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MG TD TF 1500 - Mazda Miata TD?

There is a basket case TD a few miles from my house. There is no running gear,no interior, and the body tub is very, very bad. Outside of the tub, the rest of the body is solid.
I am toying with the idea of putting a Mazda Miata running gear in this car, and salvaging the MG frame and body. It would look like a stock TD, until the hood was opened. It would not be a show car, just a good looking fun to drive driver that I could have fun with. Not a kit car, but not quite a TD either.
Since it is not a numbers matching car, and does not even have a running gear it is a poor candidate for an authentic restoration.
We already have nice original TCs, a TD and a TF.
Ideas? Comments? Should I consider this, or is this a bad idea?
D. Sander

I think it's a great idea. If the car is headed to the boneyard anyway, why not give it a second chance. There's a fellow in my neighborhood who has an MGA with Miata engine, electrics, and driveline - his very own reliable mga twin cam. It's a wonderful car.

But be careful! It could be a horrible money pit - it'll depend on how much your fun is worth.

But if you do, keep us posted - I for one will follow with great interest.

Dave
Dave Jorgensen

Do it!
And since the tub/interior is AFU, rebuild it into something unique - an Airline or a 4 place tourer, see early 30's MGs for inspiration. When I was 12 or so, I found a 1931 L or N Magna 4 place tourer in a barn, and I still regret that it couldn't be bought (grandson don't you know!). Remember, MG were hotrods in the first place, and frequently custom bodied.
Oh yes, put some brakes on it!

FRM
Fletcher R Millmore

As a result of writing what I did, I went surfing. The car I found in the barn was an F type, and it has sat all these years, and was recently rediscovered and is now in Ohio! Has been restored now, judging by the pics. Note that this one has three carbs, evidently not standard. I was in seventh grade when a kid said "you know about weird cars, what has carburettors like this, it says MG on it", and drew an SU. I told him lots of MG had two of those, and he said "well this one has three" so I hied off to look at it. It took me about 4 years of letter writing and searching land records to find the barn owner, who did not own the car. Finally I got enough info to find the owner. He was two hundred yards away, over a hill, but it was about 5 miles by road.

Gotta see if I can find the new owner!

http://fmagna.org/F0531.html

FRM
Fletcher R Millmore

For sure keep us updated on the project. Try to take pictures if you can. If you do your own fabrication it doesn't have to cost a fotune and would make a very roadable car I should think.
P.W. Lester

Just put a 'Hybrid' sticker on the back.
BTW, how do you salvage the body if the tub is very, very bad? What body would you put on the TD frame?
Bud
Bud Krueger

Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies. No No votes yet?
Since there are no instriments in this TD I have been thinking of maybe grafting the similar sized Miata gauges in to a nice wood dash in the TD. I would have to build a new tub for the TD, since it essentially does not have one now. I could carefully "graft" some donor miata parts in, while keeping the look original. If I can fabricate what was left of the TD I am finishing now back to a TD, I am confident that I could handle this project too, and am actually looking forward to it.
D. Sander

how do you salvage the body if the tub is very, very bad? What body would you put on the TD frame?
On the tub all the wood is gone, and by gone I mean it is not even there. ALL 4 quarter pannels are badly rusted. I can see where they used to be. The wheel arches are gone too. The scuttle and firewall are repairable, as are the door skins. The side curtain box and the metal cross brace are also gone. The fenders, gas tank, hood and aprons are fixable. The door skins are bad, but repairable. The side irons are there, but very rusty.
The frame has been "restored" and painted. The suspension is assembled, but the rubber has already rotted off. I would have to check the frame to see what is under the paint, to see if it is infact sound.
There is a blown engine, with non matching numbers. It is missing the head, and I don't think it is even repairable. No transmission.
I looked at a miata, and there is plenty of room to put the engine and transmission on the td frame with a td tub.
If I did it, it would have a Miata engine and transmissin, maybe brakes wheels (steel) and instriments. It would have a TD leather interior. Could be a fun project.
D. Sander

If you're waiting for a no, I'll give it to you. NO. Your tub description is just about what I'm working with on the53. I'm essentially building a tub from a bunch of wood obtained from Abingdon Spares. I think that four pieces may be salvageable.
When I found Lazarus, he had a Volvo B16 engine and gearbox. He's now XPAG powered.

Please don't destroy another TD. Find someone who'll take it as it is to restore it.

But, that's just MHO. Bud
Bud Krueger

This thread was discussed between 21/03/2010 and 22/03/2010

MG TD TF 1500 index

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