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MG TD TF 1500 - Like some buying advice, please!

I'm feeling a bit nervous off my "home" board here, but hoping to find the same level of help & knowledge as I would on the MGC board !

Wife & I have been thinking of a TD to add to our collection, and there seem to be some available via Ebay as imports requiring restoration, eg

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2439561536&category=29757&rd=1

Now, given that a running RHD TD in the UK will fetch around £10k, why is a car like this not a good buy at £4250, and why isn't anyone bidding on it?
Is it just that it's a blind buy, or are this guy's cars not any good, or are the bits missing from this car so important that you'd be better sourcing a more complete car?
I don't mind doing the restoration, I just don't know if this sort of car is the right place to start.....

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated !

John & Pat (68 MGCGT, 65 midget MkII)
John Marr

John:
While buying from photos is always a risk, the shots at ebay for this car clearly show some problems. The most obvious, without seeing the car up close, is it appears to have a Y engine installed. It is a sure bet the numbers don't match anymore. From the shots of the engine, firewall, etc. everything has been stripped-off. That is how things, (=$$$$), go missing. There seem to be a lot of cars being offered over there, so you should be able to find a better prospect. Talk it up with some of the local chapters, or go to a meet, where you can see the car in the daylight. Sound out a local T guy/gal, to help you evaluate any prospects. While you will spend a good deal of time working on it after, spend the time now to find the right one.
Paul
(TD MKII, TD, YA, YA)
Paul Gaynor

John,

I've got to agree with Paul, although the description claims that the car "has not been modified with a different engine", it is apparent that is has indeed been modified. To me, this puts in question all of the claims, especially regarding the soundness of the body and frame - the wood is expensive to replace. The photos also show a lot of missing bits (carbs for example), windscreen looks shot, and on and on. Just replacing these parts is going to be expensive, assuming (a big assumption) that what is there works well. Also, it appears that car is in the US and LHD. I'm not familiar with the transportation and import costs to the UK, but it can't be cheap.

At 4,250 pounds (around $6,500), I would not hesitate to look elsewhere, especially if I didn't have the opportunity to give it a thorough going-over.

Good luck on your hunt, I know you'll be happy when you finally find your car. Be sure to come back to this site - these guys are a lot of help!!

Larry
'51TD
Larry Thompson

As an ex-pat from Middlesex myself, and as you are apparently domiciled in the UK, my 5 bob's worth would be for you to look to buying a car in the home market, i.e the U.K.. Also, join the Octagon Car Club where you will be able to meet knowledgeable owners who can guide you in the right direction. You can join in one of their "natters" over a convivial pint of beer and learn a lot without getting your feet stuck in the glue pot and asking your bank manager for a big loan.

You will probably have to pay pounds for dollars value wise, but you would save the costs of importing into the UK plus all the othger ghastly problems H.M. Customs and Excise may cause you over duties they might arbitrarily wish to impose.
G.E. Love

From the description the car seems to be already in the UK so HM Customs and Excise should not be a concern. In any event it is not a big deal as there is no duty on reimportation of a UK made car and there is some special dispensation on old vehicles which reduces the VAT to 2.5%. This is from an article in Saftey Fast of 3/4 years ago which is on the main MG Enthusiast web site somewhere.
The engine does appear to be a YA/YB or perhaps a Wolseley
but it doesn't matter that much as it still is the proper engine and not from a Volvo or MGB.As the car appears to be in the UK you should be able to look at it. If you don't know the T series get someone who does to accompany you. If you can't inspect it pass. Terry
Terry O'Brien

John,

If you want your TD to be mint condition then you are probably best looking for something at about £5000 and rebuilding it.

On the other hand if you just want one in good condition I would look to buy a UK car for about £10000. You can soon spend more than the difference on a rebuild.


Jan T
Jan Targosz

From a brief look at the picts- missing horns, starter switch/brackets, choke/starter cables, wiring harness, fuel pump, carbs, correct intake manifold, exhaust system, driveshaft. Price out what replacements cost. I would presume the rusty, incorrect engine is as bad inside as it looks outside- it costs a good $5000 US to rebuild a trashed motor. Unless you had a pile of donor parts, I would personally skip this car and find one that at least has most of the pieces present. You could probably find a decent, intact driver for less than purchasing/replacing/reparing just what you can see is wrong in the pictures.
George Butz

I bought a car 5 years ago and all the parts were there for about 5000.00 and I now have over 15000.00 into it and I did not have to buy all the missing parts. This one would be a lot less than what mine cost considering that the carbs alone are about a grand and that the bumpers are missing, driveshaft and looks like the gauges in the center are gone also. One would be putting a large sum into restoring this one.
Tom

Many thanks to you all for your wise advice !

We now have the membership forms for the Octagon Car Club, and have made contact with some very friendly and helpful folks, so we're not feeling quite so nervous about venturing into the world of "T"'s (or maybe "Y"'s !) - nor are we just going to jump in, now we realise some of the pitfalls.

Hopefully you'll see us back on this board in the future telling you how happy we are with our new car !

Cheers for now,
John & Pat
John Marr

John,

How wise of you to look at Y's. It's most of the T-type fun at half the price and much more exclusive!

(No prices given for guessing which MG I own!)

Willem Y5888
Willem van der Veer

John,

Consider yourself lucky. Some chap with the monikker 'JohnCSprite' paid £4.250. which is probably excessive. If you want to go the restoration route, you can probably find a basket case. Around here, we have quite a few, the only problem is that each one seems to be lacking a criritcal part, like a windscreen frame, a grill shell, etc.

If I ever find a TD, complete except for an engine and trans., I can't imagine anything more fun than a TD with a 160 HP, fuel-injected K-Series and a Sierra type 9 g/b. Heresy? Maybe; but I already own a totally original TF, so I hope I can be excused!

I guess this is all redundant, because you've already made contact with the Octogon Car Club, so you're in good hands, As we say here in Québec - Bonne chance!

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

This thread was discussed between 28/10/2003 and 02/11/2003

MG TD TF 1500 index

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