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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 - recognize master cylinder??

I have a 1955 mgtf, but it has a MGB motor, trans, and rear end. The master cylinder had to be replaced at the time I bought it. I have included a picture of the old master cylinder and am curious as to the identity or make of it. As you can see the one unit is a double cylinder, brake and clutch. All the pictures I have seen in catalogs look nothing like this. Any ideas?? thanks Don Baker, Burleson, TX
d.g. baker

Picture?
LED DOWNEY

Sorry I will try again. Don Baker

I can't get the program to take it. Says too large. Don
d.g. baker

Look like this ?

http://mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29301
LED DOWNEY

Yes, that is it. Don Baker
d.g. baker

I'm not familiar with 948 or 1098. What is that refer to?Don Baker
d.g. baker

From an early Sprite or midget Don. If it needs rebuilt you will need to detirmine the bore size if I remember correctly as some were 3/4" and some were 7/8". I have an old one out in the shop from a 62 Sprite.
LED DOWNEY

The previous owner put the car in the shop after I agreed to buy it, providing I would pay for half of the bill for the master cylinder, so I didn't know that a different master cylinder was used. I had said I wasn't comfortable with the way the brakes were working, but agreed to buy. Then the PO drove it and called to say I was right that the brakes were not right and would I go halves on the repair.
Is that common place to use that part? Don Baker
d.g. baker

I suspect that your car is using the “B” transmission as well as the engine. If that is so, it may be that the only way to activate the clutch is hydraulically. You MC could also be from an MGA. The clutches in the “T” cars operated with rods. Later cars, the MGA, used a two-bore MC. The bores on the brake side changed size when the “A” went to disc brakes from the earlier drum brakes.
David werblow

When it comes to engine and tranny swaps all bets are off as to what might be used Don. As David says it could also be aN MGA master cylinder or something all together different. Is the Cylinder mounted below the floor board or has it been cut into the firewall with the pedals hanging down from above? Pictures would still be good.
LED DOWNEY

The trans is from a MGB and the clutch is hydraulic. The master cylinder is below the floorboards and uses the TF clutch pedal. The way it is installed looks like it belongs there. I think the drive train is all MGB. It certainly is geared higher (lower ratio than a normal TF) - will run much faster than the TF I owned back in 1957. I am going to try another image upload. Don Baker


d.g. baker

Don - that looks like an eary MGA master cylinder. The later ones had a much taller top plate.

But from the photo, it looks like an MGA -

Jeff
J. W. Delk

The Bugeye Sprite with drum brakes used the 7/8" bore, the later sprites (1098) used the 3/4" bore with disc brakes. Believe you should be using the 7/8" if you have drum brakes, which definately would make a difference. Same MC as the MGA. Bob
R.AF. Robert Finucane

AFAIK all MGA's, except the Twin Cam, used the 7/8" master cylinder. (The disc braked versions only had a larger reservoir). Austin Healey Bugeyes and Sprite HAN6/Midget GAN1 used the same 7/8" unit.
Good news is that these are available brand new !

The smaller bore 3/4" version was installed on the Sprite HAN7&8/Midget GAN2&3 disc braked models. These are now "unobtanium". On the Spridgets, not only the bore diameter is different but also the piston internals and length of the pushrods between piston and pedals...
Hope this helps,

Nick, '63Midget/'52TD/'74MGB
D.G.J. Herwegh

Ooppss that's two identical mails at the same time 8^)
Bob beating me within 6 minutes !
Cheers,

Nick
D.G.J. Herwegh

Hi Don:
I too bought a B powered TF. I installed an overdrive and a B differential to finish the conversion. I then decided that it needed to stop better and changed to disk brakes. I used a Vega master cylinder since it gave me a duel brake setup. I located the hydraulic master cylinder in front of the firewall with a rod from the clutch peddle to activate it. I have not driven it a lot yet but it all works well. Keep in touch.
Godspeed in Safety FAST
Jc
John Crawley

Nick, I beat you but you were more technically decriptive. Tried to include photo but seems not to work. One more try. Bob No, it says photo too large, don't understand.
R.AF. Robert Finucane

Not a photo but maybe this drawing helps....

Nick, '52TD/'63Midget


D.G.J. Herwegh

This thread was discussed between 11/04/2009 and 17/04/2009

MG TD TF 1500 index

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