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MG TD TF 1500 - 52TD Purchase

I have recently looked at a 1952 MGTD that is for sale.
The car has been outside uncovered for several years.
Being a MG lover, but never owning a TD what are the pitfalls of purchasing this type of car that needs a
total restoration. The wood frame is rotted and the
paint is peeling off in large chunks. The body is
still solid with no rust through yet and it still has
the original drive train. I think I can get the car
pretty cheap as the owner is really looking to sell
it to someone who will restore it and not part it.
He owned it from the early 60s and he will never have the time to restore it. Any insight or experiences you
have been through to talk me in or out of the purchase
will be appreciated.

Thanks,Ken
1971 mgb roadster
Ken

Ken - you are better off getting a car that is already restored, that "pretty cheap" TD will cost you a minimum of $10,000 to restore to no more than drivable condition. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Ken,

I agree with David, unless "pretty cheap" means free, you're likely to end up putting alot of money into it. $10,000 sound like a reasonable estimate, though could conceivably exceed that if the engine needs significant work, which it probably will. If you want a TD (great little cars), keep looking for a good runner. You'll save your self lots of money in the long run.

Larry
'51TD
Larry Thompson

Hi Ken;

The information the guys are giving you is correct in far as the cost of restoration and in fact that may be a little low pending the present state of the car. I know as I chose to do a total restoration on a basket case that had been stored for 27 years. I knew what I was getting into when I bought it as I had owned one in the early sixties. I was however looking for a project car to offset work frustrations. I estimated that the project would take two years. It took three and a half years but it was worth it as the car has won a number of awards. If you are interested in seeing the car and talking to me about the process, the car is usually at the car show behind the mall in North Stuart between six thirty and eight thirty on most tuesday nights except when it is really cold. Really cold for you northern guys is below fourty degrees, not good for top down motoring. If you are possibly interested in a good driving TD I know where there is one for sale (no financial affiliation) which will put you on the road this weekend (note THIS weekend you northern guys).

Safety Fast
Dick
Dick McCutcheon

Hi Ken if you like to do your own work. Then buy the TD and have fun. I fix my cars to drive and have fun. Not to win awards.If you look around you can find used parts at a low cost. And you will bring that TD back to life. But if you have the big bucks go the other way. Ralph








Ralph Lake

Run as fast and as far away as you can from this car. Seriously, The rotten wood is the main really bad problem. It took two of us three entire long days to replace 3 pieces of wood in a TF I did a couple of years ago- the last day adjusting to get the door adjusted. It would take weeks/months to restore the tub. The mechanical stuff can all be done easily for a price. I have almost $3K in parts alone to do the bottom end of my TD- the head, and all ancillarys are fine. There may still be a decent TD Mark II for sale in town here- I looked at it briefly, and it appears to be a very sound and solid car which could be driven as is, or would be excellent to restore. Feel free to e me with any questions about the wood or whatever. George
George Butz

Ken,

I addition to the comments suggesting you run like the wind (mine included), I want to temper those with a question regarding motivation. Are looking to find a car to restore because it'll be cheaper than buying one that's finished? If so, please run.

Or, are you interested in the reward of taking a nice, historic car that has been neglected, and restoring it yourself, and cost isn't a concern? If that's the case, you may have yourself a winner. But be forewarned, since there is a lot of wood, the process can be very time consuming and expensive (as already noted). Tread lightly and think long and hard about the investment of time and money. The list of "partially finsihed restoration projects" for sale is long (including one of my own).

If you go ahead with it, I think you'll enjoy the finished project, and be sure to use this site frequently. Lots of good advice. Good luck.

Larry
'51TD
Larry Thompson

I have recently restored a "basket case" TD that lay under a tree for many years. I undertook the job for the challeng it represented in "bringing back to life" something that in other hands would now be spare parts.

From experience, if the wood is rotten, then so is a lot of the metalwork. It may look OK now but once you dismantle the car you will find a lot of panework to repair or replace and if you are thinking that replacing the woodwork is expensive, repair or replacement to original condition of panelwork is 4 to 5 times that price. ( I sepnt $1000 on all new woodwork and $5000 on bodywork, not including paint!!)
Phil Stafford

Ken:

FWIW:

The cost depends a lot on how much you farm out. If you do all of the work except the machine shop work on the engine, costs can be alot less. Remember shop work runs $50+ dollars an hour while the guy doing the work may only be getting $10-15. That's whats true around here. So, if you're doing the work you save 60-80 percent on the labor. And, yes, you can do it. I did two TD's back in the early and mid 70's. There was no internet, no books (except the shop manual and parts book I had), and no one in the state which knew anything about TD MG's. Yet, I did everything except some of the machine shop work and the final spray of the body tub. On the second car, I even did that and I haven't taken ONE shop/votech class. Ask questions and borrow a few books from the library about body repair.

There is one very good added advantage: You will know the car inside out, be able to fix anything on the road, and will know if the work was done properly without any shortcuts or cost cutting proceedures done. I'd hate to see the car turned into parts as there not that many still on the road.
Blake J.

Thanks to all for the comments on the 52TD that
I looked at. The information is exactly what I was
looking for. I am doing a rust up restoration on a
1971 MGB so I know the time and money involved but
a TD is a different animal. The basic structure of the
car and the cost of parts is a lot different.

To Dick in Stuart, I have not been to the car show
you described but I know several people who go to it
almost every week so we probably have mutual friends.
All of them have british cars and come to the car show
at the McDonald in West Jupiter.

To Larry in Ohio, I was not looking for a TD at the
time a friend told me about this one, so the motivation
would be to restore myself a piece of neglected history
rather than see it disappear into rust or parts.

To Phil down under, Thanks for the info about the metal
work as I only saw the rotted wood and did not think
about what was happening with the metal in those areas.
Are the quotes in US dollars or Australian.

Thanks again, Ken
Ken

Hey Ken if you dont buy the TD? Post here where it is,and go down to where the TD is to see how many are looking it. You said you could buy it cheap.If so.And you do buy a TD.You will need it for spare parts
Ralph Lake

Ken,

The prices quoted are in Australian $$ but I would suspect that due to much lower labour rates here in Aus, compared to the US that the costs in the US would be similar in $US. ( The guy who rebuilt all the metalwork for me charged A$40 per hour)
Phil Stafford

You will find that the wood work will require a lot of patience and ability to work with wood and metal all at the same time. Its rewarding but takes a lot of time to just fit the doors after new wood is in. The wood look fairly easy when you just look but it is very frustating to make it all fit especially under the body seals that require a good bit of careful trimming. I would not do another unless I had the help again which i had before. Mine did not require the wood replacing but wittnessed one under complest restoration and it was difficult
Ellis Carlton

It is just as well we are not all losers, who are afraid to tackle any work themselves, otherwise there would be no TD's on the road . Dave
Dave Broadbridge

This thread was discussed between 09/01/2001 and 10/02/2001

MG TD TF 1500 index

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