MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

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 - So, why a T series?

I'll start.

Sat in my first TC when I was 15. BRG model. I fell in love with those tall spindly wheels and large headlights, perhaps the Nigel Shiftright that was latent in me suddenly surged to life.

Anyway, saw TF's and TD's every so often and when the 54 TF was offered to me two years ago, I looked into my purse, then my wife's, then inside the sofa and decided that it was doable.

I enjoy the TF's lines, its antique cockpit that throws me back to a simpler time. Its handling is still superb and all the controls are very well laid out. The Audi A4 guys eat their hearts out!

My TF is cream and crackers in color and matches the inside of my garage that was painted three years before I purchased it.
M Whitt

Why?

What else? What other sports car has those classic lines and is relatively affordable?

What other car caught my eye whilst growing up besides the female gender?

Well, lessee, now... Jaguar E-type, Cobra, Aston Martin, Ferrari GTO,....er...like I said, the T is relatively affordable...those others are for the most part unobtainable...

Sooo...like many on this board, I bought one as close to my own age as possible...must be some kinda Freud thing going on. I dunno.

How about everybody else?


Octagonally,

DaveL


dave lackey

Read the Little Red Car book and from then on always wanted one. My Dad took me to buy my first car at 16 in 1963 in Duluth, MN. saw a red TD and he said no way, so bought a 57 Chev Convertible for the same 600.00 price tag and finally bought my own TD in 1998.
Tom

Tom,
We all have a special fondness for LBC's, but I hope you kept the '57. Great looking car and appreciated a little better than our LBC's, at least the T Series.
Gary
GG Krafft

I just like the classic looks of the car. It's funny all of my MG's except the midget are older than me and I even want a TC now. These are also really simple affordable cars that fuel my passion for wrenching.
V.W. Piņa

it is quirky, looks like a '30's vintage roadster, and it is somewhat affordable. i love it! regards, tom
tm peterson

Gary, unfortunatly while I was away at Navy boot camp, my father sold my 57 chev convert for 100.00 that I owed him for the car. I told him many years later what the car is worth today. Saw one last year for sale for 92000.00.
Tom

Hi:
I too read "The Little Red Car" and that started the search for a TC. I bought one and owned it for 37 years. I just this past year "traded it in" on a TF since I felt it was time to upgrade. :-)
I will bet that the book "The Little Red Car" fueled the desire for T-series cars more than any other single thing. Does anyone know anything about the author?
Godspeed in safety Fast
Jc
John Crawley

The Little Red Book...

Ya know, I have heard of it...but where can I get a copy???


Best regards,

DaveL
dave lackey

Oops, The Little Red Car...NOT The Little Red Book. My bad.

Heh, heh..


Best regards,

DaveL
dave lackey

I think the 'Little Red Book' is for current MGs made in China?
gblawson - TD#27667

Love at first sight. I had never seen a TD. Saw an ad on a bulletin board when I was in the Army. Was actually looking for another bug eye.

Once I saw the TD, I was hooked. The fenders, the suicide doors, everything screems "classic sports car"
BEC Cunha

TF 1500 was the 1st car I "drove"!
At age 3 my father left me in his new car and went into a store to get some beers to take out on the boat. (This was "acceptable" Sunday behavior back then!)
I somehow released the brake, knocked it out of gear, rolled down the hill, through the trees ...standing on the seat "driving" the car backwards. Came to a stop (using the hand brake no less) on the dock just a few feet from dumping his new car in the river. Not a scratch on the M.G. I am told at that point I said "That was fun ..I am going to own one of these someday'! (I was too young to remember saying that...but I DO remember the look on Dad's face and I do remember that car!)
About age 40 I started looking for Dad's Black w/Tan TF 1500. Did not know the numbers or where it went....and never found it. But when I found "Izzy" 5 years later and drove her I was hooked.
Callled Dad and said "you will never believe what I bought today" ...his answer "SO you finally got a TF ...1250 or a 1500?"
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

The book is called "The Red Car" (not Little) by Donald K. Stanford. Original copyright 1954. I found a paperback copy on e-bay a few years ago at a reasonable price. I was also able to read it about 1989 as the local library had a hardcover copy. It was a required reading item in high school back in 1964.
John Masters

John,
Thanks! Just found that title on Amazon.com and it is available for $ 11.98/copy.

Must order one...


Octagonally

DaveL
dave lackey

I bought my 1954 TF 1250 in boxes in 1966 for $350. Money put up by my fiance, now wife of 41 years. I put the car together and everything was there and not one part extra. Amazing. Then I read "The Red Car". Had it three or four years and moved on to Jaguars. The fondness for that car brought me back four years ago when I bought the 1500 that was all restored by Mike Goodman. Lovin' it :-)

Dave C
D Clark

I was asked that question shortly after I bought my TC a couple years ago. This was my answer:

http://www.mgnuts.com/mg/tales/mgtc/why/
Steve Simmons

I too read The Little Red Car, back in the '50s in elementary school, which kindled my interest in things automotive. After moving on to hot rods and Detroit iron, I got a couple of rides in the TD a friend of my brother was taking care of for a relative who was off to Nam. This planted a seed which unfortunately took a long time to germinate, but I finally got my '52 TD project in time for Christmas 2004. It was a disassembled, restoration started, mostly parts in boxes project, but at least all of the dirty rusty bits had been dealt with. I am starting the reassembly now and can hardly wait until once again I can cruise in a TD. The TD project followed a 2 year rebuild from the ground up of a '64 MGB, which is currently satisfying my MG cruising. My wife heard me talk about The Little Red Car being my inspiration so many times she found a hardcopy version on Amazon last year and surprised me for Christmas. Happy cruising!

Don
don scott

TDs and TFs- more rakish,sleek,driveable in straight line or through "zig-zag" requirement-TCs,nah!

Cheers
Rob.Grantham
Rob. Grantham

IT started with "The Red Car" but my first LBC was a 1960 TR3A. What a great car! Then it was a Sunbeam ALpine. Was there a worse LBC? Then it was a 1960 Healy 3000. I never really got it on the road. Then it was a MGB (chrome bumper-probably 1965 or 66). After 30 years I tried to recapture youth with a 1962 TR3B. You're right -it didn't work, but restoring and driving it is great fun for me and my wife, who also loved riding in the 1960 TR3A. Remember "The Red Car"? Well so did I. I wanted a red T Series car for 40 years and finally got a TD. Its those fender and headlights and running boards and suicide doors. Who cares if its slow. It looks so British and, well, cool!! Who wouldn't want one?
Gary
GG Krafft

This thread was discussed between 15/12/2006 and 21/12/2006

MG TD TF 1500 index

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