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MG TD TF 1500 - How to deal with 1.5 inch S.U.s in TD

My '52 TD has the XPAG engine in it. I've upgraded to the 1.5 inch SU's rather than leaving on the 1.25 inch SU's that the car had. That of course leaves me in a dilema for the air cleaner. No way to fit the original that I can see. I love the dual chrome aircleaner look though. But if I bolt those on, the hood, she no close!! So I'm considering hacking a couple holes in the right side of the bonnet. NO, NOT REALLY!!
But I am wondering if someone has a right bonnet panel, or can I buy a new one that would allow some customizing of the metal so I can leave my bonnet intact. I would store away my right hand pannel as I have stored away the aircleaner and the 1.25 inch SU's against future restoration and perhaps replacing the XPAG with an XPEG. For now though, I wanna drive the thing. Any thoughts??
Harry

Henry - Look at pictures of the TD MKII (or better, find one to look at in person). The 1.5 inch SUs were used on them and they came with a power bulge on the right hand bonnet side panel. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Harry,
How close are you to being able to close the bonnet ??? Have you searched for low profile filters ??? ie Stellings and Hellings, K&N etc
Steve

Harry,
I have 1.5 SU's on my TD & use Stellings &Hellings with no clearance problem
Robert Dougherty

How about the inexpensive repro TF air cleaners ? (not sure bolt spacing the same, but they are thin). If close with the chrome ones, you could cant the motor to the left a bit (shim front mount/lenghen turnbuckle mount)
George Butz

Do you have the 1/2 inch spacers between the carbs and the intake manifold? These can be reduced or removed to provide more clearance.
Dennis
D F Sexton

TF cleaners may not fit as the TF used shorter carb bodies than the 1 1/2" units fitted to most other cars.

As Rob says the Stellings & Hellings will fit.
Bullwinkle

My TD has 1.5 SU's with Vokes air filters, which just clear the bonnet panel, but I do not have any spacers between the carb & the manifold.

Pete Moore
1952 TD
Pete Moore

There are air cleaners for the TD MKII which look somewhat like the one of the TD with 1 1/4". I have seen one, new, sold at a swap-exchange mart and there is someone making them. I know little about that, but if you need further info I can dig it up.

Denis
Denis L. Baggi

I have had 1.5 inch SUs on my TC for years, using TF aircleaners with no interference problems. No bulges, no tilting of the engine required. I seem to remember having to slightly relocate or reshape the radiator stay to get clearance for the front cleaner, but this is no big task.
The bulge on the TD Mk2 was necessary to clear the manifold for the standard oil-bath air cleaner, which looked just like the one on the non-Mk 2, but was actually larger.
TFs had shorter carb bodies than the standard 1.5" carbs, but my carbs are of the longer standard variety, and still no problem. Only problem with the TF cleaners is finding pleated-paper filters to fit them. I have even had to cut down some filters to fit between the flanges of the filter housings. A pain to do, but it works. IMHO, none of the "gauze" filter elements (such as the original TF / Stellings / Hellings) seem to be much more than air "strainers" than "cleaners".
Carl

This thread was discussed between 11/08/2003 and 19/08/2003

MG TD TF 1500 index

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