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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 - LHD to RHD conversions MGTD

I have very recently bought a LHD TD can anyone tell me where i can buy a steering rack and pedals etc is my old LHD rack of use for exchange any information you could give me will be of great interest as i,m new to T types (i have restored an MGBGT though)thanks Ian
Ian weake

Ian, look for a copy of the book, MG T Series Restoration Guide, by Malcolm Green. He has a short section on converting to RHD. At the time of writing, 1993, he estimates the cost of producing just the steering rack from the existing unit and using new gears at 400 pounds. Another 250 for the other parts required and substantial labor.
Best of luck.
Congratulations on the new car.
Regards,
Dennis
D F Sexton

Hi, I have a set of RH pedals for a TD as well as a RH steering rack and pinion from a "Y". The rack and pinion is identical to the TD except that the pinion shaft is shorter. A good welder could lengthen it. Send me an email if you are interested in purchasing the parts.
Hugh Pite jenntoo@shaw.ca
Hugh Pite

Gentlemen, Gentlemen,

You're all overlooking one major obstacle.

The famous pedal box.

The factory produced 2 frames for TD and TF models - one LHD and one RHD. Each had the pedal box welded in place. While a replacement RH box is available, if you haven't done it, I strongly suggest keeping away from that job, unless you know someone who can locate and weld a new pedal box and related trappings in precisely the correct spot.

Then there are the brake pipes (lines), accelerator pedal and linkage, choke cable, starter cable, clutch rod, dipper switch bracket, plus numerous small items.

Also, you'll want to move the rev-counter and speedo. New dashboard (or, can it be reversed?), flex-cables and dash wiring. New RH floor board with cavity (foot well) - ergo, new carpet, too.

The rack-and-pinion is only one small part of this not-so-easy conversion.

Think hard before making the decision.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Ian
All of the parts you require are available new from either Moss of London 02088672020 for a catalogue and price list or Brown and Gammons Baldock Herts, 01462 490049, both do mail order. Their catalogues have very useful diagrams that show where everything should fit. Try also MG Club through their classified site. Like Gordon says you need a good welder to fix the pedal box but the rest is just hard work.
All the best with your project.
Mick
52 TD
M J Cook

Thanks for your replies i have bought the book by Malcolm Green it is of great help but not very detailed i was shocked when i saw in the Moss parts catalogue the stearing rack was priced at £998.75 Im not to worried about welding the pedal box i dont think the dash can be reversed but new ones are not too expensive i would really like to buy a second hand rack if someone has one
Thank

Ian
Ian weake


Ian
I converted a LHD TD to RHD for a guy some years ago and from memory I used the original pedal box and folded it the other way,in any case it wouldn't be too difficult to make one. You can use a Y Model steering rack, saw the shaft in halves and sleeve it to the correct length, I would advise pinning it as well as brazing it [ I have recently done this ]. I would try to avoid Moss if I were you, their generally a lot dearer with their parts than anyone else, also Brown and Gammons seem to make several cock ups with their parts supplies. Email me if you think I can help.
Harry
harry@walker9652.freeserve.co.uk
H.E.W. Walker

Ian
This RHD rack is on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=27380&item=2482082065&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V
Good luck
John
John James

Thanks John i saw that rack on ebay i emailed the guy about it but had no reply as yet he seems to want quite a lot for it
Ian
Ian weake

I realise that the only safe way to extend the pinion shaft is with a sleeve / weld / pins but once you have done this you wont be able to dismantle the rack.

There must be a rack from a modern car that could be made to fit - I've seen kits advertised to convert other makes of car from a steering box to rack and pinion so a rack to rack conversion must be possible. I know from experience of my Lotus Elan that it's critical for the rack nuckle joints to be in the correct place. They must be at the centre of the arc made when the wish-bone and shock absorber arm rise and fall. Get it wrong and you will get bump steer. Should be possible though to find a rack that was slightly too long and cut the ends off and drill / tap to the right length. From the ones I have seen on the shelf at a local motor factors there are plenty that have a long pinion shaft.


Cheers

jan t
Jan Targosz

Jan and others,

I believe that TC racers use an early Toyota R&P, and also believe that Bob Grunau in Toronto has been involved in some of these mods.

Since both applications are RHD, it might be worthwhile contacting Bob at grunau.garage@sympatico.ca

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Ian, Why don't you come along to our MG Natter every 2nd Tuesday in the month, evening 7.30-8.00pm at the Peacock Inn Shrewsbury. The next one is not to be missed- A Fun Concours- there are at least 5 T Types in our group and at least one which has been converted to RHD- mine!!

David Tinker. Wales UK
David Tinker

Ian
Are you a member of the Octagon club? Harry, the Secretary, has just informed me of a company that has just started to make new rack and pinions and the price is better than a lot of the others (who list them but don't have them available!) If you have a supplier for the pedal box and pedals let me know because I am doing the same job! Might be interesting to compare notes through the project.
John
j c rathbone

I don't visit the discussions very often since I'm in the middle of a job transfer commuting 350 miles on weekends until we sell and buy houses.
I have a RHD 52 TD that I purchased last summer and have considered converting to LHD. I haven't started resotoration yet. The car has most of the parts but sat in a garage for 25+ years after some amateurish repairs. I might consider trading parts but it will be at least several months before I can start any work on the car.

Harold Wilson
H L Wilson

Hi Harold Is'nt that typical you get it one way me the other keep in touch i'm sure we can do something re parts
Ian
Ian weake

Hi Ian... Try Barrie Jones
barrie@eurobell.co.uk he sold me a second hand rack a couple of month ago and I got the impression that he might have access to more.
IW Martin

Thanks for that Martin i have emailed him
Ian weake

Why bother they only do 10 miles an hour they are narrow anyway so seeing round corners and overtakeing(hedgehogs or something) should not pose a problem easyer to get out kirb side. Can see why some one might convert a sporty MGB Gt but a MG model "T" D.
John James

Imposter alert! I did not post the previous comment.
John James

Happy 4th.
Curious as to why there is a need to convert a LHD to RHD, or visa versa? I have had both over the years and never had an issue with it either way. In fact, most of my TDs have been RHD, to include my MKII, which has been my VSCCA mount since the 70's. Would appreciate an insight into this issue, which pops up now and again.
SAfety Fast
Paul
Paul

In my opinion there is no 'SAFE' way to extend a pinion shaft by welding a sleeve or pinning or whatever and hope to achieve a safety critical solution to extending a short Y type steering pinion shaft to fit a T series on the cheap. Welding introduces stresses within the immediate area of the weld repair and unless ' normalised ' by heat treatment will not be 'SAFE'. Certainly your insurers would not be happy with such a modification.

If you do not have the required Non Destructive Testing equipment to assess the quality of the resulting weld,DO NOT DO IT. Failure will be sudden and final.

What price do you put on safety?
David Tinker

Paul,
When I purchased my TD from CA it was LHD and my wife did not like to be in the passenger seat facing the traffic. I have this terrible pain in my neck!!!

Was this a good enough incentive to convert to RHD, or do you travel alone?

Rgds

David Tinker. Wales UK
David Tinker

Dave:
I can understand your situation, however, my spouse was with me for the 11:00PM test drive of our first TD, a '53 RHD. A couple more years of dating, then engagement and 30 something years of marriage, (and a lot of MGs +), she has no problem with my RHDs and in fact looks forward to a run-up in the MKII. She does however, prefer to drive the LHD cars and is hinting for a LHD TF-1500.
Safety Fast
Paul
Paul


Dave
I should get a Y model RHD steering rack, cut it and sleeve it and fit it to your TD if I were you, it will probably still be being used safely long after you are dead and buried. Do you seriously think that a 5/8"dia shaft is going to break?!!. Forget all the crap about Non Destructive Testing equipment and fit it, you might as well say that anything that is welded is structurely unsafe. We seem to be getting a culture in this country of paranoya about safety, just as well the Battle of Britain pilots didn't think in the same way or we would have ended up under German rule.
Harry
H.E.W. Walker

There seems to be a lot of different views on the rights or wrongs of conversion for me its got to be done purely on the grounds of safety where i live and drive the roads are so narrow its dangerous enough in a rhd car and anyway while i have the car in bits i may as well do it. it would be interesting to hear from someone who has actualy converted a y type rack with success as this is the route i think i will take
Ian
Ian weake

Ian,
I converted my LHTD to a RHD using a Y Type rack. However I used a new pinion to suit a TD manufactured by I think a company called 'Horton ' which gave the additional shaft length which is required for the TD.

It was not cheap but then quality re-manufactured pattern parts are not.

Given a little time I could dig out a the invoice for this part dated probably 10 yrs ago with the company address.

I have read other BBS comments on this subject ' it will still be used long after I am dead and buried ' and they may well be correct, but you will never be happy driving it.

I worked on Concord and yes it came to grief, but not from fundamental design.

David Tinker. Wales UK
David Tinker


Ian
I mentioned earlier on that I recently converted a Y Model steering rack for a friend who lives locally. He has now driven the car for quite a few miles without any problems, and as we live in the country it is mainly around narrow lanes.

David
I only worked on toy fighter jets :- Vampires, Venoms and Meteors, none of mine ever crashed!!

Harry
H.E.W. Walker

Harry
Had a very close shave in a brand new Vampire. Reason: DeHavilland manufacturing error!
John James

Hey guys, we all know if God ment us to fly the whole "T" series would have had wings. Just to throw in my two cents non-distructive testing never made a part failure proof. The guy who makes the weld is the key. Even broken half-shafts were successfully welded when spares were not available or in my case unaffordable. Never broke a welded half-shaft.

Safety Fast!

Jimbo6

1953 MGTD
J. M. Haskins


John
I had a brand new T11 WZ 584 in my charge [ Engines }
she was a beauty and I did get to fly it once, dual of course. That same aircraft still exists today at an airfield called Sandtoft up near Hull. Actally, I find it quite annoying that almost nothing is written about Vampires, it's almost as though they didn't exist, yet together with the Meteor they brought the RAF into the jet era
Harry
H.E.W. Walker

What can you write about a dimunitive twin boom, lower than a go-cart to the ground aircraft. When we started them it was normal to have to push them forward out of the pool of burning fuel that accumulated by the tail-pipe. I had the privilege of working on them in the RCAF. in 1951-54 at RCAF Stn, St Huberet . Located just outside of Montreal Canada.As for the Gloster Meteor we had a seriuos failure in France circa 1958. Upon arriving at Marville France the flaos were lowered and the fuselage seperated from the wing. Killing the pilot.
Sandy Sanders
conrad sanders

Harry
The Vampire in question was XH274. One wing had been made at Hatfield, the other at Broughton and were not the same thickness/aerofoil section, so one had been built up to the thickness of the other with half an inch of filler. I was on a solo low level (250 ft) X country over Lincolnshire when during a tight turn there was a very loud bang and the Vamp flicked on it's back.
After regaining control, I checked for damage and discovered most of the left wing had changed colour from silver to pale green where the filler had once been! I suppose you could call it hand built, a bit like our T's!
They scrapped it after I got it back to Swinderby.
Nostalia rules
John
John James


John
How the devil did that Vampire get past inspection and flight tests, certainly somebody's head should have rolled for this cock up. Sounds like a horrendous experience that may well have cost you your life. Fortunately we had very little trouble with our Vampires, we only lost two all the time I was with the squadron, both by accidents, one when they were doing a dive bombing sortie the pilot [ Jimmie James!!} pulled out too steep after dropping his bombs stalled and flick rolled into the deck, the other was when two of the aerobatic team managed to hit each other over Ismalia, breaking the backs of the booms on one of them, fortunately the pilot Dickie Dicken [NCO later Winco } after a struggle finally got thrown out. The other aircraft involved flown by PO Johnny Auton managed to get back and land OK with a deep gouge along the starboard wing. We had a lot of trouble with undercarriage radius arms cracking when we first got our new Venoms.
I had an amusing thing happen once many years ago. A friend of mine owned a 1938 BA SWallow, we were taking off from Rochester one evening, got airborne about halfway along the aerodrome when the engine suddenly spluttered and stopped. Fortunately we had enough room to get back down on the drome,we figured that it might be fuel starvation, so removed the main feed pipe, took the top off the carburettor and found an Earwig blocking the fuel feed!!, rectified the fault and finally took off again and continued the flight. Halcyon days
Harry
H.E.W. Walker


Conrad
From my experience the Vampires normally lit up OK, but if they got a " wet start", they then poured neat fuel out of the tail pipe,if they then lit up it was too late for the engine to start and they then used to set light to the fuel on the ground. Actually, when we started Venoms we had to drape an asbestos blanket over the tailplane in case they exuded flames and set light to the paint. I once had nasty experience when starting a Venom, it failed to light up when I fired the cartridge, started running down then decided to light up when it had insufficient revs to start, only this time instead of shootting flames out of the jet pipe it started puffing them out of the intakes. I shut the fuel off turned off the necessary switches jumped out of the cockpit and rushed and got a fire extinguisher, fortunately by the time I got back to the aircraft the flames had been sucked back inside the engine. Gave me a nasty moment though as I had visions of the whole aircraft going up in flames.
Harry
H.E.W. Walker

This thread was discussed between 20/06/2004 and 17/07/2004

MG TD TF 1500 index

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