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MG TD TF 1500 - TD/c remote distributor advance?

This question is geared toward MK II owners and maybe Tom Lange or others who have seen or posess this item. Im assuming that this was only equipped on truly competition variants or an over the counter item. I'm looking for pics or information regarding this item. Was it a TC micro adjuster with some sort of vernier cable attached to be adjusted from the cock pit? Neither of my MK IIs show evidence of this item.

Bill Chasser
TD/c 8151
TD/c 16920
W A Chasser

Bill - the stuff of legend... I have never seen one in a TD/C or any TD, even though it is listed in the parts book (by the way, I've never seen it called a TD/c - always a TD/C). I have heard of them, but like urban legend, it's always second- or third-hand.

As I understand, it was a manual advance control that attached to a distributor, with a dash-mounted knob. I could hazard a guess that it replaced the existing clamp similar to the TC control in that it had two distinct parts, with a cable rather than a vernier adjustment. The cable would then run to the dash, where timing could be changed a few degrees for optimal performance.

I'd love to hear if anyone has one actually mounted on a car!

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

I'd be happy to see one on a bench Thanks Tom

Bill Chasser
W A Chasser

Hi Bill, I own one of the 'unofficial' works TD/C's that raced at Dundrod and Silverstone. It still has the manual ignition advance/retard lever fitted to the bottom of the dash visible just to right of gear lever knob, please see photo. I am going to see the car on Sunday and will try to take some more detailed photos for you. Regards, Mike


M Spencer

Mike - Wow, that would be fantastic!!! Look forward to seeing all the pics you can muster. - Cheers Mate - Bill Chasser - TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

Mike - would you kindly contact me off-line? Thanks.

Tom Lange
tlange@acadia.net
t lange

Mike Spencer I was trying to blow up you pic on my iPhone but lose resolution quickly. My dad's car also has the temp gauge mounted to the side of the steering wheel. But I was looking at the tach and speedo. I looks like the tach has a redline indicator on the face. Is this an original gauge? The speedo looks a bit different as well. Same question?

I would also like to contact you offline

My email link above

Thanks

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

Mike email link above

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

Hi Bill,

The speedo and tach are original to the car, the red line was added by my father for enthusiastic driving I imagine.

I'll drop you a mail and I'll be able to send you higher res pictures.

Regards,

Mike
M Spencer

Mike,

When Tom refers to this as being "the stuff of legend" I suspect there a quite a few of us who sit up and pay attention. Your car is obviously quite special. if not unique.

Any chance of posting some further photos and additional information?

Kind regards,
Michael
M R Calvert

Mike thank you for your responses. I look forward to future pics of the advance mechanism as time allows. I received your mssg offline as well.

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

Finally found it. One of our Swiss posters, Denis Baggi, had such a control. Check the archives for TD Mk II Manual Ignition Control.
Check Page R.4 of AKD 834. Manual Ignition Control is listed on the TD/C Parts List. Bud
Bud Krueger

Thanks Bud. I have read both threads and neither are particularly helpful. The links within the posts are all dead files.

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

Unfortunately, Denis died in 2013. RIP. Bud
Bud Krueger

Hi Michael Calvert,

I shall start another thread and try to tell you about the unofficial team of the 3 FRX's. I need to dig out some documents, so bear with me and I'll try to sort it in the next couple of weeks - a bit busy at the moment with Brother-in-law moving house.

Regards,

Mike
M Spencer

No problem. Mike. I'll be waiting for whatever you can come up with at your convenience.

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

Thanks Mike. Look forward to your posts when time permits.

Kind regards,
Michael
M R Calvert

Like Tom I Ben looking for any information on the manual advance for a long time. From the information in the parts book I think it must be close to Toms way of thinking.The cable shelve is held to draft tube and the core hooked to the advanced unit like the fine adjuster for timing that sometimes can be found on eBay. But that means it can only be used on the early cars without the clamp bolt ( known as a carter bolt) found on later cars. Don't know what the dash control looked like. Could be a push pull, a leaver or a rotating knob. Hope we can find out more. Forrest TD/C 22679
Forrest Rubenstein

Bill, Tom, Forrest you have mail.

Regards,

Mike
M Spencer

Mike,

My email is michaelcalvert(at)iinet.net.au. I would very much appreciate a drop copy if not too much trouble.

Kind regards,
Michael
M R Calvert

Hi Michael, you have mail.

Regards,

Mike
M Spencer

The Bowden lever looks a lot like a motorcycle choke lever; I'll be interested to see what the distributor end looks like.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Tom I was thinking along the same lines. I'm wondering also if the cable moves the entire distributor or only the breaker plate. I would think the small cable which is more likely to be a single strand wire so it can push as well as pull would be difficult to move the entire distributor since the lever only seems to be about 2-3" long. Not a lot of leverage to fight a distributor

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

Mike thanks for the pic you sent us. After15 years off looking this is the first time I got to see this stuf of legendary Tom called it . Look forward to seeing the dizzy end. Thanks again. Forrest TD/C 26679
Forrest Rubenstein

Bill just got the pics that Mike sent and in one of them it clearly shows the cable core and it not a single strand. Also it is not possible to move the breaker plate as it is held on place by two tabs with screws through them into the housing. You would need a completely different dizzy. The parts list does not list one so I think you would have to turn the whole dizzy. This also means only the early cars could use this unit. The number of Mikes car(2237)clearly falls in the early class. Can't wate to see the other end of Mikes unit. Forrest TD/C22679
Forrest Rubenstein

Darn, was looking forward to the picS from MSpencer
M Grogan

M Grogan, you have mail ;-)

Regards,

Mike
M Spencer

And so I was emailed these
"Hi M Gogan,

Please find attached pictures I took of the lever fitted to FRX 942 (TD/C 2237).

It looks like the device was made by Bowden (as in cables?).

There is still a cable attached although I haven't had a look at the distributor end yet.

Please feel free to resize any of the pics to post on the BBS forum.

Any questions I will be happy to try and answer.

Regards,

Mike
"


M Grogan

another


M Grogan

more


M Grogan

more again


M Grogan

again


M Grogan

last one

thanks Mike



M Grogan

Hi M Grogan,

Thanks for resizing and posting the images.

Regards,

Mike
M Spencer

Reactivating. Any help? Bud
Bud Krueger

Hi Bud. Thank you for finding this thread that I had started several years ago. While this thread was running someone had sent me pics that I thought Denis Baggi had sketched with text attached of the distributor and block brackets. Going through my archives I was unable to locate it. I will have to study Mikes pics and ask for different views as they are needed.

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151

W A Chasser

Do we have any idea ewhat it looks like at the distributor end?

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Bill, can you send Mike Spenser's email address to me? I'd like to get his permission to display his images on Ttalk. I don't know if Mike's a regular viewer of this forum. Bud
Bud Krueger

Yes. I have pictures of original brackets and they are not homemade
W A Chasser

This is an aircraft item, but with a little ingenuity one could be made to use. Very possible the original was made by an aircraft parts manufacture. Possibly? PJ



PJ Jennings

I have a lever coming from OZ and should be here in a few more days. I do need a TC micro adjuster. Looking for pieces of a broken one or one needing restoration as I’m only in need of the distributor clamp plate and the block plate. The actual vernier I do not need so if it no longer functions as it should is not a problem for me.

I also have another distributor clamp coming that has a shorter throw arm to it. I don’t know it’s origins but I believe it will clear the steering column on my dad’s LHD chassis. Maybe someone knows what this piece came off of ?

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151






W A Chasser

It's from a Triple-M MG, Bill.


Lew Palmer

Thought I recognized these cable control levers. They are used on my 1961 Raleigh made Huffy 10 speed bike for the Benelux derailleurs on the bike I rode to work on for 32 years. The levers are labeled Cyclo. Check with a vintage bike shop but it would be a long shot to find them now.




John Quilter (TD8986)

Thanks Lew for the information. I had not seen this type before. Now if I could find a TC unit with a knackered vernier to rob the plates from I think I would be on the home stretch

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

This thread was discussed between 25/06/2017 and 11/01/2021

MG TD TF 1500 index

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