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MG TD TF 1500 - Chassis cut-outs on TD!!

After 46 years of tinkering with the car, and whilst tidying and seting up the carbs I noticed (for the first time) that there are two cut-outs in the chassis on the off-side (right hand from the driver's view point). The larger one is roughly in line with the drop and bend of the exhaust pipe (though it is nowhere near it), the smaller one about 2in forward of this in line with nothing in particular.

The car was quite possibly the last RHD MkII, and was sold to a young woman. There is no known racing or competition history which would suggest against a performance addition such as a blower or special 4 branch manifold. It raises the question as to whether these cut outs are a standard on UK cars, and if not what were they for.

So, any thoughts?

IanB

One is a section of an arc around 0.5in deep and 6in long, the other about 0.25in deep and 4in long. The cuts have been made fairly crudely with a flame and don't penetrate into the box section.
Ian Bowers

Ian, I also had 2 such cutt outs. I think you can see them in this picture left/right of the head of the floor jack. They were VERY crude! There was a post about this a while back. My left one looks like it might have something to do with a prior vertical oil filter but I'm not sure.
Ed


efh Haskell

Earlier cars had a verticle oil filter in this location on one side. must have been for different models,,,
STEVE WINCZE

My car has a vertical "spin on" , aftermarket filter, and the cutout fits right there, on the driver side...Makes access to the filter possible.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Here's a photo of the filter in place:

E.B. Wesson

Edward how about a picture showing the topside of your vertical spin-on filter? It sure looks like it would be much cleaner to change filters compared to the current horizontal spin-on filter adapters.
Jim Merz

I have the same cutout on my 51. the picture looks like it has the Marino filter system that I also have.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

This comes up periodically, as it was told to me. The frame builders did not plan for the oil filter and there was a person on the assembly line who did nothing but cut out this piece. Every one I have seen is a rough cut, like done with a cutting torch.

That would not really explain the two cutouts. And, why would they continue this process for any length of time without modifying the process to include this space.
Bruce Cunha

Tom, after I read your comment, I realized it probably is a Phil Marino adapter made for the early TDs and TC cars. My TD has the later oil pump with the horizontal filter.
Jim Merz

There may be some trans-Atlantic confusion here!

This is a RHD car (made for and sold into the UK), and the oil filter is on the LHS. The cut-outs are on the RH driver/exhaust manifold side.

Any new thoughts based on this reminder.

IanB
Ian Bowers

This topic came up a few years ago. The two cutout areas are mirror images on either side of the top surface of the TD frame. I seem to recall that the reasoning was for the frame's use in another vehicle that was available in right or left hand steering and these notches were to clear the steering mechanism. Bud
Bud Krueger

....or....they cut out the first one before realizing that the frame flipped over further up the assembly line....so they had another chap cut it out in the right place....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

Ian - I am happy to check the factory production ledgers and see where your car stands in terms of the last RHD Mark II. After yours (TD/C 29438), the following RHD Mark II or TD/C cars were made for the Home market:

29475, 29478, 29479, 29480, 29607, 29792, 29908, and 29909. So although yours is not quite the last one made, it is certainly in the last dozen and within the last month of production.

Best wishes,

Tom Lange
Bar Harbor, Maine



t lange

My '54 TF has those cut outs. Original frame for car.

tn
Tom Norby

I am not sure if it was the intended purpose, but the cut-out allowed me to remove the starter motor from the top rather than needing to drop the exhaust.

Dave Williams
Dave Williams (TD10254)

Here's a view of my filter from the top , so much stuff in the way though:
Edward

E.B. Wesson

Poor Ian. It seems that nobody is paying attention to the fact that BOTH cutouts on your chassis are on the same side, a few inches apart.
John Redman

My (early) TD has the vertical oil filter and without the ellipse shaped cut-out there is no room to mount it. So that's the reason for the ellipse shaped cut-out on the left side. But I see no reason for the same cut-out on the right side, not to speak about the 2 rectangular cut-out on both sides.
I've got a RHD and I'm sure the cut-outs have nothing to do with clearance of the steering mechanism what so ever.

Jasper
Jasper L Nederhoed

This thread was discussed between 28/10/2011 and 13/11/2011

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