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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 - Clear Vinyl Car Mask

I am, after a couple of negative comments about a magnetic shield for under fenders from astute members, considering the clear 3m 8 mil vinyl mask. This would be applied to lower front fenders and rear fenders right behind running boards, as this is where I have been told stones like to visit. I am thinking of putting the thicker version 14 mil under the fender wells.

Any body ever hear of a British car with this? This does not count the new Aston Martins, which come with it!

Keith
K E MURPHY

Keith - A very heavy coating of undercoat will work. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Hi Dave,

You are right of course - but hey, I've been fixing and painting this thing for 3 years! And I do plan to drive it.

Keith
K E MURPHY

Keith,

As my friends and I finished my car, I considered the same treatment, also along the top of the door where my arm rests, the inside of the door and the door opening where they tend to rub as the tub flexes, and under the bonnet where the oil and grime might throw.

Then I realized that all those marks and stains were a badge of wear and use. I like a clean car, a nice car, and I keep those areas wiped down and touched up. A good clear coat works wonder to make the area under the fenders and running boards easy to clean and an airbrush will fix most dings. These cheap, cheerful cars are meant to be driven and used, and given the materials and design, some fraying around the edges is almost expected (my rear end keeps rubbing on the upper door gimp (piping) as I slide into the car- it's fading slightly, the door gimp, not my rear end)

I have a friend whom I respect who never puts the hood down on his car so it doesn't wrinkle. He has a real show winner and I give him credit for driving the car despite his desire for perfection. But when the desire for perfection impedes on the enjoyment, I personally draw the line. We could all make our cars utterly leak free, with five speed gear boxes and protective film scattered around the cars. We could ditch the generators, install electronic ignition, and someday perhaps hollow out the engines and put an electric motor in the block with some nice future battery pack in the gas tank. Or, we should just buy a brand new 2025 KIA-Chev Corvette. As for me... I intend to drive something as close to original as possible so people remember a time when cars wore out and had to be serviced every 500 miles, furniture wore like iron and you took the slip covers off for company, and food came in waxed paper fresh from a market stall.

Plus, it gives me something to do.

Feeling older than my years,
dave
Dave Braun

Good comments Dave. I agree with you - even though I might not follow to the letter. On some things, most, I am original - 4 speed, cloth wires, Smiths 4200 radio (but with new guts inside that will get FM and take an iPod) I finished my TF in 1980 and drove in TX, OK, and now in NJ drove to Inday around the track, Canada, incl Nova Scotia and Newfoundland - gotta love Gruneau, Barc Cunningham and all of them, FL over 40,000 miles. The first time I took the car as I was finishing in our native Indiana and lived in OK and TX -not many good shows out there although I did win top TF in Texas. So this time I'd like to hit a couple of GoF's. I will drive the car as that is what I enjoy, but carefully! That is why I want to maybe put the mask on critical parts. Plus I have a like new Judson supercharger, Marvel oiler etc to put on - but want to break in for 500 miles first.
I do have the original type uphol and carpets. But on the steering wheel - I wanted original but I like wood - so I got a fabulous original wheel that Canadian Gordon Lawson made! Also got Alfins that Bob Gruneau made, and new chrome wires and radials. And a beutiful aluminum valve cover from UK - I like to think of it as a highly accessorized original! I tried to find original accessories over a few years, to include. I haven't given in to the electronic changes. Well- if you don't count the guts inside of my original looking fuel pump! I like your spirit and think everyone should drive some. But I do understand, after 3 years in the shop and too many trips to the bank, that someone would be a little hesitant at first, and might want to trailer if they are going from the east coast to the west....hmmm that does sound like a fun trip and if someone got a group together - I'm game!
Keith in NJ
K E MURPHY

Getting more comments, by reactivating this thread.

I am now working on the wings, and am seriously thinking of spraying the underside with truck-bed coating....
then following up in the center (where the tires throw most stones), with rubberized undercoating...Finally, priming and painting with bc/cc....
I used the truck-bed coating on the rear wheel wells, then painted, and it's not a bad look...very tough stuff.
Not a show car, but I want it to look decent...
Any thoughts?
I will not be using the clear film, as there is no one in my area that can apply it properly. (and I don't want to attempt it on compound curves, myself, either).
Edward
E.B. Wesson

NAPA "Stone Guard" (also available from 3-M) has worked great for me to date (about 2500 miles since resto). No "stars" have appeared in paint above. Two spray cans did all 4 fenders over primer, etc. followed by color and clear coat. Easy for an amateur painter (like me) to use!
Ed
efh Haskell

You also might considder an sticky clear tape made by 3M company and is used to protect leading edges helicopter blades. This tape is extremely tough, have used for years on my plane wing leading edges.If you have access to some military aircraft techs big chance
you get it for free.
Gerard Hengeveld

Intersting thread as I spent a few months removing all the undercoating on my TD fenders. When I rebuilt it I thought it was a great idea, but after a number of years, found I really liked the smooth paint under all fenders. Easier to clean and does not crack. Of course, today, the products are better.
Bruce Cunha

I had the same thing done as Ed Haskell. Has worked great. The gravel guard is not lumpy as the old type and leaves a slightly textured but smooth surface, and easy to keep clean.
C.R. Tyrell

efh:
Did you do the entire underside, or just the area where the tire throws stones?
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Edward,
I did the entire underside of each wing. IMO doing just a portion would look very strange. This stuff has a textured finish so only a portion would seem odd. You control the depth of the texture by controlling the distance of the spray can from the target. Practice on scrap first. I think it came in either black or white, depending on what your color coat is to be. I also stripped to bare metal first and used some rust nutralizer on a bit of surface rust.
Ed
efh Haskell

Ed
Have you got a photo of the finished underside of the front wing?
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Edward,
I don'y have any pictures of the wings but I used the same stuff under the running boards, picture attached. I think you can get the idea. This is the Stone Gaurd followed by epoxy primer, color (BRG), then clear coat. No attempt was made to color sand the clear for this use. If you use it make sure to mask the flip side off completely of course.
Ed



efh Haskell

Thanks Ed....
Looks like the same stuff that I was planning to use, but with a different name....
Edward
E.B. Wesson

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2009 and 02/08/2012

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