British-Cars.org

Welcome to the DMR Site for British Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - TD Dashboard layout

I'm restoring an early TD with flat-faced instruments.

I'm in the process of restoring the dash and I need to rout the back of the new dash for the light sockets, etc.

Attached is a picture of my old dash. It is obvious that one of the light sockets goes to the outside of the tachometer (the light bracket is still in place in this photo). There is also a place in between the large gauges where another socket goes.

My questions are as follows:

1) Is there supposed to be a third socket to the outside of the speedometer? The dash in the picture is chewed up in that area and I can't tell where it would have gone. Note extra gauge hole.

2) Does anyone supply the light socket brackets? I only have one and it looks like I need a total of two and maybe three, depending on the answer above.

3) What do the light sockets look like? I haven't run across one in any of the boxes of bits I have.

It would be really helpful if someone has a picture of the back of an assembled dash...

Thanks all!
David

David Littlefield

David,

1) I think the answer is 'yes'
2) Don't know
3) I can only tell that they're brown (see pics).

Don't know of these pics of my early TD are of any help...it's quite a mess behind the dash...
Well, at least I've tried ;-)

Jasper

pic 1

Jasper L Nederhoed

pic 2

Jasper L Nederhoed

pic 3

Jasper L Nederhoed

pic 4

Jasper L Nederhoed

pic 5

Jasper L Nederhoed

pic 6

Hope this was of any help...success!

Jasper L Nederhoed

David,
Here is what they look like.

I bought from Moss and Abingdon.

It's two parts. The bracket and the socket. The socket slips into the bracket. Pretty simple except I had difficulty with the ones from one of the suppliers. The socket would not fit into the bracket. They took them back and I bought from the other source. I "THINK" the good ones were from Abingdon Spares.

Mort 1950 TD Möbius

Thanks Mort and Jasper.

I was able to find the sockets in a box once I knew what they were supposed to look like (see attached). I'm still short two brackets, apparently. They might actually be pretty easy to fabricate.

I'm still not sure exactly how/where the third socket should be mounted. I couldn't figure it out from Jasper's pictures. If someone has a clear shot of the brackets mounted on the back of the dash it would be very helpful.

Thanks again!

David Littlefield

David,

I gave it another shot...

What you see on 3 of these 4 pics is the mounting of the (rusty) bracket of the socket between tacho and speedo.

Jasper


Jasper L Nederhoed

well...something goes wrong with uploading the pics. Later on I'll give it another try...

<to be continued>

Jasper
Jasper L Nederhoed

How is that? All goes well (successfully updated etc.) but no update of the thread...
Jasper L Nederhoed

last try...

Jasper L Nederhoed

I guess something with the format of the pics.

The other pics are somewhat the same is above, so I stop trying to get them uploaded...

Jasper

Jasper L Nederhoed

Jasper,

Thanks once again for all your efforts.

I'm certain, now, how the center bracket and the tachometer bracket (one nearest the center instrument panel) are oriented.

I'm still not sure where the third bracket goes, since that area of my old dash is damaged.

It goes somewhere in the area I've marked with the yellow arrow in the attached picture, I think, but I don't know how it is oriented.

It isn't critical, but if you or someone else could get a shot of that one it would be most appreciated.

Best,
David

David Littlefield

David,

Difficult job...but I've tried. So take a good look!

pic 1 of 3
The rusty bracket is behind the black wire. On the left site of the dash light you see the switch for the flashlights.

Jasper

Jasper L Nederhoed

pic 2 of 3

What you see is a part of the bracket (left of the black wire).

Jasper L Nederhoed

final shot

One of the 2 screws that hold the bracket. See left corner of the pic.

I hope it's all clear now. I think I'm not able to take better pictures than these.

Jasper L Nederhoed

David,
I was not happy with the light output at night with the standard layout so I modified and added lights were there was room.
It is very strange. Around my tach and speedo there was a green plastic to filter the light. When the instruments were put in the dash the outer perimeter were the filters are was completely imbedded in the thickness of the dash. No way light could get thru.

I did a few modifications.
I changed the green filters to a much more translucent acetate. (If you or anyone needs some material let me know).
I routed out the wood with my Dremel to let the light pass to the instrument. Then I painted the routed area white.
I added brackets and sockets where ever I could find the room.
The two main instruments are now readable at night.

I beleive the brackets are still available from Abingdon (and inexpensive). If not let me know I have some extras you can have.
Mort
Mort 1950 TD Möbius

Good day Mr. Littlefield:

Well, I am not an M.G. "Guru" by any means but the TC and early TD used only four brackets.

Two were welded to the instrument panel or cluster panel; a third was fitted in a groove or slot, of a slight angle downwards, right to left, at the bottom right segment of the Revolution Counter (Tachometer) opening; the fourth was fitted in a similar cut groove, centrally and horizontally located at the left side of the speedometer opening. (they will appear as opposite locations, to what is written, when viewed out of the car).

On some facia boards there is a third, similar groove running veritcally, upwards and centered between the Revolution Counter and Speedometer. That does not appear on any wiring diagrams I have, but I believe that there was a third lamp fitted, on later TD cars, produced before the instruments were changed to the magnetic or dish face types.

As written, the lighting is at its best--poor. But you also must ensure that the semi-transparent, pale green, plastic strips are situated so they can accept the frail lighting. This is done by aligning the provided spaces, of the chromium plated lens surrounds, to allow this action to take place.

As to availability of the parts in question:
Moss Motors, California lists the following (I did not specify a price for each as my list is a wee bit out of date).

361-070 Dash Lamp Bracket
142-700 Socket Dash Bulb

While the catalogue lists six required, for the TC/TD (?), four is correct for a TC and my TD. The later type TD instruments had two lamps each, fitted into their casings, which increased the number to six.

Trust this is of some help;
Respectfully submitted:
Jack Emdall, TC6768/TD3191, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
kernow

OK, mission accomplished!

I made a template of the routed out bits from my old dash. Combining that with Jasper's pictures and a little more examination of the old dash and the attached is the result. I bought a $25 "trim router" from Harbor Freight for the job and it worked a treat.

The short pieces that move straight out from the elliptical areas are where the socket brackets mount, as best as I was able to determine.

Mort, I think I will take your advice and change out the green filters with stuff that is more translucent. Where did you get yours? I also like the idea of painting the routed areas white. The wood in the picture is fairly bright now, but it will darken a little over time.

Thanks again, guys, this was all very helpful. Particularly you, Jasper, for working so hard on those pictures.



David Littlefield

Dave;

Jack Emdall gave you the moss part #'s for the brackets and sockets. Brackets would be fairly simple to make.

As far as painting the routed light paths white (which is a good idea) On a couple of past restorations i have done..(not MG's) I had great luck in using the aluminum duct seal tape. It is thin aluminum foil, highly reflective, sticks well and will conform to the routed shape perfectly. It is also heat resistant and will not discolour.

There is my two cents worth!
C.R. Tyrell

David,
I have a small stock of different color acetates I bought 40 years ago.
Let me know if you need them.
Mort
Mort 1950 TD Möbius

Jack,

Thanks for the part numbers. The part doesn't appear in Moss' diagram for the TD, but on the list of parts. That's how I missed it before. Their current price for these is $5.25, so it isn't worth fabricating them.

C.R.,

Great suggestion! I just happened to have some metal tape around and the deed is already done.

Mort,

I looked again at the gauges and it turns out that my father had already replaced the acetate with something more translucent. He rebuilt the gauges. He has a background in clock reatoration.

David
David Littlefield

This thread was discussed between 20/11/2011 and 23/11/2011

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now