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MG TD TF 1500 - Red or Black Karvel


Hi Again:
Thanks again for all the help on my Vinyl or leather panel question.
Next . . .
My interior will be: Red leather seats and Vinyl interior panels from Heritage. I am going to order their Karvel (“corn row”) carpet. My car is dark red – close to the seat colour – and I am thinking that red carpet would look good with this combination. I know that TFs only came with black Karvel but I have seen lots of T-series with coloured carpet and it never bothered me.

Questions:
Opinions about red-on-red-on-red . . . ?

and

Does anyone have a car with this colour combination that they could share a picture of? Or at least red interior with red carpet?

Godspeed in Safety Fast
Jc
John Crawley

If you are not going for the original look, I'd go with the red. Easier to keep clean looking than the black. Down side is with all red inside and out I'd want to break the color up some where. Maybe get Heritage to make up the trim with some offsetting piping color. I'd also go with the Wilton wool and bound edges. Much nicer looking than the original. Me, I have the original type black on the floor, biscuit leather vinyl combo with dark brg finish.
LaVerne

Hi John - it's all a matter of personal taste but I think you would find all red a bit much. Black carpet does show every speck of dust but tones the whole interior down nicely. I strongly advise you not to go down the 'bound carpet' route - as I've said on other threads our cars were cheap popular sports cars, simply trimmed, and to me overgilding the interior never looks right.

Why not try some cheap carpet for a while, see other cars and then make your mind up ?

Best of luck with the project,

Cheers John.










J.C Mitchell

As far as I know. Karvel was made for the MG only in black. (there may have been other colours for other cars).

A company in Vancouver BC has bought the looms and manufacturing rights to Karvel, and its still available from Heritage Trim in Vancouver at 604 990-0346, or http://www.heritagetrim.com.

As far as I know, they make the jute-backed Karvel, still only in black.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

I would hold off doing piping in a contrasting colour...think that might make the T interior look weird (found it weird on B's, but that might just be me).
gblawson - TD#27667

I have the red carpet from Heritage, but the fancier grade with binding. The carpet quality is great. However their carpet patterns are not correct for a TF. The rear carpets (under the seats) are 2 inches too wide, the front carpets are slightly too short and have no provision for the hinges, the tunnel carpet has no oil panel provisjon and they have no provision for the passenger foot rest.
When I called their attention to this and sent them patterns of my original carpets, I was blown off!!!!

They did rebind the cut down rear carpets and send a 16 in square piece for the foot rest.
Don Harmer

When I was a boy my red TD with red interior had red carpet and a red/black plaid tonneau cover. It was way over the top. UMMV.
Chris Couper

I bought my Karvel black when Heritage had a sale. The carpet looks nice and original. But now I am worried it might not fit as one member said, and it will be more than a year before I get to it. At least if they blow me off, I am editor of newsletter and am reporting my experinces, but one should not need that to hold over their head.

Personally, I would go with black as red looks overdone in my honest opinion. I think the real truth is that if you show the car at British car shows, the red carpet will be a negative. However, if you show it at general shows with American, rods, etc it will probably be a plus and would beat an original car.
Howver it is all personal opinion. When I restored my car in 1980 I went all original - it was one of the best anywhere (then I drove it 40,000 miles!) First in state of Texas. Now I am in NJ and redoing it - with a wood steering wheel over an orignal frame - by the Canadian genius Gordon L. who I think is on this board, chrome wires, chrome back seat tonneau rail, finned valve cover, Judson Supercharger, ....so it is all personal taste and what you want original. On the other hand I am going to great lengths to get an original radio - and not sure if I will use the original tube amp or have solid state guts and am/fm -ANy thoughts out there?

Having said that - I vote for cars that are closest to original, meaning I would not vote for my own car! It really astounded me when the Best TF in the world voted by NEMGT club, and done by a fellow NJ guy, had chrome wires, wood wheel and a bunch of things non original. It was a beautiful car and well done - but should have been best MODIFIED TF in the world.
Keith Murphy

John,

My TD was red-red-red when I bougth it, I thought it looked "over restored". I have since changed to black carpets.

John
John Scragg

Keith M,
Oh yes! I really do like your comment on the "best MODIFIED TF in the the World". LOL! I feel there could be two types of competition,Concours d'Elegance and Concours d'Etat. My interests lie in the latter with attention paid to originality(with correct finishes)rather than the former which often allows more lattitude away from the factory designation on many cars -chrome wires,chromed Rocker Covers,chromed air filter canisters,chromed non colour matched guard piping,chromed door hinges, chromed seat tonneau bars, red carpets,black hoods,black interiors,non Lucas fittings and so the list goes on.

What ever one does with their car is of course their business.It seems the majority of us have at least one item we have modified in some way or another and perhaps we all should rejoice in these small differences between the cars.However,as someone indicated on a thread not so long ago,if the car is supposed to be "Concours d'Etat," make sure it is!!

Cheers
Rob.Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("9177").
R GRANTHAM

Kieth:
What make and model is an original radio? I have tried to find out and have not been able to. I agree that an original radio is the way to go. Anyone can buy a razoo new one but imagine the fun of letting a kid wait for the tubes to warm up and then trying to "tune" a station in. Its not about what you hear, its about the process of listening to the radio in 1954.
Godspeed in Safety Fast
Jc
John Crawley

Think it was like so many other things (heaters and such)...no set factory option, just what was available to dealers from their local parts depot...
gordon

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2007 and 22/02/2007

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