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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 - Steering Wheel Colour

The steeering wheel in my 1954 TF is a beige colour. I have seen pictures of wheels that are browner and have a swirly grain. Is mine genuine? I know early Morris Minor wheels are similar but they have a spline fitting rather than a key way and have the swirly grain to the rim. Maybe I am confusing one with the other.

Jan T
J Targosz

My 1950 MGTD has the original steering wheel. It is beige (tan) with the swirls. My 1954 mgtf has a beige (tan) aftermarket steering wheel without the swirls. Both are plastic.
Note: "Clausager"
TD and TF "the steering wheel rim was in mottled plastic, usually light brown or bronze"
Eddie Haynes

Hi Eddie,

The original wheel for a TF was a beige colour
with a very light 'swirl'through it.The fit is taper-key.I suspect Bluemels((UK))company may have manufactured this item in cellulose.

The early Morris Minor steering wheels came in beige(seem rarer),mottled brown,black,and grey.
From my experience, they were also taper-keyed in fit.Singer however, I think went to the spline hub fit up.

Unfortunatley,the 'modern'replacement,is done in a plastic which can be quite pinkish in hue.

In Australia we are lucky to have had a relatively large number of Morris Minors
imported from England in the fifties.
They tend to be less weathered compared to the 'open'TD/TF and if you searched really hard in wreckers yards one could occasionally find an uncracked wheel.Initially,the wheel in unrestored state can look scaly and pretty dull on its surface.By careful hand sanding through the abrasive paper grades together with final LIGHT BUFFING using a pedestal buff machine,the wheel can be brought back to its original Factory lustre.

Both our TFs have the original wheel and they do look the goods. I am fairly sure TDs also had the beige wheel.

Cheers.
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

This picture is about right but as Rob states, the open nature of the TD/TF was not good for the original steering wheels.

Note also the color of the center and the dash panel that matched.


Chris Couper

Original (cracked) rim and instrument panel of my TF. The swirl would have been more obvious when new.

Matthew.


M Magilton

My TF wheel has been redone in an imitation snakeskin plastic finish. It is a bit of sixties kitsch that sounds worse than it looks. That said it is not on the car. I fitted a wood rim wheel instead. I will probably get an original wheel at some point.
Max Irvine

I've seen on uTube and in a recent magazine article how to repair a steering wheel with epoxy putty and then refinish with two pack paint and lacquer. Anyone got ideas on how to replicate the swirls?

Jan T
J Targosz

MY TF wheel did not have a lot of swirl. I did not want to completely refinish it or want it to look too new. As Rob noted, a bit of sanding and buffing can renew the original surface. I filled the worst cracks with "quickwood" epoxy putty, touched up those areas with acrylic lacquer "dash color" paint, wet sanded and buffed to blend in with the original celluoid material of the steering wheel. Most of the original paint had worn off the Bakelite centerpiece, I polished up the bakelite and left it unpainted. Not perfect ,but I like the way it came out.
Best,
James



J K Barter

I have recently sold a prewar MG and on the MMM site, a few months ago, there was correspondence on reconditioning celluloid steering wheels. A few owners had made excellent repairs by dissolving 74rpm records in acetone. Apparently they were celluloid. Problem may be 74rpm records are probably the prized posessions of many T series owners - they will bring back memories of youth!

Jan T
J Targosz

This thread was discussed between 14/08/2013 and 15/08/2013

MG TD TF 1500 index

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