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MG TD TF 1500 - December - and still riding

And I am talking about Norway! So many people around the world think of Norway as a very cold country, with polar bears wandering around in the northern town. Not so.
Yes, it can be cold. But this year has been the warmest since they started the records in eighteen hundred and something! Of course, this is good for me and my TD, when snow and ice arrive and they start salting everywhere. And salt is not good for any car. At that moment, mine will be safely tucked away for the winter.
This image was taken a couple of weeks ago in an old part of Oslo. Today, I visited IKEA outside the city. Very nice!
PS. There are no polar bears in mainland Norway.

Raymond Wardenaer

Beatiful Raymond ! Is this in Homansbyen?
Vera (TF-54)has been jacked up by now, the garage/operating theathre is heated and she is waiting for her five speed transplant to be done. But only after her surgeon has recovered from cervical disc prosthesis surgery.

Regards,


Jan
Jan Kristoffersen

Cold and wet here now in SE England, Raymond. We've had a remarkably kind autumn too (in contrast to last year) and I've had the TD out and about at weekends.

But I think NW Europe is about to get some real winter weather this coming week and the 8th December, onwards, is looking a bit more seasonable for us both.

Still, we're less than 3 weeks away from the shortest day (with apologies to our cousins down-under), when we can start to look forward to Spring!
Tom Bennett - 53TD 24232

Jan, this image was taken in Rodeløkka, not far from where I grew up (Grünerløkka). I hope that you back will be good soon, so you can be the surgeon on Vera.
And Tom, yes I don't think the car will be running around outdoors for much longer now, but, as you say, it will be shorter to spring...
Raymond Wardenaer

Raymond,

It has been in the 40's F here in Virginia and I have had my TD out. It has a heater. Taking it to the club Christmas party Saturday night. Back in the 60's I drove it in the winter all the time. I don't take it out when the salt is on the roads

Cheers, David
David Honness

Still driving here in Ohio...but for how long?
Like you said when the salt come out ...the MG goes in.
David Sheward

Jan, here's hoping that you have a swift and uneventful recovery.

I'm fortunate to be in central Texas where we only lose a few days every now and then to winter weather. The tradefoff is that riding around on 100 degree + (fahrenheit) days can be a bit of a test of will!

We've had somewhat of a cold snap, into the high 30's and yesterday I had the TD out for a ride - the suspension felt stiffer than it did on the very hot days, as well as on the more temperate days in the 80's. Is it my imagination, or might the fluid in the dampers have a bit higher viscocity in colder weather resulting in a firmer ride?

BobbyG

Bobby Galvez

Mine has been snug in its bubble for a month. We normally have a lousy November but this one has been pretty much dry. Could have driven a bit longer. But the snow hit this morning. Expecting a few inches by the weekend.
Bruce Cunha

For the first time this fall (winter?) the weather forecast says below freezing point in Oslo tomorrow. Therefore, I had to take the TD for a short trip to some shops today.
Raymond Wardenaer

We had beautiful weather in the high 60s deg F on Friday here in eastern North Carolina, USA. Our local area sports car "club" (no dues, no scheduled meetings, no rules and no officers) had a luncheon at a central location. The TF with a new paint job belongs to poster Al Parker.

Dallas Congleton

Sunday was another beautiful day in the 70s. Christmas parades were scheduled all week end in surrounding towns. This parade was in Bath, the oldest town in North Carolina, settled in 1690.
We were the only two British cars, but were a crowd pleaser - :^)

Dallas Congleton

Dallas,

I'm very jealous, looks lovely there - trust the food was good too!

Winter has started now in the North of England, with the first night frosts and some snow in the hills of Yorkshire and Scotland. Roll on Spring!

Cheers,

John
J C Mitchell

John,

I am the one who is jealous. I would so love to see England in any season, and although you are probably thinking it's going to be a cold winter I am thinking it sounds great. My daughters mother-in-law is English and I love hearing her speak about York. I will make it there one day.

Rob
Rob Welborne

With the TD safely put away for our Canadian winter, I thought I'd try and go for a two-day ride on the Beemer instead - we had a warm and late fall, so it seemed like a good bet.

This was a dumb idea. Not even the electric vest saved this venture.

The TD would have been a better idea - those vintage Michelin X's are actually pretty good snow tires.

Dave

Dave Jorgensen

It was a wonderful day for a bit of TD'ing here in Plymouth, Massachusetts. At 3:00 this afternoon the outdoor temperature was 60F. No way I could avoid getting in my December ride. Bud
Bud Krueger

The white TD in Norway is beautiful and would blend in nicely here, as we have a fair amount of snow. The first snow was 8 October. Tonight, it is supposed to be -5F, but warming up to the high 30's soon. But it has been pretty balmy here this year, so no complaints! Monument, CO
MW Davis

It was in the mid '50s again in northern Vermont again today. MGs are put away, but dad is still driving his Miata. It is strange to say the least.
-David
D. Sander

Rob,

Nice to hear your comments. Winters didn't bother me when I was younger, but I worked in a central heated office, and could mostly chose the days I did site inspections. Now retired, the seaons are more noticeable, and a west coast mid France or Californian climate would be nice!

Cheers,

John
J C Mitchell

Well, I guess that was it:
http://www.dagbladet.no/2011/12/06/nyheter/innenriks/veret/trafikk/19304894/
Raymond Wardenaer

Raymond, that look awful indeed !

Dave (Jorgensen) surprised on your Michelin x tires. Are these the ones with the old classic profile as in the picture below ? Or are yours Winter tires ?
Because I tried in vain to get some of those, but they seem to make them only in non MG sizes these days. I still have 3 but can´t complete the set...
To be fair, the ones I have are probably half as old as the TD (I bought them with wire wheels) and every turn ad moderate speed still sounded like a car chase and I probably should not be driving them any more, but I very much like their profile. So if you know a source, would really be interested.

Mike Fritsch

2200 hrs. in Oslo: Snowing now.
Raymond Wardenaer

RE: MICHELIN X's

Hi Mike:

I'm running 185/16 Michelin X's - they're new and from Michelin's plant that apparently produces only antique-model tires. I got mine from Coker Tire in the US. If you're running 15" rims, I believe that they also have 155/15 and 165/15 as well. They're very expensive - over $250 USD per tire - but I was looking for a tire that also fit the "image" I was trying to build into the car, so I just decided to pay the big price.

Here's the URL for the tire from Coker, and a picture of the tires as they sit on the car. I hope this helps a little.

Merry Christmas,

Dave

http://store.cokertire.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=185R16

Dave Jorgensen

Dave, did you check the date code on your Michelin Xs?

It was discussed on another board a while back that Michelin had not made a batch of these for awhile.
I was going to buy a set for my Healey last year from Coker, but when I asked the clerk to tell me the date code I got stonewalled - so I didn't order them.

Dallas


Dallas Congleton

Dallas, good question:

I bought them in 2007, and the date code indicated they were built in 2005. I believe they build them in very small batches and then wait until that lot is sold, so you're right to be concerned about stale-dating.

Dave
Dave Jorgensen

Dave, thanks a lot. I believe I came by that site when I searched, but they don't do them in 15" it sems. I must say I'm impressed, the 16" wheels and wider tires look very elegant on your car, I'd expected a much ' bulkier' appearance in that size.
And indeed the price is high which means I will probably defer that change.
Merry christmas to everyone !

Mike
Mike Fritsch

Raymond: No snow on the roads yet here in southeast Newfoundland, so inspired by your post took my daughter for a ride today. We had the top down & it was brisk. The colourful clapboard houses in your photo look very like St John's... though there are no white TDs here. Merry Christmas.

Peter Pope

Peter Pope, thank you for the wish! I was out driving again yesterday. I had washed the car and planned to put the cover over it in the garage. Then, I discovered that the streets of Oslo were dry, no snow, rain or salt, and just could not resist the temptation! Just driving this car makes me happy.
Peter, I think I was in New Foundland before you! Well, I went to the US as an eleven year old, and to get there by plane, this was the route:
Oslo-Stavanger (Norway)-London-Shannon-Iceland-New Foundland-New York! 1951. How about that!
Raymond Wardenaer

Drove the TD today, December 20th. In a country many think is so cold. I wonder, can I drive on Christmas Eve?
Yesterday, when I went out on the balcony here in Oslo, a rose had sprung out! See image.

Raymond Wardenaer

This thread was discussed between 01/12/2011 and 20/12/2011

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