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MG TD TF 1500 - 53-TD Instrument cluster- what's incorrect?


I would appreciate if you could give a look to the picture of the instrument cluster in my 53 TD, and tell me what is correct and what should be changed.

I have uploaded the picture at:

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=5628669&uid=2802087

(please click on the thumbnail picture at the left)

Thank you very much for your inputs.

Jesús


Jesus Benajes

Jesus,
I,m in my office so can't look at the dash on my TD. However, my initial comments are:
The choke cable is wrong. This should have a plain knob to match the starter knob.Yours is too modern.
The warning light above the twin socket in the middle of the dash has been added. The standard dash does not have this. Looks like it could be a flashing indicator warning light.
The rim of the dash panel is chrome - the rest of it should be a mettalic beige colour - the usual suppliers list a spray can of the correct colour.
The extreme right hand knob is I think, your rheostat switch which regulates the brightness of the dash panel lights at night. This should be a large knurled knob.
david burgess

Thanks, David, for your quick input.

Perhaps I should have added that the car is fitted with turn signals (indicators?).

And what about the four symmetric holes?

Jesus
Jesus Benajes

The four holes should not be there...???? See:

http://vaxxine.com/gblawson/cluster.jpg
gordon.b.lawson '53TD

A photo of mine is at: http://www3.sympatico.ca/gordonblawson/td/td102.jpg

My choke and starter are chrome and out of some other car...they should be bakelite.

Am thinking of changing the ignition light to where the turn signal light now sits as my signal light is covered up with my right hand and steering wheel rim and sometimes i miss seeing it flashing....
gordon.b.lawson '53TD

Above comments correct. Question about light/ignition switch- is the "off" marked on the dial, or does the back plate move, exposing the letters? The former is correct. Rheostat knobs are available and are inexpensive.
George Butz

Jesus,

Other than some obvious "wrongs" we would have to know the year and serial # of your car to tell what is proper. The center indicator light was added from TD 22,315 on. This is a Turn Signal Warning Lamp, http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgtd/Pictures/Miscellaneous/TD_Tan_Interior.JPG For a great web site that will give you production time lines, go to http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_production.htm
Ron Boisvert

Ron- you are right- a guy in town with a very late TD has the same light and factory turns with relay under the dash (where it is not easy to work on).
George Butz

So they used an "ignition light" for the turn signal flasher? I somehow thought it should flash blue or green, not red... there again, mine i thought was added later...but maybe just hooked up to the toggle later as i have what looks like a stock relay down on the firewall (inside).
gordon.b.lawson '53TD

Gordon,

This is an indicator light, not the flasher relay. Without looking at a wiring diagram I'm not sure where it hooks into the system. I would guess that it is wired parralel to the hot wire going to the switch and will light when the switch is used and the directionals ground?
Ron Boisvert

Jesus,

Faces dials incorrect - Chris Carter can provide you with the correct ones.

Choke Knob is from a late BL car - poss a MG B

Your ignition / light swith is from an earlier car - shouldn't have the window

Switch to RHS is wrong - I've got plenty of spare ones will post one to you if you want.

Holes in back plate need to be filled with weld

Need to spray the centre panel with VW Sand
aerosol

Need to cover veneer with leather cloth to match interior trim

Don't know what is above the two sockets but it shouldn't be there

SCrews that secure the main dash should be cross head and not slots.



Cheers

Jan T
J Targosz

The ameter is correct isn't it...(same as my '53)
Switch to RHS...do you mean the panel dimmer? (looks to just be missing the bakelite knob)
Above the sockets is the "turn signal light" discussed up the page a bit.....


gordon.b.lawson '53TD

Jan- to quote from "The T-series restoration handbook" pg. 45, re turn signals- At TD22315, "A self-cancelling control switch was mounted......required a new wiring harness, flasher.....and an indicator lamp (fig. 19D) on the instrument panel. On cars for other markets, the empty indicator light hole was covered by a small button" which is shown in the picture, exactly where the indicator light is on Gordon's, Jesus's, and the car here in town. Pg. 44-The dual temp/oil pressure gague is correct after TD #13914, and the 30 ammeter introduced at car 10751. So I think the faces are exactly correct. The knob is missing from the rheostat at the lower right (see Gordon's picture). (changed from same switch as the foglight also at #10751). considering about 29,900 TD's made, only the last 7600 cars or so had the center flasher light.
George Butz

Jan,

you mention a VW sand aerosol. Is that a matching colour for the instrument cluster and horn button? If so, do you have a colourcode?
regards
Frank
F.P. van Geldern

Was the stock turn signal flasher a red lense?
gordon.b.lawson '53TD

Thank to everybody for the many and interesting responses. I reply to some of the comments:

Ron: the car is a 1953 TD, chassis number 24021, so, as George cites, perhaps the third light over the sockets should be correct. The wiring diagram in page N23 of the workshop manual shows this light. I am not sure if the green colour is ok.

George: there is a white disc below the plate switch that turns with the knob, exposing labels OFF, SIDE and HEAD across a window in the front cover. It is different from that one in Gordon’s dash. I hope that this is the correct switch, Jan, since I have spent several hours in reconditioning it, and a new one is not cheap.

Jan: I suppose that by the RHS switch, you mean what seems to be rheostat, but as George and Gordon say, the knob is missing. I need one, and have located one at Holden in UK. Thanks for your offering.

From the very useful responses, I now know better what needs to be improved. I am only anxious about the correct ignition-light switch. My switch is like part 34055 in www.holden.co.uk and some of you point to a switch like part number 020.125. Which one is correct for my car?

Jesus
Jesus Benajes

Frank,

I bought an aersol of VW Sand from a chain of auto accessory shops (Halfords). It matches the dash on a very original 1953 Morris Minor which was the same colour as the TD. Have looked out the aersol but it only has VW Sand on the lable. I will go into Halfords and look in their paint sample book and note the VW code for you. It must be a current colour since I purchased only about 9 months ago.


Cheers

Jan
J Targosz

Sand color ! Horst says Sahara Beige. Sand, Sahara same thing. Look at this site. http://www.type-14.com/
The OEM and code is the same for Savannah Beige
Bob

PPG list Saharabeige (note spelling) as OEM L272 PPG number VAG272 This is a 1964 VW color. Have not seen color chip
Bob

Thanks Bob and Jan,
I will research the colour code
regards
Frank
F.P. van Geldern

I wonder if VW called this color Sierra Beige in 1964. Check these chips: http://autocolorlibrary.com/cgi-bin/search/searchpic.pl?1964-volkswagen-pg06.jpg

Unfortunately the MG chips for our cars don't seem to work.
Evan Ford - TD 27621

This thread was discussed between 05/11/2004 and 11/11/2004

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