Now for something different - MG TD

[husky drvr]

https://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/cto/d/clemmons-1953-mgtd-classic-car/7880555142.html

 

[belmateo]

How funny that you found this car!
My childhood mentor had a car just like this but he called it an MG TC? I remeber the suicide doors. Looks the same to me and they used it to pull a teardrop trailer for camping in Joshua Tree every winter. It looked something like this but in metal.

 

[puff4]

I love mine. Bags of fun to fling around a track!

 

[husky drvr]

Kevin,

It does look like fun. The one I linked popped up on the top row of the local Craigslist "Car & Truck" page this morning. Recently, there was a VW based kit car listed. At first I thought this listing was that one recycled to the top - then looked at the listing.

I posted this one because of the recent thread about prices and "thinning the herd." I'm not knowledgeable enough about MG T*'s to have any idea about price, apparent condition, expected issues, and maybe registration issues. Besides currently, I'm in a reduction mode.

belmateo,

YouTube has a lot of DIY teardrop trailer builds. Have you considered building one?

TC's have skinny 19 inch wire wheels, while TD's moved to 15 inch steel disk wheels. Just looked it up. Other small differences as well.

Have fun,

 

[puff4]

… I posted this one because of the recent thread about prices and "thinning the herd." I'm not knowledgeable enough about MG T*'s to have any idea about price, apparent condition, expected issues, and maybe registration issues. Besides currently, I'm in a reduction mode.

Yeah, $14K is about right for a decent TD, surprisingly. TC’s & TF’s go for somewhat more.

 

[puff4]

TC's have skinny 19 inch wire wheels, while TD's moved to 15 inch steel disk wheels. Just looked it up. Other small differences as well.

More importantly, TD’s have rack & pinion steering vs the TC’s horrid steering box (which often gets replaced by a more reliable VW unit).

There are no real technical differences between the TD and TF, apart from wire wheels and better instrumentation. It’s mostly down to a more streamlined body.

 

[alpine_64]

More importantly, TD’s have rack & pinion steering vs the TC’s horrid steering box (which often gets replaced by a more reliable VW unit).

There are no real technical differences between the TD and TF, apart from wire wheels and better instrumentation. It’s mostly down to a more streamlined body.

Didn't the MGA carry over a fair bit of TF underpinning...? An ancient car in a pretty frock?

My dad had a TC , broke the chassis in half almost .. aligned it.... boxed it...Drove it more...sold it...

The. In 1988 we were at the Adelaide GP...there was a TC with completion wire wheels and a bent bonnet panel to allow some heat extraction... Dad crawled underneath it and saw the boxed section...

The owner asked what he was doing.. dad said checking to see if his old car.... Said the boxed section showed it was.. guy asked why. They had thought because of the wheels it may have had some race history and that was a strengthening modification.. he was less enthusiastic when he knew it was to bridge a bad crack....

 

[belmateo]

Kevin,

It does look like fun. The one I linked popped up on the top row of the local Craigslist "Car & Truck" page this morning. Recently, there was a VW based kit car listed. At first I thought this listing was that one recycled to the top - then looked at the listing.

I posted this one because of the recent thread about prices and "thinning the herd." I'm not knowledgeable enough about MG T*'s to have any idea about price, apparent condition, expected issues, and maybe registration issues. Besides currently, I'm in a reduction mode.

belmateo,

YouTube has a lot of DIY teardrop trailer builds. Have you considered building one?

TC's have skinny 19 inch wire wheels, while TD's moved to 15 inch steel disk wheels. Just looked it up. Other small differences as well.

Have fun,

I have seen quite a few diy kits as well. Not only are they practical and take up little room. Not for me, as my idea of camping is a comfortable hotel room bed!

 

[sunalp]

Didn't the MGA carry over a fair bit of TF underpinning...?

No, the MGA was a new car and dramatically different than the T series. It was based on a T series race car for the body, but that's where the similarities end. The A was one of MG's best selling cars. You actually sit in the car with an A instead of sitting on it in the T series. That said I've always had a soft spot for the T series, my Mom had a '53 TD.

 

[alpine_64]

No, the MGA was a new car and dramatically different than the T series. It was based on a T series race car for the body, but that's where the similarities end. The A was one of MG's best selling car. You actually sit in the car with an A instead of sitting on it in the T series. That said I've always had a soft spot for the T series, my Mom had a '53 TD.

Ah ok. I thought some of the chassis was a hang over ..I know they ditched the XPAG running gear, but I thought the diff and some of the rear suspension was a carry over

 

[puff4]

Ah ok. I thought some of the chassis was a hang over ..I know they ditched the XPAG running gear, but I thought the diff and some of the rear suspension was a carry over

In some ways, you are correct. The chassis, steering, and front suspension are quite similar to the TD however, the similarities largely end there. The engine, gearbox, rear axle, and brakes are pretty much all new. Having said that, the rear differential gears do fit the TD, and it’s a common swap to move those later, more road-friendly gears to a TD pumpkin.