MG TD TF 1500 TD - Differences in Front Fenders BBS discussion at MG-Cars.net

MG TD TF 1500 - TD - Differences in Front Fenders

After owning this car (TD 16504) since 1968, driving it for a few months, storing it in a barn for 40+ years and then starting its restoration about 8 years ago - I'm attempting to reassemble it before I get the body tub, panels and other bits stripped and painted. Yesterday, I put the front fenders (wings) on and for the 1st time - I noticed that they are different - particularly in the shape of the fenders as they come over the wheel arch and around and down over the front of the wheel. There is no evidence that I can find that either of them has been crumpled and / or beaten back into shape. It would appear that one of them may have been changed at some point prior to 1968? The car had been resprayed "red" at some point prior to 1968 (a poor job) and from what I can tell, its original colour was black. I found that under the "red" on both fenders. The car's right front fender (LHD - passenger side) appears more "voluptuous" (if that's the correct term?) than its left front fender. Or - perhaps one could say that the left front fender seems to be more of a cross between the right front fender and a left front fender from a TC??? The car's left front fender sticks forward of the right front by about 2 inches? I've attached a picture of the front view. Does anyone have any insight as to which one might be original to the car??? Thank you. Charlie King ('52 TD 16504)

C G King

Charlie: Hard to tell from your pictures but I am certain in person it's very noticeable. It may be original. MG's quality control was not the best at times but they did try to keep the fenders with the body so the paint matched during production ... How straight are the sides and how do they flare front to back from each side? There could be some subtle bending going on that would not necessitate being crumpled. It would take an expert to make them the same. But if they don't match on the side profile that is telling. Ideally you should be able to tape a string from front to back and everything should be in line. See picture. Both fenders do/do not have the shock bulge? Hard to tell from the picture. MG used very dark gray (black) primer so your black car may have always been red if you are talking layers. You would have to look at places like between the fender and frame or perhaps under where the rear fenders are bolted to the body to make sure you only see black paint. There are a few more subtle places to look unless the car went through a total restoration before you got it, which is highly unlikely before 1968.

Christopher Couper

Thoralf: According to the Moss Motors (US) on-line catalogue - rectangular tail lights went to chassis TD chassis no. 21302 and TD chassis no. 21303 and after had the round tail lamps. Mr. Couper: Thank you very much for your interest and your input. I have attached another photo taken from the side across the front - which might make the difference(s) somewhat more obvious - hopefully? The fenders both have the bulge to clear the shock absorber (Armstrong as opposed to the earlier Girling - I think?). I can understand that the quality assurance and quality control may have been somewhat lacking back then - but the differences in these 2 fenders (disregarding left vs. right) - seems to be really off - particularly from the top of the wheel arch forward - even tho' I totally missed it when I bought the car back in '68 and - having spent a fair amount of time on and with it for the past 8 years - continued to miss these differences until yesterday - when I reattached the front fenders for the "nth (as "n" approaches infinity) time. This recent "awakening" on my part resulted from trying to fit the refurbished chrome radiator shell between the rear-ward facing "arms" of the front splash apron. It wasn't too bad on the LH side of the car - but it won't fit down in along the RH side. The rad mounting bracket is centred between the frame so as to ensure the rad mounting holes are equidistant from the frame. The mounting studs on the bottom of the rad are equidistant from the rad sides - but there is a discrepancy of about 1/4" - 3/8" from the side of the rad to the flanges on the front fenders where the front splash pan attaches via bolts through the caged nuts on the front fenders. I'll keep working on it - this is "hardware" - I can see it, touch it, and feel it (unlike "software"). I've gone through a lot of of TD front-end shots on the internet and I've discovered that I may not have the only MG TD to suffer such an affliction!!! Thank you again for your interest and I look forward to any other insights you might have. Charlie King ('52 TD 16504)

C G King

I think the left side fender (to right in photo) is wonky. It appears the angle from the splash center frame area is more obtuse on it. The outer edge appears to be outward compared to the other side. Chris's idea to compare and line up from the back will show that. Most telling, the side view shows the front several inches is straight, ending in an outward/downward pointing beak. That edge should continue to curve and roll downward, ending almost pointe straight down. Looks like something jacked that part of the fender up and outward. (OK, I know wing is correct term). See attached shot of my car and compare the front view. And yes I don't think any of them are perfectly symmetrical.

George Butz III

Here's another picture across the front of the car showing how the front of the fenders (wings) differ - perhaps a bit more noticeable from this side? The left front one sticks forward further and doesn't curve down quite as much as the right front one. I'm attending the Ontario MGT Register Gathering of the Ontario Faithful (OMGTR GOOF) this coming weekend and will take a few pictures of any cars that might be there and try to pick a few brains with respect to how these fenders - which should be almost mirror images of each other - could be so different - even if one of them had been replaced with a new fender sometime before 1968??? The prop is there to hold up the fender while I attached the headlight support brace / bracket and wasn't removed for the picture. Both fenders had similar length props in place when the pictures were taken - so at the centre of the wheel arches - the fenders are the same distance from the floor and the frame is sitting level (according to my spirit level sitting across the bolt heads at the front of the dumb-irons). I looked / sighted down both sides of the car and the LH side seems quite straight. However the right front fender has a slight outward "bulge" - about 6 - 8 inches in length centred at the top of the wheel arch cut-out (where the prop is supporting it in the picture below). Thank you both - Mr. Couper and Mr. Butz - I sincerely appreciate your interest, your input and your support. Charlie King ('52 MG TD 16504)

C G King

This thread was discussed between 01/06/2022 and 03/06/2022

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