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MG TD TF 1500 - Ver y rare TF on eBay?

Heres one for you on eBay, for some reason I think its very rare and totally original. Please notice the very early and original steel steering wheel.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1954-MG-TF-Stored-Since-1962-in-Southern-California_W0QQitemZ150082021060QQihZ005QQcategoryZ31858QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
John

Original seats eh?
M Whitt

Numbers come back correct to a car built Jan 27th 54.
Seats look ...uh ..."strange"?
I have heard tales of the elusive "louvered bonnet" ....never seen one in the flesh.
I actually bid on a set of them years ago, but got a bit too rich for my blood.
Pretty sure I have an old 50's mag that had an advert in the back for a set of "aftermarket louvered" ones as well.
Not sure what Lister meant by "1956" unless a typo or just when car was tittled? (Later in add he does say exported in 54)
IMHO: Would take some work, but worth the effort. Refreshingly honest listing...considering some we have seen!
Will be interesting to see what she fetches!
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

John,

For the untrained eye, that TF may appear rare and original, but IMHO its not rare and far from original.

First, as M Whitt has pointed out, the seats are certainly not original
The louvered hood panels would have to be replaced to bring it to original
Needs a new steering wheel
As many of us know the octagonal plate on the engine is no guarantee that it's an original engine
In addition to the missing sidescreens - a fairly major item, its also missing air filters, and at least the left side door panel, headlamp trim rings and other doo-dabs
Maybe, its also missing the tools and crank handle.
A modern and probably recent battery, suggests that the car was probably tried to be started, and probably unsuccessfully
Hard to determine how the windscreen was broken - could be an omen of something more serious
Contrary to the seller's opinion, I'll bet there ARE wood problems. There is just enough rust and in critical places, like under the doors, to so convince me

IMHO this is a very tatty car of uncertain quality, missing some critical items. I think too, the seller has embellished his description and is unreliable.

Assuming the drive line is OK, he will be lucky to get $8,500. IMHO, its not worth a farthing more.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qu.
Gordon A. Clark

This is pretty shabby car for being stored in a "barn" after 6 years of use. Steering wheel has totally disintigrated which indicates it was probably stored outside for while. My orig. wheel is still intact as its has not seen much sunlight.
The seats are not original as the welts are white and the orig. ones were red. They look like vinyl, but I could be wrong. Orig. seat leather turns to an orange red color over time.
Looks like a lot of "bits" are missing.
The bonnet is a replica of the MG design as first proposed in the 1953 TF prototype.

54 TF 1200 6688
Colin Stafford

WOW...either that shot way up in price, or I miss read it! Well over what I would be willing to pay for one in this shape now!
(when I posted I thought we were still under $5k!)
Hey Gordon & Colin...Thought I read somewhere years ago that "a few" of the louvered bonnets actually left the factory that way? Were they an "aftermarket item" only? (with the exception of the prototypes of course that a car made in 54 would not be!) If so, I sure am glad I "backed-off" the bidding on a set of them back in 2000...I considered them back then when I was having some overheating/vapor-lock problems!
Mom always said "if you can't say anything nice...don't say anything at all" ...with that in mind I would say the engine stamping on the block is consistent with octagonal plate on the engine! LOL
I CAN laugh as this is getting very near what I paid for "Izzy" and she was in far better shape when she came to live with us!
At least I got some "smiles per miles" in before deciding I was doing "more than my part" to keep the mosquito population down!
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Dave,

I'll bet the owner is bidding himself under a pseudo-nom (Bidder 8 - sounds fishy to me), to get the bidding up.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

I just hope that some of the people bidding on eBay read our diatribes. Get a "CLUE" people.
With all of the rot and decay I see (or not see) on this car I can conclude its been out in the CA sunshine more than its been inside.

John, VA. This is not a rare and/or original car and the steering wheel is not there any more.
Colin Stafford

Hi Colin
Just looked again and the steering wheel is there and original steel, just the plastic is missing. Winner will probably have to send it off to Gordon L. to work his majic. The large type lists it as a 1956 TF and it comes with "yellow Calif. Plates", that should kick the bid up! JMHO I think the barn had a large hole in the roof? John
John

Is it just me ...or are others out there a bit concerned about the "new way" bidders are showing up on ebay auctions for autos?

I have purchased 2 cars off ebay (and backed out on one that was a total and obvious rip-off).

You used to have some idea who else was bidding ...this "bidder by #" stuff ...I don't care for. Looking at "bidder#8" on this one:
"Bid activity (%) with this seller: 100%"

Do I read that to mean 100% of bids this "buyer" has ever made were with this seller? Am I missing something here?

I can understand ebay wanting to make some changes to "protect" sellers, buyers and their proffits....however IMHO I don't think I could ever purchase another auto from ebay and feel safe! "Find a car" ...maybe ...but this has all become a little too "stealth" for my taste....I like to know whom I am doing business with!
David
David Sheward

Gord, Gord, Gord. Not the conspiracy theory again. Look, there's Bidder #8 over on the grassy knoll.

I never have liked people called Bidder #8.

Dave, I just looked at record of Bidder #8 (the scoundrel!) It shows that he's been a member for 4-5 years, that his feedback is 100% with 50-99 feedbacks. All it says about this auction is that in the last 30 day, he's only bid on this auction. Not out of the question. I can't say I've ever gone for 30 day without bidding on something, but possible for some, I guess.

Derek Nicholson

I was really asking...
"Am I missing something here?"
Answer : YES ..I see now, that is just for last 30 days! My bad ...didn't look "back and to the left"!
Well now I've done it ...gone and put the only foot I had squarely in my mouth ...again!
Guess I had better catch up on my reading ...com-trails , anyone??????
Cheers,
David
David Sheward

I used to look at what other bidders had been buying, but let's face it, you can't really tell anything about them from that. And it certainly won't help you predict a last minute snipe from someone who hasn't previously bid. I know, because that's what I usually do.


Derek Nicholson

Hi All,

At least the seller has stated "the car is not currently running and needs total restoration." 1500 to 2,000 hours and then you would have a nice car!!

I like the look of the grey TF1500 currently for sale on eBay-140074747231.Here is a car worth working on.Yeh,I know! There are some things not spot on but it looks fairly original,particularly in the panels department.For a change,nice,correct door fits.

Cheers
Rob.Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
R GRANTHAM

Here is the explaination for Bidder 8

As the internet evolves, eBay continues to strike a balance between preserving transparency and protecting our Community of members. eBay has decided to change how bid history information is displayed so bad guys cannot target bidders with fake offers using this information. In certain cases, some bidders will no longer be able to view Bidder User IDs on the Bid History page. Your User ID will be shown only to you and the seller of the item you're bidding on. Other members will see an anonymous name, such as Bidder 1, applied consistently to the Bid History page.
Amy

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2007 and 19/01/2007

MG TD TF 1500 index

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