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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 - Radio

My TD has a radio antenna mounted on the passenger side and the cover that fits under the dash has a cut-out and grill for a radio speaker but the radio itself is gone. Anyone know where to find positive ground radios? Thanks.
Jean

Jean - You could search around for a period radio for the TD, but it would be a tube radio and take up quite a bit of room. The other alternative is to convert the car to negative ground and go with a modern radio, complete with CD player, a dozen or so speakers and enough power to propell the car with the engine off ;). Check the Y type BBS under the thread "vlave radio" for a restoration place in England and go to Google and do a search on antique radio repair shops (even the local yellow pages will probably reveal one or two near you). All of thes places could have what you are looking for or be able to direct you to someone that does. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Hello Jean,

Somewhere in my pile of British car stuff, is a Pye tube-type radio - positive ground out my my Mark VII that I had to scrap when it could no longer hold together in our salty Quebec winter.

It's complete, with the tube chassis (a box, actually), an AM (only) radio, the grill and mounting wood that will fit the opening in your under-dash cardboard tray, and the original instructions and some other gubbins - I can't remember what. I got it working a few years ago, but is a FAR CRY from a modern car radio.

If you look at the original Owner's manual for the TD, you'll see that one of the (rare) options, is a Pye Radio, nestled at the back of the glove box. And where the tube box goes is anybody's guess.

I'm glad to trade it for anything for a T-Series of equal value, but frankly, Dave DuBois has given you good advice; and while you're at it, why not install a 2 wire GM alternator and voltage regulator? If your car is a driver, (as I suspect most of those that participate in this T-Series BB, are) this makes good sense. If its a show car, or rare, fair-weather driver, you won't need the radio in the first place!

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

My car isn't a trailer queen, but I try to keep it as original as possible. I'm lucky enough to have a relatively short drive to work and underground assigned parking, so it is my summer car of choice. Basically, I'd like to be able to listen to the news on the way home. AM would be enough. Something old would help keep the honest folks honest. My A is positive ground--I think early B's were also--would something that vintage be a better choice? Thanks.
Jean

Jean - I have an old BMC radio from an early MGB that is positive ground and would probably fit in the glove box of the TD (I have a CB radio in our glove box). It is certainly not period for the TD, but would work for the news (AM only). I had a radio in the TD I had in high school. It fit on the transmission tunnel and had a built in speaker that pointed directly out into the passenger compartment. Even so, when the car was being driven, it was almost impossible to hear the radio (this is also true of the more modern radio we have in our MGB when we are traveling on the highway at 65 MPH or greater). With the speaker mounted in the under dash cover, it will be worse in that the sound is all being projected down at the floor. That said, If you want the BMC radio, it is yours for the price of shipping. It does not work at present because the output transformer is in need of replacement, so there would be a further cost to get that repaired. If you are interested, send me your address so I can determine what the shippiing would be. Cheers - Dave

PS. I just checked and the radio can be mounted in the glove compartment and being a solid state radio, there is not a lot of heat generated to wory about as there is with a tube type radio.
David DuBois

I have a 52 TD with the original type radio installed. I could email you pictures if you need them.

Tom
Tom Patoine

I have an old convertible pole Blaupunkt AM/FM/SW radio mounted in my glove box similar to that shown in the Owner's Manual?. I could send a photo of that installation if you wish. As Dave DuBois said, its difficult to hear with all the other noises associated with the TD at any kind of speed.
Jim Merz

There are companys out there that can take on old radio and put modern transistor stuff in the inside. I have seen their adds in Hemmings, you might want to check them out. Street Rodders do this all the time.
Tom Maine

Jean,
I ran into this problem when I had an MGA and debated putting in a radio. I found a voltage converter originally sold by radioshack that converted + to - ground on e-bay. It works, but makes a humming noise that you can't hear at speed, but then again you can bearly hear the radio at highway speed!
Cheers,
Rob
Rob Silverman

i also have a blaupunkt radio with no id # save for a serial #. has 5 buttons, 2 am, 2 fm, and 1 sw. does anyone out there have an idea how old this radio is? i also have a radiomobile, model # 402T. trying to find the age of this radio. i own a 1960 mga, and a 1958 ah 100 6. were either of these radios originally installed in the above vehicles? thanks, cliff hughes
cliff hughes

Jean -
Robert

Jean,

Insulate your negative ground radio (possibly mount in glove box or a wooden box); connect the negative battery wire to the radio chassis. Ground the positive radio power in wire. Make sure the antenna is not grounded. This has worked for me.

Robert
Robert

Robert - With all due respect, your suggestion to "insulate the chassis of the radio from bground and reverse the power and ground connection" is a recipet for disaster. The first time a wrench or screwdriver slips or something moves allowing the chassis of the radio, with power connected to it, to come in contact with any kind of ground potential in the car, you will have 12 volt battery voltage and ground mixing, causing all the smoke to escape (and we all know what happens when the smoke escapes from Lucas electrics). Beond that, the antenna connection to the radio has ground going to the chassis, so the antenna will also have to be insulated from ground, which (even if it can successfully accomplished) will cause reception and noise problems with the radio. It is far better (and safer) to go to the trouble to find a correct polarity radio or use a power converter than trying to insulate a chassis from ground. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

What with all the loverly sounds the T-Car makes, the whine of the transmission, the rattle of the tach. drive, tire whine and road noise, fresh air blasting by your ears, engine clatter, the strident note of the open exhaust @ 4000 rpm. Your can't hear a blooming radio if you tried. Unless you stop.

My wife tried a MP3 player and headphones and it was'nt worth the trouble; could'nt hear a thing as we listen to classical music which has a big dynamic ranges. T-Sounds just blanked it out.
I guess you could hear that "headbanger" stuff if you turn it up loud, but who wants to, and you might blow the doors off.


colin stafford

Jean
Have a look at http://www.vintagewireless.co.uk/ and http://www.vintagewirelesslondon.co.uk/Catalog.html
John
John James

David--received the radio today. Thanks! It is a beaut--just what I was thinking of. I've found a shop in town that is interested in having a look at it. I've also seen some of the pictures on the net and think I will try to reproduce the kind of box that fits on the transmission tunnel you wrote about.

I don't understand Colin--as far as I know, there is no road in Michigan that you could drive on at 4000 RPM, at least not in 3rd or 4th. They are too worn-out and full of pot holes from being pounded by SUV's . . . .
Jean

Jean - Good luck on your project. Too bad that I don't have pictures of the installation in the TD I had while in high school so you could see what it looked like. Having the speaker mounted in a console like that, pointed into the passenger compartment will help with the sound, but I am afraid that at much of any speed, you will have a dificult time hearing the radio. Even in our MGB, we don't listen to the radio much on the highway because of the high level of road noise (of course we are never just puttering along in either of our MGs which makes listening to anything other than the engine difficult. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

This thread was discussed between 07/02/2004 and 21/02/2004

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