirty fingerprints on the sample then the tonneau in that material will be a p.i.t.a.
I should probably have a tan tonneau on my car to match the hood but I really wanted good weather and dust protection so I went for practical black vinyl using the 1955 dealer installed studs on the car.

Matthew.


M Magilton

It will be a vinyl,with divider zip in middle tonneau.
I had double duck/mohair on my TR6 and its a pain as it stains easy,so swapped back to original h/d vinyl for that wipe clean ease.
Pilkie

...should be khaki to match the top/hood.... I've always thought black just doesn't look right on a T car.... MGA's and B's, but not T's......
...that said....my tonneau is green cause it came with the car....


gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

I have black interior, black vinyl tonneau, & black mohair hood. That is how the car came to me and the only one I changed was when I installed a new black hood.

The hood is rarely up, (maybe 3/4 times a year on average) and like Matthew said the vinyl tonneau is very easy to care for.
A lot less hassle to wash the car with the tonneau zipped up than putting side curtains & hood up!

My decesion was driven mostly in that the interior and side curtains (black) were in decent shape when I purchased the car. MY PO had installed the side curtains "wrong-side out" and they had faded badly.
Swapping them was easy ...now they look great on the outside but faded on the inside. Not a biggie for me as Izzy is a driver.
David Sheward

OBTW:
I threw that out here again (about the side curtains) in case someone else's is "wrong way out".
When we installed the new hood I asked my installer about dying them to match.
Thanks again to Jack for catching it...I would have bought new ones. Saved me some $$!
David Sheward

My interior is red, and I went with the tan tonneau and hood (top)....The car came with a black hood, and it didn't look right to me...(but it needed replacing, anyway)....
Edward


Edward Wesson 52TD

And the tonneau


Edward Wesson 52TD

How many colours of tonneau and top came from the factory,and what were they???

As far as I can tell with the TF's you could buy a red car with black carpets,biscuit seats/trim and a tan top/tonneau??!
Pilkie

I think black is beautiful...for the TD as well for the Renault VelSatis and for the Fiat 500...


Jasper Nederhoed TD #3966

How many colours of tonneau and top came from the factory,and what were they???

Far as I know only one: Duck (tan) on hood.
Believe all tonneau's were dealer added according to what I have read....but there apears to be some questions about that (as well as fog lamps) when you watch some old films.

David Sheward

Pilkie, MG books will present the original coulour schemes. A company in the London area, named Moto-Build, has an own uppolstery (including hoods and tonneau's) workshop and the have a variety of coulours and materials. Not too far from bristol I suppose.
www.moto-build.co.uk
Greetings, Huib
Huib Bruijstens

Looking at what the suppliers offer,the only choice seems to be black or tan,unless you go direct and have one made in your own colour choice!
After looking at lots of online images of TF's,I think I will go with tan.
I have a good hood frame,but wont be having a hood as I am fitting just aeroscreens.
The next owner can add that and sidescreens if they want to.

Thanks for your help.
Pilkie

This thread was discussed between 16/02/2013 and 17/02/2013

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