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MG TD TF 1500 - PICTURES!!! - THE TD IS HOME

Finally the moment has arrived and I put my first TD project in the garage. I'll start with a little info on the car itself. CAR# TD8751, BODY# 8163/73023, ENGINE #XPAG/TD/LHX9098. Chassis and car numbers match, but the engine in car is #XPAG/TD/TYPE2/#1046. The engine is frozen as well. I'm currently removing parts in preparaton of the engine/trans. removal this winter. I'll take more pictures as I progress.

As you can see, I am going to need many parts, so be prepared for a list of "parts needed" from me.

Thanks - Butch

The photo is how I found the car sitting!

B Jackson

Butch - BRAVO! You are saving another car from the dismantlers, and I applaud you. I have always brought home orphans and virtually all have good homes now, after getting them running. I tend to leave engines in place, free up stuck pistons and rebuild carbs, rebuild brakes and the like to get the car on the road, and then enjoy it s is for a while. That always gives me a good feel for what does, and what does not, need attention.

Of course, if you are going for a concours car, indeed, tear it down.

Very best, Tom
t lange

That will buff right out :-)
LaVerne

We wish you good luck and a whole bunch of fun bringing it back to life !!!!!!!!!!!!!

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Butch,
Congrats!
Where in Ohio are you?
David Sheward

I am a little ahead of you. TF5110 was rescued in late November. The motor is not original (early TD motor) in my car. Unfortunately, it is stuck also.

Where are you in Ohio? Where will you have the engine work done? I will have the engine on a stand Thursday and begin the teardown process. The head is a mess, but looks to have been only shaved once. Walves are a mess and will need serious work. Block looks like the pistons are 0.100 over so I will most likely need to sleeve the block.

Rick

RG Taylor

Hey guys,

I'm located in Lima, Ohio. As far as machine work goes, I usually go to Haleys in Findlay, Ohio. Very very capable, extremely good work, & fairly reasonable prices.

I look forward to speaking with all of you, and possibly meeting this summer. I must admit that these MG's seem to change your life a bit. I haven't felt this "stirred up" about restoring a car since I was 20 (51 now). I just completed a 15 month (frame on) restoration of my 1989 Caprice Classic Brougham LS. Last of the tanks, and a one owner too...but it just felt like it was another project. This one just feels different! I'll probably "feel the differece" in my wallet more on this one than any of the others!

Best regards,
Butch


A little work ahead of me!!!

B Jackson

Welcome Butch. You're one of the youngest guys here. Glad to see that the cars are attracting attention from guys under 55!

Have fun with the restore!

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Butch. Many of us have been at your point in restoring (well maybe not quite to this point). We are here for you.

Thanks for tackling bringing another one back.

Interesting engine. Very early.
Bruce Cunha

I am well under 55 thank you very much. OK, not well under but descently under:)


Rob
Rob Welborne

I guess I'm the runt of the litter here on this board.... I am 44.

Best,

Frank
Frank Cronin

Not so fast Frank, I'm 42!!!
-David
D. Sander

Thanks,

The car is a project for sure, but the metal is suprisingly sound. The only perforations I have found to this point are the left lower firewall, and the toolbox & battery tray. This is mostly from the louvered bonnet allowing water in. The upper bonnet panels are junk for sure as the hinge rails are rotted away. Anyone have some as spares????

It was restored in 1965 by the PO. Lots of hidden work. One thing the restorer did was to put a layer of fiberglass mat /resin over the exterior of the tub, except for the doors and scuttle. I don't no why, as it is solid metal under all, but caused all the surface rust. They even coated the battery box. Must have been a quick way to hide rough metal, although it was finished nicely.

They even added a bit of electrical extras, if you look at the picture there are 4 switches under the gauges. Would you believe they installed lighting under the bonnet, tucked into the corners of the radiator shell! Have not discovered what the other 3 switches connect to.



B Jackson

BUTCH,
If you need some one close by,(120 miles) Jim Pesta of MG Services down in Cincinati is a real loooong time member of the T Register,,,
http://mgrepairs.com/


SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Nice project and I am sure you'll do a great job of it.

Cheers,
Vince
44
vping

I thought I had you guys at 45.

Rob
Rob Welborne

Last I heard Jim Pesta was working with Tom Medcalf in Mansfield Ohio at Safety Fast Restorations. Buch drop me an email
tmanion(AT)neo.rr.com I am in Bellville Ohio
T.L. Manion



What are people's thoughts regarding how much it will cost in total to get Butch's car into nice shape (i.e., nice paint, chrome, interior, wheels, redo engine, trans and brakes, etc.) if he does most of the work, except say for the engine,trans and final coat of paint? By no means am I trying to disuade anyone from undertaking something like this because of the cost - I fully understand that most of us restore cars for the enjoyment - I am just trying to decide if I too want to handle the expense of doing something this extreme. Thanks



.
TM Going

15,000-18,000, assuming he does as much as possible himself (ie not chrome, paint, etc.), and doesn't expect a 100-point show car.

The customer engine I did earlier this year cost $5800, and of that more than $3000 was in parts and machine shop costs! Re-surface head, valve seats, valves and guides, springs, smoothing the ports, rocker gear re-do. Boil out, overbore and re-surface block, cam and bearings, re-do rods, rod and main bearings, grind crank, timing gears and chain, timing cover helicoils, pistons and rings, head studs, rod bolts, brass core plugs, re-surface lifters, replace pushrods (4 bent), oil pump rebuild, balance everything, lighten and re-surface flywheel, clutch, pilot bushing, gaskets, etc. I had most of the parts on the shelf at old prices, so he saved a lot there.

And that doesn't take into account the ancillaries: carbs, generator, starter, water pump, thermostat, distributor, etc!

Tom Lange
Bar Harbor, Maine
t lange

Butch; Have spare sheet metal available at reasonable cost. Shipping is the hard part. At least we are both in the Midwest. Dan Craig
Dan Craig

Here is the direction I plan to pursue with the car (as it will be a gift for the wife). I want to maintain vehicle originality as much as possible overall, especially in all the "little details" such as gauges, lights, wiring, controls, interior, etc.

Powertrain: Fresh '78 MGB eng. & trans (49k mile donor).
Suspension: '69 mgb (wire wheel) front & rear assemblies.
Body/paint: Me. (Friend owns his own shop, I help him part-time in exchange for use of his facility).
Sheetmetal: Me. The toolbox, side curtain box, battery tray, etc. (I'm in the HVAC business, and we have a spot welder).
Mechanical: Me.
And lastly, my brother-in-law owns his own machine shop - for all the PITA pieces.

The "big hitters" for me will be Chrome & Interior as I cannot do those myself! I have figured to spend $8 to $10 K on the car, and have a very respectable car to show & drive when finished.

Yes, I know I'll take a beating from some of you for the powertrain change-out!!!!
B Jackson

Please save the original parts, just in case somebody wants to restore the car some day. Bud
Bud Krueger

Regarding the interior, Ive gotten 2 from a guy in Ohio who sells a lot of Triumph TR3 interiors on Ebay - Too Tall Tim. One interior was for my TR3, and another for my TF. For both cars, I sent him everything I had, and he recovered what was worth recovering, including the seats, and made new panels (and wood dog legs) for some things. He also covered the rear side cover panels, wood top rails, etc., and really did a nice job that sure looks original. I had him do both in all leather (I know some parts should be vinal). Took about 4 weeks. Not sure how the MG would do, but the Triumph has won awards.
TM Going

I agree on saving the original powertrain. Does it de-value the car that much by not having the original powertrain? Since my car does not have the matching number engine, (not sure on the trans yet) I'm sure that affects value some as well. I am planning a full restoration "back to original" except the powertrain, & I will not "cut up" the car to make any modifications. What do you guys think, am I taking the wrong approach?
B Jackson

I think B. Jackson is taking a fine approach to this non-matching car. It has already lost the value of an original number engine (there is no trans number), so turning it into a good-driving car with motre modern components seems a reasonable way to go. It's never going to be a 100-pt. show car, but also not going to be chopped up. This feels like one of those rare cases where I support the modifications!

Tom Lange
Bar Harbor, Maine
t lange

Sorry, but it's not the $$$$ value of the car that I'm looking at. It's the loss of another 'as they were made' TD. The engine, gearbox, front and rear suspensions will likely disappear over time. More and more hybrids are showing up on eBay every year. Sorry, folks, but it's just MHO. Bud
Bud Krueger

Yes save the parts and make the conversion clean without cutting up the body, frame, suspension.....
vping

This thread was discussed between 25/12/2011 and 29/12/2011

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