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MG TD TF 1500 - Need Help - again!

I progressed with my pre-painting trial assembly and got to the point where I unwrapped the supports for the headlamps, which had been rechromed (not correct, I know) along with the headlight buckets. I had not noticed before, probably being blinded by the chrome, that one of the studs which goes through the front wing, was not fully seated in the support. As I was tightening this I noticed that the stud was visible from the top side instead of being a smooth finish like the others. So, my original plan was to leave them chrome as the PO had gone to the trouble of having them done. But now, since I am going to have to mess one of them up in order to fill the hole, I am thinking about painting them as they should be. My question is, what is the best way to prep the fresh chrome in order to paint them??

As always, thanks.

Don
don scott

You won't like the answer but the best way is to take it back to the platers and have them remove the chrome. Having said that I've thrown stuff in the bead blaster and roughed it up enough to hold primer and paint. I'd guess some work with a scotch brite rough pad would probably do the job to.
LaVerne

Don, my understanding is you need to bead blast the chrome to rough it up.
Mike
Mike TD/TA

Hi Don

I may have missed your original post. What MG is this? Chrome headlights were included on early TD's
Bruce Cunha

Bruce, my 51 has chromed headlamps also and they were original to the car.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

don, i believe your post is about the headlamp supports...i agree with laverne, have the plater remove the chrome.
it may work to squirt over chrome, but i've never seen paint work over chrome..but i am only an old hobbiest. there are alot hits when you google painting over chrome from people who say it can be done. regards, tom
tom peterson

I went and looked at my 1951 TD and on the left side headlamp support one bolt end shows (the outboard one). Mine are painted so I am not concerned. Still it seems sacrilege to paint over chrome just because there is a quarter inch bolt end showing. Why not just fudge it with a dab of silver paint? When I restored my TD 35 years ago I had the tank end covers plated since they were rusty. They turned out so nice I did not have the heart to paint the center section body color so they have been chrome ever since. Not original, but it looks just fine.
John Quilter
Eugene, Oregon
John Quilter (TD8986)

I wasn't aware the early TD's had chrome headlamp buckets and supports - haven't noticed a reference to that. Mine has a build date of July 18, 1952 so may be considered an "early" one. I guess the other alternative is to just fill in the exposed stud and have the one support rechromed. That may just be the simplest and cheapest soulution.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and experience, it is what makes this board so valuable.

Don
don scott

Not correct but I had mine chromed. Used some silver paint on the top of the studs.


LaVerne

My 51 TD has chrome headlamp buckets and chrome supports and they are original from the factory. As for the bolts that hold the support to the fender they were chrome as well and when tightened they were not exactly flush with the supports. This all was as from the factory. I think if you just assemble you will have a correct mounting. As far as I know some cars starting sometime in '52 they changed to painted supports , then painted headlight pots. Sounds like the chrome pieces on your car are actually correct.

Hope this helps. If your headlamp pots have "king of the road" insert they would have been chrome. Some pots were chrome without the insert as well.
C.R. Tyrell

Don. On my TD from november 23 the grillslats hedlamp buckets dash centerpanel and tank sides was chromed.I or rader my paintshop
painted the slats, buckets and tank sides
body colour The headlamp suport was painted.
An 52 TD is not considered an early Car.
I also had original early front wheels, but
broader rear wheels. it seemed that the
car had been raced.
Thoralf. Norway TD4490
Thoralf Sorensen (TD4490)

Well,, here we go again with the chrome/not chrome buckets,,, IMHO, not all buckets which have "king of the road" inserts were chrome,,,,,

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Don,
Not sure I understand what the problem is. If the stud was sticking up to far and thus you have exposed threads, can't you just back it off and make adjustments under the wing so that it is smooth?

"But now, since I am going to have to mess one of them up in order to fill the hole,"

Why are you going to have to mess it up?
Mort 1950 TD1851 Möbius

Here is a picture of the two supports - the bad one is on the left. You can see the top of the stud on the left, while all the other studs are covered with chrome. I think at this point I will just repair the one and have it rechromed.

Don


don scott

Are those suppose to be drilled all the way through? I don't think mine are.

Regards,
Rich
Richard Taylor TD3983

Richard, I think you hit the nail on the head...
Tom Maine (TD8105)

Exactly Tom - one got drilled all the way through, thus the problem!

Don
don scott

Mr Tyrell has stated that his supports were chrome plated when the car was delivered from the factory.

I have never seen a reference to chrome plated supports and all references seem to confirm that the supports were always painted

I would be interested to know if any others make this claim to factory chrome supports on an original, unmodified car

It may be that some trial was undertaken for chrome supports, but that seem unlikely since the chrome buckets were eventually discontinued

Interesting

Jeff Delk

The headlamp brackets are attached to the fenders by means of studs. The brackets are drilled through and tapped. See A/S P.47 & 23 & 23A; Moss P.29 Items #7&8. Bud
Bud Krueger

Don,
I just assumed all the brackets were drilled and tapped all the way through like mine.
Mort 1950 TD1851 Möbius

Drilling apparently was done commonly. I have one side drilled and the other with studs. I have a feeling these may snap off easy and drilling was done as an easy fix. I welded studs into mine that were drilled.
Bruce Cunha

My 51 TD came delivered from the dealer with chrome headlights and painted supports. The supports were always painted the same colour as the car body, not chrome plated.

George
George Raham [TD4224]

My '50 TD came out of the factory with painted supports and chromed headlamps.
Nowadays the supports are chromed, but that's the work of a PO.
JL Nederhoed

I have taken some pictures of my headlamp brackets (chrome), and the pictures show the bolts that are shown through the chrome. These brackets have not been re-chromed and are original to the car. I also noted that they use two bolts to attach instead of a bolt and a stud. It seems the factory did what they needed to do to assemble the car. I stand corrected by Jeff Dalk, all headlamp pots with "King of the Road" were not chrome, they were available in both painted and chrome. As for brackets, another local MG TD owner found at restoration that he had one chrome bracket and one steel bracket. Both of course were painted. Go figure!
C.R. Tyrell

Sorry.... Have to re-size photo.
C.R. Tyrell

Here are the photos


C.R. Tyrell

The other side...


C.R. Tyrell

Picture of the studs installed from the bottom.
Mike


Mike TD/TA

C.R.
Just courious,,, it is not stated any where in this thread,,,,are you the original owner of the car with the chrome brackets???

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Steve I am not the original owner of the car. I am the 4th owner of the car. I have talked to the previous 2 owners, which dates it back to 1959. The second owner had the car "fixed up" and made a little more presentable and he received it in original condition. He never had any chrome work done, so all the chrome is as found, and he said the original owner sold the car to him as it was bought in 1951. The car was made as far as I can tell Oct. 1950. This is consistent with date codes on some of the parts.

I was very fortunate to be able to trace ownership of the car that far. I still have not found the original owner, but I will.
C.R. Tyrell

October 1950? Mine is from October 23. It's TD3966. What's your chassis number?

Jasper


JL Nederhoed

This thread was discussed between 17/02/2012 and 23/02/2012

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