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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Original positive battery cable.

Chris's web says the original positive battery terminal was braided wire with a hat type terminal.

All the original pictures I have seen show a braided wire with a clamp type terminal.

I am wondering if the US exports may have been fitted with the clamp type terminal end? It is also possible that the hat terminal was routinely changed out when the battery was replaced.

Anyone find a hat type terminal on their left hand drive EXU TD?
Bruce Cunha

Sometimes I have heard them referred to as “helmet“ terminals. It’s my understanding that they were used at the time these cars were produced. I believe I got mine in the UK but I think that they’re available through Moss now. Of course, they are quite expensive compared to normal terminals.
Milton Babirak

Helmet battery cable terminals are available from Rhode Island Wiring
https://www.riwire.com/Catalogs/sup/pages/batteryEnds.htm

and from British Wiring
http://www.britishwiring.com/Negative-Helmet-Type-Battery-Terminal-37-16-p/c991.htm

http://www.britishwiring.com/Positive-Helmet-Type-Battery-Terminal-37-16-p/c992.htm

Photos are from U.S. purchased unrestored left hand drive TF9052.
https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtf/Pictures/TF9052/Thumbnails/mgtf_tf9052.htm

PDF is diagram by Paul Propst, who documented unrestored TFs and original parts in the 1990s. Please do not copy, share, or publish the PDF. I am scanning over 40 of his diagrams. He and I will decide how to share them with T-series enthusiasts.

Lonnie
TF7211







LM Cook

I have the terminals. My Negative has had one on it since I got the TD in 1973. I just picked up 4 more off ebay for less than one from Moss.

In looking at Chris's gallery, the 1951 TD has both cables with helmet type. 11272 has both clamp type. 23834 has helmet on the negative and clamp on the positive. 27489 and 8873 have both cables with clamp type.

Bill Chasser's 5778 barn find from 1961 has clamp type.

The probability is the helmet types were changed out for clamp types. Corrosion or possibly poor fit may have been the reason.
Bruce Cunha

Keep in mind that most batteries had/have tapered terminals and the original helmet types caps would not work on them as they expect straight sides. Before I got my Lucas reproduction batteries I was known to take a file to the terminal studs to square them up.

Also I suspect most of the original batteries probably went south in the first year or two and with the replacement tapered studs came clamps.
Christopher Couper

My thinking on that is to drill the post and put a threaded stud in it to replace the screw used in the original. This will allow the helmet to have better contact.

I think you are correct on the tapered terminal.
Bruce Cunha

This thread was discussed between 03/11/2021 and 05/11/2021

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.