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MG TD TF 1500 - OE or After market

I'm looking for some direction as to tell whether or not my current chrome buckets on my TD are original equipment or after market.

I'm also looking for recommendations for chroming. I need the aforementioned buckets and rings re-chromed. The folks I've dealt with in the past have closed their doors.
R C Flowers

RC,
I am not familiar with your term "buckets". Could you explain what they are?

George
George Raham [TD4224]

headlights I assume.
Alex Waugh

There is information about the headlight buckets in all the restoration reference books.
My '52 TD11973 had chrome headlights when she came home (30 yr old barn find) with damage to one headlight like something heavy (barn beam?) had landed on it.
I purchased a pair of used primed for paint buckets since my interpretation of the "expert's" opinions lead me to believe that my TD most likely came from the factory with painted, not chrome headlight buckets.
I will be painting the buckets body color, with chrome trim rings.
Bob;
RwB Brown

Thank you gentlemen. I am referring to the headlamp buckets and trim rings.

The chrome is flaking off the driver's side and beginning to do the same on the passenger but not as much. I assume that they were either re-chromed thirty years ago, or, were after market purchases by the previous owner. The PO is not available to answer my question concerning OE or after market.

R C Flowers

RC. It somewhat depends. What is the ID number on the body? Early TD's did have chromed headlight buckets with the King of the Road emblem in the top. My 1950 #4139 has factory chrome headlights.
Bruce Cunha

Bruce,

My buckets have the King of the Road emblem on top as well. However, Moss offers aftermarket buckets that have the King of the Road emblem too. And they're on sale at present for $263.95, complete with rings, lenses, etc. Re-chroming the buckets and rings will run $500. I'm thinking of just buying the after markets instead of re-chroming. I hate the down time as I drive my car every day that the roads are dry and it's above 35 F.
R C Flowers

SVC in the UK manufacture them (or have them manufactured) and are great to deal with.
http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/category/freestanding/
They also do the chrome sidelights and the sidelight/indicator conversion kits.

Declan
Declan Burns

The late TD had chrome headlights, with no king of the road emblem and a chrome base riveted to the bucket.

-David
D. Sander

RC,
My 51 TD manufactured Oct. 1950 also came with chromed headlight buckets and I believe they are original.
Does anyone know if the reproductions Moss offers is chrome plated brass or steel?

Regards,
Rich
R Taylor

"Headlamp bodies, headlamp adjusting nuts, headlamp rings, headlamp ring retaining screw, King of the Road medallion" - "Chrome"
"Note that on later TD's (late 51, 52 and 53) the headlamp bodies were painted the body color."

This is from the mgcars website:
http://www.mgcars.org.u/mgtd/mgtd_finishes.htm#brightwork

I guess if it is on the internet, it must be true?

My TD (as noted in earlier post above) did had chrome headlights complete with the Lucas emblem, but one was smashed. Based on the information at the beginning of this post, I assumed that a PO had installed after marker "chromies"
My problem perhaps is that I am, at times, easily confused.
Bob;
RwB Brown

The last few hundred or so TDs (late '53) had a chrome headlamp assembly, but different than the earlier chrome headlamp. The later chrome headlamp had a different shape bucket, no king of the road medallion, and the base was riveted on.






-David


D. Sander

Declan,

Thanks for the web site information. I've already sent them a couple of inquiries regarding their period reproduction chrome head lamp buckets.

Choos!
R C Flowers

Link doesn't work (at least for me). Can you post it again. My '53 (TD25009 built Feb 11 '53) has chrome buckets but I have no idea if they ate OE or replacements 9there's no purchase order in the papers i got from PO).

Jud
J K Chapin

Link doesn't work (at least for me). Can you post it again. My '53 (TD25009 built Feb 11 '53) has chrome buckets but I have no idea if they are OE or replacements (there's no purchase order in the papers I got from PO so maybe OE - chrome pitting nicely to show true age of the car).

Jud
J K Chapin

Sorry about the bad link - it somehow dropped a letter.
The correct link is:

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_finishes.htm#brightwork

Bob;

RwB Brown

Jud,

The fun continues. My TD24953 was built on Feb. 11, 1953. The same day as yours according to the available records. However, it came to me with painted buckets and no King of the Road emblem. I believe that the painted buckets were original to my car. I was told by the pevious owner that TD24953 hasn't been on the road since 1972. Were chrome buckets and painted buckets both placed on cars by the factory on the same day? Who knows! I love the intrigue.

Kirk
Kirk Trigg

My TD came with painted headlamp buckets with the King of the Road medallion. However, when I restored it in 1977 the local Lucas warehouse in South San Francisco was doing a sell down on chrome buckets without the medallion. At $7.00 each I could not resist so the car has had chrome ones ever since.
John Quilter (TD8986)

TD 28929 built 30 November 1953 was delivered with chrome headlights, riveted on bases and no "King of the Road" button.
-David.
D. Sander

Link works. Thanks. I'll go look at my buckets more carefully. Jud
J K Chapin

I will let you know what the current Moss Repro's are like. I bought two and will be picking them up tomorrow. I am led to believe that they are Chrome plated Brass. My Originals are in dubious shape, and at the sale price cheaper than re-chroming and repairing.
C.R. Tyrell

27667 May 13 1953 also has chrome buckets, no KOTR medalion
Was also told that some deaers swapped the painted ones for chrome and sealed beams....???
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

The Moss repro's are the same shape. But that seems to be where the similarity ends. The retaining screw is in the bezel not the pot, KOTR emblem is "proud of the surface , not recessed like original. The mounting plate is secured from the inside and is not a large riveted plate on the outside. The chrome is very good and it seems the pot is chrome plated brass. The KOTR emblem is very well made and is "sharper" in detail than the originals that I have.

The repro's are not identical to the original, but will look very good on the car.
C.R. Tyrell

David,

My experience with two 53 TDs is in agreement with your statement,

"The last few hundred or so TDs (late '53) had a chrome headlamp assembly, but different than the earlier chrome headlamp. The later chrome headlamp had a different shape bucket, no king of the road medallion, and the base was riveted on. "

My current car TD28897 29 June 53 is as you describe. My previous late 53 round tail lights owned in 59-61 was the same. Is their an authoritative source for your information? Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Jim Haskins
J. M. Haskins

Hi. My 1950 MG TD # 4490 had when i
imported the car from CA to Norway, Chrome headlights rings (and king of the road madalionon top) bracket and screw weheadf from rad. Grillslats, door hinges, tankends and faciapanel were also chrome
Thoralf. Norway TD4490
Thoralf Sorensen (TD4490)

The early TD had a chrome headlamp, then the Korean Conflict commenced reducing the availability of Chromium. As a result, the headlight buckets went to body color, and only the rims were chromed. Later, in '53 a new chrome headlight was introduced. I don't know the Lucas part number off hand, but this light had a riveted on base, the bucket had a more round shape, and no "King of the Road" emblem. This headlamp was available as a replacement unit until 20 or so years ago.
Maybe somebody more knowledgable than I can give part numbers and approximate chassis numbers when the changes took place.
-David
D. Sander

Not much more knowledgeable but I too had heard chrome was in short supply (or more accurately lousy) during the Forgotten War so i looked it up. Chrome plating by itself actually accelerates ferrus mettal corosion (the opposite of zinc plating) due to something about electrons preferring one over the other (or is it metal ions that have the preference - knew this stuff long, long ago) so unless the ferris metal is plated with nickel first to protect the base metal and then the nickel is chrome plated (something about anodes and cathodes) my old metallurgy prof told us chrome plating as only for looks, not for protection (sort of like those slinky sweaters that girls ... well, you get the picture). Anyway, apparently it was more the nickel than the chrome that was in short supply. Jud
J K Chapin

My car TD8105 had original "king of the Road" chromed headlight buckets.
TOM Maine

It wasn't the chrome that became short in supply, it was the brass that was the base for many chromium plated items. In 1951 I worked for Cornell/Dublier/Radiart at their auto antenna plant. Steet tubing became substituted for brass. The undercoat for chrome over brass was nickel. The undercoat for steel tubing was copper. That's why you see many TD-era chrome items showing copper underneath. Bud
Bud Krueger

Here's another wrinkle. Not original to my TD. When I bought the bucket with the parts it came with one new still in the box chrome bucket. I bought another one from Moss to go with it.

This one is defininatly steel.


L E D LaVerne

The base is also not rivited. This was the one I bought in 2010.


L E D LaVerne

The is the one that came with the car. Same part number as the one above. Might be brass as the magnet doesn't stick. Chrome is a little yellow compared to the new one.


L E D LaVerne

Base is also rivited.


L E D LaVerne

The pictures of the chrome bucket with the "king of the Road" button and no base riveted on are the early TD bucket. After this unit was the bucket painted body color, then the late '53 TD had the later chrome bucket, different shape, no king of the road and a chrome base riveted on.
D. Sander

This thread was discussed between 30/01/2013 and 05/02/2013

MG TD TF 1500 index

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