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MG TD TF 1500 - BMW-powered TD

This car on eBay (140608956232) is a first for me. Looks as though someone spent some time on it.

Tom
t lange

I can't say I care for the wheels or the paint, but I like that car. It will never be able to be a show car, but it sure looks like it is a fun car to drive.
The BMW 2002 had an independent rear suspension didn't it? That listing says it has a rear end from a 2002 too. I'd love to drive it, I wonder how it handles?
D. Sander

I made a post, but it did not go or went somewhere else. Anyway IMHO it is nothing more than a nice kit car. I am a fan of doing things to these cars but to make it with a different motor is way out of line. Brakes and dressup, superchargers, rear ends and some chrome and stuff OK. German Motors aint one of them.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

There was a TD near my house for sale a while ago. The person restoring it passed away and his wife was selling it. He had the chassis done and primed. There was no engine, no transmission, no interior, no chrome and no instruments.
The fenders were ok, but the tub was shot. It needed all new wood, quarter panels, wheel wells, side curtain box and cross brace.
The restoration would have cost several times what the car would have been worth, and it would not have had the original drive train. I thought about buying it and using the running gear of a donor car. I think it would make sense to have fun with re powering a car like this, BUT I WOULD NEVER CUT UP A COMPLETE ORIGINAL CAR TO DO THIS. If I could have found a reasonably priced donor car I could have had fun with this. I was thinking of using a Mazda Miata but could not find one. That car has since sold, but I often think about what could have been. Not a show car, but a fun project car.
-David
D. Sander

Color scheme is interesting, but I don't like the wide tires.

As for the engine. I have seen a lot of engines put in a TD. But that is the first BMW. I bet it drives nice. IMHO beats the V8 conversions.

Note he kept the original instruments.

At the time this was built, it probably was easy to get a TD and doing something different was not an issue.
Bruce Cunha

What David S, said makes sence.
I bet it is fun to drive!
Depends on what it goes for.
I would not pay the "same $" as I would for #'s matching, but once the orginial motor is gone ...different story.
The TF I looked at with the Volvo 1800, 5spd, disc ect would be in my garage today had it not been presented as "all orginial" with a price to match.
IMHO: under $10k or so I would consider it.
David Sheward

....I don't mind the engine swap as much as the colour scheme and those horrible wheels.....
I would love to build up a TD chassis, tub, but with something a bit more...umm... powerful.... MGB would be my choice, but wouldn't rule out a Miata as well.....

So far I have only photoshopped the 3.5 litre BMW engine swap....

gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

I think the color scheme looks good on a TD. As for the wheels, think that any MG looks "over dressed" with chrome wires.
David Werblow

Here's what the MGA should have been.

2002 Tii with Webers, 5 speed. Engine had to be inserted from the bottom.

In an MGA Coupé. This would have been impossible on a RHD car.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A Clark

My greatest curiosity is what it has by way of suspension and drivetrain - no way the original drivetrain can handle that engine's output.

I had a '72 2000 Touring version of the 2002 and loved that engine - never a hint of trouble and I drove that car hard on Honduras's mountain highways - paved and unpaved.

That TD must absolutely fly!

Pity the baloon tires and tacky chrome rims give it the look of one of those cheesy kit cars.

I don't even mind the color scheme given the extent of the mechanical mods. It's almost fitting. But the wheels and tires spoil the composition.

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

The Tii would not have Webers, it was fuel injected. I had one.

Jim
James Neel

Looks like a lot of time and $$$ were spent on the car. I also don't care for the paint scheme or wheels, but the paint job and workmanship looks beautifully done. I wonder if the frame was stiffened and drive line upgraded to absorb the torque increase? Hope no one tries to drive this car to the potential of the engine! Could be disastrous. PJ
P Jennings

Jim,

You're right of course about the injection, but the set that came with the engine had a duff injection pump, and a replacement (a rebuild) was $1400 - more than the cost of the Webers, and with Webers, they were dealing with a known item.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Que.
Gordon A Clark

I just saw a TD on craigs list with a Datsun 510 1600cc
engine and drive train all for $1500. It was gone in a flash. I've owned a Bmw 2002 and a datsun 510 and an MGA with a chevy 283 v/8. They were all a little faster than my TD! I think the supercharger on a TD is as far as I'd go now.
cj schmit

I am putting Tom Lange's blower in my car later this month so if my engine, Dave Clark's rear and Steve Neal's tranny hold together I should have the perfect combination. Results later.

Jim
James Neel

This thread was discussed between 20/09/2011 and 04/10/2011

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