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MG TD TF 1500 - NOOB Questions..
| Folks, I'd posted the below on MGExperience, and someone clued me in that it's a ghost town, and not to expect any response. The kind person (thanks Steve!) suggested I post it here.. so here it is: ----------------------------------------------------- I did look for a "stickie" or "FAQ" - called buying a T series MG. Really. They actually seem to be rather scarce on the web, at least in a Google search. Some of my questions have probably been asked 1x10e15 times.. sorryaboutthat.. But here goes - and I'm fairly flameproof. Background - in looking at my 401k's and Profit-Sharing, it appears that I've lost about 1/3rd of what I saved. The thought came to me - that I could do something else with a bit of the $$ and have fun at the same time, without risking any more than I am in conventional investments. I have in the past restored cars and motorcycles. I learned from the experience - the lesson that the best value in restored cars/motorcycles are ones someone else restored. Doing a restoration always seems to cost more than the end value of the finished product, and frequently causes the restorer to grow to hate the project by the time they're done. So.. I decided to look for a car I could use right out of the box, and not worry about doing a restoration. I hate body work with a passion, I suck at it, I dislike doing it - it's simply not me. I don't mind mechanical stuff - actually it's a nice relaxation for me, sort of like solving puzzles. So - I've been looking. I started out looking at Morgans, but that somehow morphed into looking at T series MGs (likely because there are lots more to look at, and the prices are more reasonable.) I've found cars from $4,000-40,000 USD. The $4,000 are ones I would run away from. The $40,000 are too good and too expensive - they'd be no fun since I'd be afraid of driving them. It looks as if I'm slotting into a $20-25,000 range. This price range seems to include cars that are excellent drivers (not daily drivers - I have real cars and motorcycles to serve that function..) Drivers that I wouldn't hesitate to take to a local car meet and sit next to, and in the odd meet perhaps even win some trivial sort of award. It seems as if most of the ones I find are TD's - likely since they were the most popular one imported to the US. The TC - while a really nice car - I don't do right-hand drive, plus a friend has one that I could never compete with, so I'd rather it be something later, like a TD or TF. Questions I have: 1 - What is the one fatal flaw that they all suffer from that's hard to spot? 2 - Were people shaped differently when the cars were built? Little pointy feet? Long legs? No stomachs or thighs? I tried fitting into one I looked at - and it was unclear if I could drive it (an aside - the seat-back wasn't working right and it was fully back..) How do modern people (expecially shorter legged fluffy ones) manage the driving position ergonomics? 3 - Where are the values going? In doing a bit of market research, at the moment - it doesn't appear the market is plummeting. Any expectation of the bottom dropping out? 4 - US clubs. I've found a few spotty lists of clubs, and I know there is one near me (the Positive Earth Club) - but MG and general brit car clubs seem a bit scarce in NJ (USA.) Any enlightenment would be good. One I've found has had a ground up restoration done on it - including the woodwork, wiring, body work, interior, etc.. etc.. frame-off, nut-bolt sort - documented extenstively. It's a '52 TD, with the MK-II carbs (but single fuel pump.) If I had to rate it on a 0-100 scale, it comes in a very solid 90. The tranny seems to be drooling a bit from the rear seal - other than that - oil tight. All electrics have been done (wiring harness, etc.) Everything works. Paint is flawless. Interior is as new. Hoods/tops/sidecurtains as new. New tires and new brakes and brake lines (tags till on them.) Flaws I saw were - a small crack in the glass in the windshield, and the dribbling transmission. I have not driven it (we're some distance apart - but a friend looked and took detailed photos for me..) Any thoughts on value in the US? (It's in southern US, I'm in northern..) TIA - sorry to make this long a posting - think of it as a mind-dump. Don Eilenberger Here are one or two photos - which might give an idea of what the car looks like. More tomorrow when I can get in and edit my website.  |
| D Eilenberger |
Another pic:
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| D Eilenberger |
Another..
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| D Eilenberger |
| You have hit on the right site for T type cars. At the home page, there is a listing for all the clubs registered in the US and there are lots of them. MG clubs are usually a fun bunch with lots of driving of the cars. We drive em not just show em. Cars that run well but are not show stoppers go for between 12-21 Grand depending on overall condition. There are lots of them out there for that range. 20 or so seems to be more common these days and in that respect they have come up in value. There are a lot of cars out there for sale over 25 and up to 40 but they are jusst that for sale, not sold or selling at that price. Go with a finished car and you can get into a nice runner for the lower ranges. Dont worry to much about oil leaks, if it is not leaking, it is out of oil... These cars leak a lot especially from the rear of the engine since it is an archemides seal at the rear of the engine. These are fine little cars to own and so much fun... I am 6 feeet and about 220 and the fit is good, once you get in one especially with the top down. Top up they are not that easy to get in and out of. The suicide door helps getting in and out. As an investment, you may not make a lot, but you wont lose anything either and will have a whale of a lot of fun. I would highly recommend that if you do get one, join a club. Folks that dont miss out on a whole lot of fun and most of all information about these classic cars that are still very affordable to own and operate and just have a ball in...Welcome aboard. |
| TRM Maine |
| Welcome aboard Don. This is "THE" board for TD/TF's. As you have seen the MG Experience board is pretty dead in this catagory. I give you my limited thoughts and I'm sure others will chime in here as well. Fatal flaws.. In my book it no question wood condition has to be number one. It's time comsuming and expensive to fix. Unless your into self flagulation. Mechanicaly .. I'd say the crank shaft has to be a major concern. The engine blocks are hard to come by these days and the crankshafts tend to break and take the block with them. A replacement crank is very expensive, just ask me cause I have one , but the new ones are basically bullet proof. Value.... they really never went out of sight like the Healy's did but I expect the values to decline for the majority of them in the coming years though not drasticaly unless the economy totaly falls off the cliff. I certainly would not look at one as an investment other than the fun factor. The cars are a tight fit for just about anyone. My B is much more comfortable but the TF is much more fun. Clubs in your area.... sorry no help there. The car your looking at looks very nice but... it looks like it's at a dealer and that alone tends to scare me. I know for a fact that one of the members of this board is planning on selling his TD. It happens to all of us as we age and I think it is his turn. I think you will get an honest description of the cars owned by the members on this board. Most honest group I've ever come across. I'd inquire about the purchase of one here first. Second choice would be to have someone familiar with the TD/TF personally inspect a perspective purchase either with you or by proxy if nesassary. Just my thoughts LaVerne |
| LED DOWNEY |
| Don, LaVerne hits it on the head. Wood for sure #1 problem. A new Phoenix crank (the ONLY new crank available) runs at $2,500. Several MG Clubs in CO, but the T club is: Rocky Mountain MG T Register 5006 Aspen Dr Littleton, Colorado 80123 Fax: 303 795 6981 Contact: Bill Bollendonk www.donker@aol.com Gord Clark Rockburn, Qué. |
| Gordon A. Clark |
| Hi Don, Welcome. You have come to the right place. Each of us came to MG's for various reasons. Yours is as valid as any other. The TD has wood under the metal shell. That is about the only area that is a lot of work to replace. you can see some of it between the running board and the frame when you look underneath. Oil from the transmission may be a leak, but expect to always have a little. The engine came with what is called a slinger rear seal on the crank. Not really a seal, more of a counter rotating screw that throws the oil back into the engine. A slight leak here is normal. There are aftermarket kits to reduce this. If the engine has been gone through it would be good to inquire if this was done. There is a small hole in the bell housing that a drip or two is normal. The pictures look like a nice TD. Some pictures of the engine and dash would give a better idea of how well the restoration was done. In a $20,000 to $25,000 range should bring you a near perfect TD. High teens should get you one that is very clean, mechanically good and a nice driver. Recommend finding someone on this web that might be able to go over it with you. As for the leg space/belly space. Most of us have more of a problem with not quite enough leg space. The TD actually had pedal extenders and the seat can get you quite close to the steering wheel. It has an slide for the seat bottom and there is a adjuster for the angle of the back. Steering wheel actually adjusts up and down and in and out, so you may be able to adjust it more for your individual needs. As for value. TD's have not decreased, but don't expect them to increase a lot. The TD, is a relatively reliable car. You say you have some mechanical abilities; for most of the mechanical things on this car (tuneup, brakes, etc) you would have no problems doing these yourself. Not a lot of things on the TD that require a certified mechanic. TD has a lower rear differential so freeway driving can push the engine RPM a bit. There are a couple of different ratios for the differential that can make highway speeds a bit easier. That would be another question to ask if it has been changed. |
| Bruce-C |
| Gordon, he is closer to you on the globe than Colorado. I do belong to the Rocky Mountain MGT club and it's 250 miles from me. Not sure why sometimes. LaVerne |
| LED DOWNEY |
| Don - Only one thing about your post that bothers me - get the TD to enjoy and have fun with, but NOT as an investment. Special interest cars are really a worse investment than even 401Ks are right now ( I suspect that yo already know this). As for a local club, here is a link to a listing of clubs in New Jersey http://www.mgcars.org.uk/clubs/clubus.html#N You have definitely come to the right place for information on the cars (as the others have stated). there is no other place that I know of where you will find a large an assemblage of people who not only know the cars exceedingly well, but who are also friendly, fun to communicate with and very willing to help fellow T owners. Cheers - Dave |
| David DuBois |
| LaV, ...don't know why I did that. I've gotta learn to put the top back on the glue tube after use ... gac |
| Gordon A. Clark |
| What you can see from the picts looks really nice. Need to see the dash and engine compartment, also a couple shots underneath, particularly the areas just inside of the running boards. Fatal flaw- bad wood in the body tub-that is terminal and time to run away. As said above, if a crank breaks or a cluster gear goes, it is some $, but nothing that can't be readily fixed. In the photo, the steering wheel appears to be adjusted all the way out, moving it in would give about 2" more room. As far as feet, buy a pair of driving shoes (about $80) and you will have plenty of room. Modern flared and wide soled "tennis" shoes- won't fit. A recent Wall St. Journal article had the T-series cars at the top of collectibles maintaining value. You have to like driving the car. Lousy on the highway, no matter what rear end gears, fairly slow but great handling and stopping. You wouldn't believe how a T-series makes people wave and smile wherever you drive it! It will leak oil- if it stops leaking there is no more oil! George |
| George Butz |
| Thanks MUCH for the very warm welcome! A few notes on the car I'm considering.. It supposedly, (I have not seen it first hand, I did have a semi-knowledgeable friend - he's an automotive engineer, but not an MG guy look at it and photograph it) had a complete body-off, frame up restoration that included replacement of all the wood framing. What I can see from the photos provided by my friend, and those from the dealer - the visible wood looks new. My friend got to look at the documentation on the restoration, which included about 100 photographs (silver, not digital) that included the framing rework/replacement. All metal supposedly was taken down to bare metal. There is also about 3" of paper documentation/bills/receipts for the work done. Don't know the engine condition, except it looks good, the engine compartment looks clean, and my friend said it started easily, ran smoothly, no odd noises, and it appears to have good oil pressure when cold (> 80PSI). Since it was inside when it was run - it wasn't run long enough to fully warm up the engine, nor did he get to drive it. I got to making the webpage I promised with all the photos I have to date: http://www.eilenberger.net/MG_TD/MG_Photo_Gallery.htm Comments would be welcome on what's there.. --------------------------------------------- As far as it being an investment - well - if it doesn't lose value I'd be happy. My other investments have tanked (-30% at least in a few months). My wife is fairly enthused about it because she always wanted something like a TD. Getting spousal approval is a BIG plus (she has put up with me through MANY MANY different and odd cars/bikes - http://www.eilenberger.net/CarList/Carlist.htm). Anyway - your thoughts on this example with the additional pics is welcome. Price on this one is near the high end of the scale I mentioned, but it appears additional expenses would be minimal. |
| D Eilenberger |
| Don -- Welcome to the group. The photo's look real good. From the ones of the engine compartment I notice that the air cleaners appear to be TF type. That may well be a plus as the original oil bath type was a bit restrictive. Also it appears that the battery is turned around which probably says the polarity has been reversed to negative ground. Also probably a plus. Anyway I hope you acquire the car and enjoy it for many years. The enthusiasm of the wife is always a good thing.] Bob |
| R. K. Jeffers |
| One other thing to consider is that these cars are not boulevard blasters! They only have around 56 horsepower and 5.125 gears in them. They do fine on the freeways but just don't be in a hurry. They are an absolute ball to drive. Besides you will have to take time to enjoy all the stares, thumbs up, people honking their horns and people stopping you and telling you about their experiences in the past when they had a T type. Way too much fun for anyone! Have a good day! John |
| John Progess |
| Don -- I am also new to the MG 'T' series restoration game (started Aug., '08), and have found this site to be an invaluable source of information and folks willing to give of their time and assistance, beyond anything I had previously experienced. I have a web-site that documents my progress from purchase (ebay auction), transportation, resources I have found to be especially helpful, and the like. Go to: www.mgtf54.jeepaw.com My choice in buying a TF, was because the TF had been one of my favorite cars since I was in high school, and I finally had the resources to purchase AND the funds for the restoration. Dave DuBois is correct in not thinking of these cars as an investment. I am very sure that I will put much more into this car than I could ever get out if I were to resale it, which I never intend to do. It's the love and enjoyment of these cars that makes it all very worth while for me, and for many others on this site, I'm sure. Cheers -- John |
| JL Brickell |
| My comment would be to paint the headlamp brakets body color, and valve cover proper silver/grey. Bob |
| R.AF. Robert Finucane |
| Ovearll looks nice and correct. Interesting rear spring "helper" springs or anti-tramp leafs- not original. Speaking from a total originality point of view, here is what I see "wrong"- Parking lights (front chrome ones)should have a red dot in the top (lights up and looks cool when light is on), choke cable should have round knob (not chrome "T" handle), the top and side curtains should be tan and not black, a TD should have an aluminum air cleaner manifold with a black round oil bath cleaner above the valve cover (there have been some on ebay lately), the wiring harness should be a braided cloth covering instead of vinyl, something looks funny on the clutch linkage- maybe a ball end on one of the rods?, and lastly the radiator grill shell is definitely a repro- the hole in the bottom should be D-shaped, with the flat down and the shape of it isn't just right. However, overall from the photos a very nice car. George |
| George Butz |
| Don - "My wife is fairly enthused about it because she always wanted something like a TD. Getting spousal approval is a BIG plus" You are right there, but I can go you one better. My wife actively encouraged me to buy our TD back in the time that we were a young couple with two little kids and barely making the house payments. After I bought the car, it was promptly confiscated and pressed into service as "her" everyday car and was used that way for 7 years until I decided to restore it. At that point, I was informed "you are not touching that car until I have another MG to drive." Thus we are not a 2 MG family (TD and MGB) and the TD is still my wife's car of choice to drive. Cheers - Dave |
| David DuBois |
| Dave -- Look at your entry. In the last sentence I think the word not should be now. Cheers Bob |
| R. K. Jeffers |
| I currently have a list of 202 MG and British car clubs, at least ten are in your area NJ, NY, PA. Go to www.Classicmotorsports.com and find their Clubs listing. Also see www.britishcarclubs.com. Join the New England MG T Register, they have a chapter in NJ, and 4 in NY, and 1 in PA/Delaware. There are also several MG Car Club Centers in your area If you are looking for an investment, you should have bought a Ferrari or Aston Martin, etc, thirty years ago. You won't loose money on a T Car but don't expect to do much better than the inflation rate. I agree with all above... WOOD! You can improve the highway performance by changing the rear axle ratio to 4.3 from 5.125, but you still have to drive the car... no cruise control! T Cars are for fun!!! |
| Don Harmer |
| Don, Welcome!!!!!! I have to say that I and many of the rest of us on this site, are about as excited for you as you are! You are definitely considering the right car, from two points. 1. You will never have as much fun driving a vehicle as you will a T. It will absolutely take a month to wipe the silly grin off your face after you drive it for the first time. 2.I follow 5 online car forums for each of the cars my wife and I have (3 antiques), and THIS one has the greatest group of people on the planet. Have a question? Someone here has your answer and will gladly share it with you. They are a truly generous bunch. A piece of advice. When you are about to drive a T for the first time, get back to us, and a bunch of us will fill you in on how to prepare. The proper shoes (George alluded to the problem for some), pedal setup, gear shifting techniques, etc. Its important! My first drive was almost my last when big feet tried to get to little pedals with the stop sign coming up fast. And I'm sure I took some years off the transmission's life. Gene |
| Gene Burgess |
| Nice site John. First time I have looked at it. I'm not sure what help I provide but your welcome. If I knew how to do a web site I'd do oa full write up on mine. I keep thinking that Dave really should publish a book for future generations myself. LaVerne |
| LED DOWNEY |
| Don, If you send your email address to: rsthomas177@aol.com I'll send you info on an alternate. Dick Thomas Wooster, Ohio |
| Dick Thomas |
| Wow! What a great group. The BBS format makes it a tad hard to reply to each message, so here are a bunch of replies in one message: Dick, sent an email to you. I'm excited to know what the alternate is. Gene, any hints on driving one will probably come in handy this weekend. By hook or by crook, I'll give one a try someplace this weekend (there are a few candidates not too far from me - a few hours.) Don, I found a number of clubs that are supposed to be in my area - but also found their websites are long gone. I'll be chasing them down. I did touch base with a Brit-car (not marque specific) club in the area that I know a number of people in - including one of the prime movers of the club who I used to do a lot of sailing with. He's into Triumphs. David, true "Spousal Approval" is a very good thing. Usually I just go and buy what I want. I found asking permission got me one ROS* before the deed and another ROS after. Just doing it got it down to one. Sort of the ask-forgiveness instead of permission thing. (ROS = Rafto'sh!t") All - investment is a rationalization. And men are wonderfully adaptive at rationalizing almost anything we want to do. It can make absolutely perfect sense to us - and bear no relationship to reality. Doesn't matter - a good rationalization makes it all work out so nicely in our heads. :) John, boulevard blaster isn't a concern. I have a very fast motorcycle for that, and a not too pokey BMW M3 convertible for bad weather. But thanks for the warning. My first car had 32HP, so 56HP is a surfeit of power! George, thanks for the list of "wrongs" - I wouldn't have spotted those. Since I'm not looking for a 100 pointer it's not a huge concern (unless that radiator shell turns to rust the first time the humidity climbs.) Vinyl wiring - although not authentic - is much better at long term keeping the smoke in, so I accept that as a necessary compromise. The other issues might get addressed - or not - depends on how ambitious I might get. Bob, but the valve cover is a nice shiny maroon.. :) I saw the debate over valve cover color - so perhaps something that doesn't even try to be right works. Or get one of the performance cast alloy ones and be done with it. Now - I found out more on the car. It was restored in 2000, and it took a full year to do. Besides the body-off restoration, a full engine and driveline rebuild was done at the same time. The reciepts for the rebuild/restoration exceed a bit more than $40,000. Turns out the chap who owned it is a rather well known collector/enthusiast in the area. He has a Jag XK140 DHC that regularly wins concours with very close to 100 points, and a number of US cars that are also contest winners. He doesn't appear to be short of money, so I'm guessing he may have put it up for sale due to difficulty in driving it (he's getting up there, but then aren't we all?).. At least that gives me confidence it wasn't a hack job, and that expenses didn't dictate choices on the resto.. Will be trying to drive one this weekend, and will make my decision likely next week. Thanks all for the encouragement - it helps a lot to know there are people as equally nutty and enthusiastic around to help out. BTW - I'm not a stranger to brit vehicles (if you didn't look at my car/bike list) - Had several Jags, and a bug-eye Sprite (that never left my garage - where I learned to REALLY hate rust..) and a few brit motorcycles. I never have to worry about my garage floor rusting. Thanks again! Don |
| D Eilenberger |
| Don You did not list the price. I suspect the owner is trying to recoup what he has in it. The pictures show what appears to be a nice TD. Nice, but I would not say what I would expect for $20,000. As mentioned, a number of little things that are not original and could be easily changed. We all do different things to our cars, so maybe this is what the person that built it wanted. My concern is that the body metal appears to have not been painted underneath. That is something that should be addressed. I sure do not want to sound all that critical. This is the same color as mine but overall this one is much nicer than mine. |
| Bruce-C |
| Hi Bruce! Price being asked is $25,000. A good bit less than he has in it actually if the receipts for the work can be believed. If you mean the folded edges of the metal where it's nailed to the wood - I believe it has at least a primer on it. The color spray doesn't appear to have been done all the way around to the bottom. If you look at: http://www.eilenberger.net/MG_TD/image017.jpg and http://www.eilenberger.net/MG_TD/image018.jpg I did ask my friend when he was looking at it to pay particular attention to rust or any sign of corrosion. The frame appears to have POR or something similar on it with paint over it. http://www.eilenberger.net/MG_TD/image016.jpg Any ideas on value would be appreciated - all I have to go on is some on-line price guides and auction results. Hard to judge them since the cars aren't well documented in the reports on line. Best, and thanks! Don |
| D Eilenberger |
| Don, Contact Dick as he was the fellow I was thinking about who was going to sell his TD. Trust me 40 grand isn't that much if he had someone do the work for him. I spent that on my TF and did all the work myself. LaVerne |
| LED DOWNEY |
| Hi Don; Boy, you really woke this group up! Haven't seen this many replies in a while. There is a club in New Jersey. Contact Keith Murphy at murphy@eclipse.net |
| Barc Cunningham |
| Don, I think the repro shells have pretty decent chrome and hold up just fine. The "braided" wiring harnesses actually have the vinyl under the cloth outer covering, as with the shell, strickly an appearance thing, will function just fine. As an aside, did you ever see the jar of genuine Lucas smoke that was on ebay a few years ago? It was really funny! To me the wrong choke cable would be the single most annoying thing- easily fixed for about $50. George |
| George Butz |
| Don, Welcome to the site !! Seeing that the car you have in mind is drivable when you get it,,, You might want to think about touring up to Concord NH for the New England MG"T" Registers G.O.F. June 10-14th.. http://www.nemgtr.org/ .. I'm sure there will be a group from NJ chapter coming up... http://clubs.hemmings.com/frameset.cfm?club=njmgtregister New Jersey Chapter Keith Murphy #3562 72 Winay Terrace Long Valley, NJ 07853 908-850-4575 SPW |
| Steve Wincze |
| Don, The car looks very very good. If the drive train is sound and you have the receipts on work that was done. I would think this is a good buy. You could not do a ground up restore of a TD for $25 grand. I would think you could negotiate down a little. Not sure of the prices going up any time soon, but it should hold its own. FWIW Dan H. |
| Dan Hanson |
| David, Facinated with your site and book, want to make sure I don't loose it and will go to bookstore tomorrow. We could swap stories. I have a lifetime of TD's, Bugeyes and Healeys and from the excerps from your book I could use a few of them right now! Pictures of cars in shop, walls are covered with photos and memoriablia since the 50's, its a very happy place for me and friends. Bob in Ct. P.S. Could I interest you in a fine, unrestored TD (located above primed Bugeye)just waiting for an enthusiast like yourself!  |
| R.AF. Robert Finucane |
| Don, I haven't owned my TF for all that many years, and there are certainly more people who frequent this site that know a great more about these little cars than I. But I do know that getting the proper setup in the cockpit makes driving one of them far safer and more enjoyable. George said it first and best. Wear your narrowest shoes. Big wide feet will not be anything but panic makers with the tiny pedals and their spacing down by the firewall. As well, I'm six foot two and I absolutely needed to remove the pedal extensions the pedals are attached to. These extensions will be necessary for someone who is much shorter (sorry, I can't say just how short). The pedal extensions are simply short shafts that bolt to the back of the brake and clutch pads, and then bolt in turn to the brake and clutch arms that come through the floor. They actually move the pedals closer to the driver by an inch and a half or so. Try the pedal setup as it exists in the car and decide whether you need them in or out, probably before you take the car for that test drive. These transmissions are not synchromeshed in first and reverse. You must be a a dead stop to engage first or reverse. From there slow, very deliberate shifts between gears is a must, to prevent grinding, whether upshifting or downshifting. Some of the guys even double clutch between all gears, in order to do it smoothly. These old trannies will not be rushed. Its reported that rear axles are brittle and won't tolerate a rolling backwards followed by a quick pop of the clutch into a forward gear. There's more to learn later, and these guys and the car itself will guide you. Good Luck with finding the right car! Gene |
| Gene Burgess |
| Thanks much everyone! I'm heading up to Stratford CT on Saturday (SWMBO gave me the day off to play.. she's going to a basketball game - we have this understanding, she watches sports, I play with cars/bikes.) Place has a bunch of TD's and some TF's, plus Morgans, and a bunch of other brit stuff. Anyone know this place: http://www.newenglandclassics.com/ ?? |
| D Eilenberger |
| Don, It's about 1/2 hour from me. I was down at another place in Stratford last week looking at a Healey. Maybe I could meet you there. Bob |
| R.AF. Robert Finucane |
| Bob - certainly doable I think. Will need to find a place for lunch if you have any suggestions. Will send you an email with my cell#.. Thanks! Don |
| D Eilenberger |
| Don If you are looking for a bit more in a TD, this one on E-bay looks like an interesting one. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other-Makes-TD-1953-MG-TD-Special-Supercharged_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a10Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem140300434009QQitemZ140300434009QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks |
| Bruce-C |
| Don: I can give you firsthand knowledge of NECC. Please email me offline for comments. The short story is that I would NOT take your checkbook tomorrow. Jeff |
| J Brown 1 |
| "2 - Were people shaped differently when the cars were built? Little pointy feet? Long legs? No stomachs or thighs?" When I first sat in mine I wondered the same thing... because I'm 6'3" I thought the wheel should be against the dash and I should be as far back as I could get... had a hell of a time with the wheel ... seemed to always be hitting something of mine... anyway... with the wheel as high as it can get (there is adjustment) I found by extending it towards me an inch or tow, it made all the difference. Now clears the thighs and doesn't prevent me from getting in and out easily... just takes a bit of getting used to having it closer instead of further away from you...(there is no 'straight arm' driving of a T car....!!! |
| gblawson(gordon) |
| Interesting Gordon, I always assumed that because my wheel hit my thighs when all the way in (I'm 6-3 too, and mostly legs) that all the way out was the solution. I never thought in 25 plus years of driving Tommy that I should select an intermediate position. A big help to fitting my legs was removing the seat back hinges to seat bottoms and allowing the seat back to fit closer to the seat bottoms, allowing more seat back rake. Worked for me. With the pedal extensions removed, the steering wheel in its place, and the seats and seat backs arranged, short people aren't able to drive my car. But I figure they can get their own if they want to... warmly, dave |
| Dave Braun |
| Thanks once again for all the helpful comments. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Bob Finucane today. He came by NECC to see what was available. After the visit, we - and a friend of mine who accompanied me - had lunch and some great talk. My friend was very impressed with the cars at NECC. He's easily impressed and does not have at all a critical eye. One thing I'll say - there are a lot of brit cars there all in once place. If you wanted an overview of the lower end Brit sports cars from 1949 to around 1970 (TC to MGB, TR3's, Loti of various eras) this might be the place to visit. If you have at all a critical eye - don't expect to purchase. They apparently do paint in-house. I won't say more. They also do all repairs in house. I won't say more. Body work is also done in-house. Ditto. The refrain I heard the most of was "We'll fix it when you buy it.." I left without any risk or danger to my checkbook. There was once TF there that might cause me to think about looking at my bank balance - but it would have been a thought that would have required a lift to put it up on first, and then some disassembly to look at the wood frame. It looked decent, but that's as far as I'll go on it. It was supposedly sold for $32,000, which I believe is the high end of TF's. There were a number of Lotus-7's in racing trim there that looked rather nice, but not suitable for what I want. After leaving and having the great lunch with Bob - we trundled down I95 toward home, and stopped at Carriage House Motor Cars - a Rolls Royce, Bentley, Ferrari dealer in Greenwich CT. Apparently there is some serious money in Greenwich. We parked my lowly M3 among some very expensive metal sculptures on wheels, and went into the used car showroom. Front and center - GORGEOUS Aston-Martin DB6, next to it, a '67 XKE roadster identical (except this one was PERFECT) to the '65 I owned in 1971. Same color even. Only real difference - I sold mine for about $1,200 in 1971. They were asking $120,000 for this excellent example. If I was rich.. Other neat stuff - aside from the usual Ferrari (dime a dozen) was a Kaiser-Darren (one of 3 that they own), a GHIA 450SS and an absolutely perfect Jag XK-120. It was sort of a complete counter to the NECC collection. Every car was as nice as the day it left the showroom floor brand new. Anyway - the reason for stopping there was to see a TD that was listed by them on the Web.. http://www.carriagehousemotorcars.com/collectibles/dsp_viewcar.cfm?id=194 It was located in their storage area next to the main dealership (along with lots of fabulous cars - like two Facel Vegas.. a coupe and a roadster...) Aside from the color - it was an attractive car. It had no signs of hack bodywork, or bad restoration, and it was the MK-II performance model - a legit one with the larger SU's and dual fuel pumps. Nice. Price was the same as a number of the ones I'd seen earlier in the day, but much more deserving of the asking (and it was made clear it was an "asking") price. All in all we were treated with the utmost respect at the very expensive car dealer. That was a refreshing end to the days adventures. Ah - one result of the trip (aside from the pleasure of meeting Bob..) - I figured out that I don't fit a TD. I come much closer to fitting a TF, so the direction of my search has likely changed. I also fit rather well a TR3, but they were never that attractive a car to me. I didn't get to try out for size a Bugeye - but 30+ years ago I fit the one in my garage rather well, unfortunately I've probably changed shape enough since then that before looking or getting absorbed in a bugeye (Frogeye for the UK) search, I really should try sitting one. |
| D Eilenberger |
| I used to just jump the doors in my Sprite when I was a teen. Of course I weighed about 50 lbs less back then. I did some work on my cousin's 1500 midget a while back. Getting in and out was just about as bad as my TF. I think there wa more room in the old Sprite. LaVerne |
| LED DOWNEY |
| TF's are quite nice indeed,,, but one thing that I have on the minus side is that the engine compartment is not as open as it is on a TD for maintainance,,, Just a thought,,,, SPW |
| Steve Wincze |
| Looking at the TD, it seems like this "restoration" company missed a few things,,, like rubber fuel lines, no horn on the right side, filters near the pumps,,, Did this "Mk II" have dual shocks on each corner ?? SPW |
| Steve Wincze |
This thread was discussed between 10/02/2009 and 15/02/2009
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