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 - TD fuel Tank Panel

I'm trying to get my tub ready for paint and have run into a snag. The rear plywood panel in front of the fuel tank is coming apart. Removed the frame rails and the nails on the rear quarter panels and removed the center sheet metal panel on top but can seem to figure out how to get the plywood out much less replace it and get it all back together. Please tell me there is a way without taking the cross brace out behind the seat and removing the quarters entirely. I also need to remove the lover rocker wood and the left door latch pillar to replace and inspect. Help! I really didn't want to completely disassemble everything and replace all the timbers

Thanks
B. Chasser
TD4384
W. A. Chasser Jr

Also where do I find T nuts for the latch pillars?
W. A. Chasser Jr

Probably Moss or Abingdon Spares. Just be certain to have matching threads in the screws and nuts. Bud
Bud Krueger

Can anybody answer the OP before I tear something up? Is there a way to remove the plywood panel on the rear of the tub and install a new one without completely disassembling the tub???
W. A. Chasser Jr

Hi 'B Chasser' I replaced mine on my TF without removing the side pieces. I don't remember exactly how but I think the bottom section needed replacing and I slid it up from the bottom. The tub was off the body at the time. ( old age strikes again )
Regards, Don TF 4887
D J Walker

Thanks D J in rereading my post I may not have been clear. The TD quarter panels rap around the plywood panel and overlap it by about 4" on each side. The problem I have is that the 6 flat head machine screws that bolt through the plywood into the tub's frame members are hidden behind the sheetmetal and are not accessible. Im not sure how to get it apart or to be able to reverse engineer it to be able to get the hardware and frames back into place
W. A. Chasser Jr

Just finished a tub rebuild not to long ago and if your bottom main rails are bad and at least one latch pillar is bad as well I think I would seriously consider removing the sheet-metal and giving all the wood a through inspection and replace as necessary, especially the lower portion of the rest of the latch and hinge pillars. I know that is not what you want to hear, but there are several machine screws and two carriage bolts that hold that plywood gas tank backboard to the angle iron body frame uprights hidden behind the rear quarter panels. A tub rebuild is a time consuming PITA but it is not all that difficult and you will have all your original wood to use as go-bys.
Just my 2 cents.
Regards
Hiram
Hiram Kelley

Hiram Thanks for your response. The main rails are solid with the exception of a little bit of dry rot on the top of the left side below the door jamb. The right side is solid. The left latch pillar is cracked with a piece ready to fall of the face and a T nut is stripped the holds the latch mounting plate. I figured since I had it this far apart that I would pull the pieces to inspect the inner rocker sheet metal and repaint it if needed from chaffing. I was in contact with Craig Seabrook yesterday and he is sending me a catalog.. He may have the mainframes in stock but no pillars until this winter as he is inundated with work. Sucks to be so busy, lol. He was very helpful and but I can't be laid up into next year waiting for timbers.

I got my answer to removing the rear panel assembly though. I have both tub frames out to be blasted and powder coated but was still trying to figure out a way to get the rear panel assembly out of the tub. I tried flipping it and curling it over the wheel wells to no avail. Even Craig wasn't sure it could be accomplished without total disassembly. I spent the better part of 5 hours looking at this and saw no way around removing the cross brace behind the seat and spreading the quarters to gain clearance. My 87 year old father (who was the original owner of a '52 TD MKII walked up flipped the panel up as I was trying to do and slid it sideways and the whole assembly fell to the ground. I just stood there with my jaw hitting the floor with a deer in the headlights look. Dad looks up at me and says, "So what's the problem?" I had tried moving it side to side without any luck. Reason was the plywood panel is recessed for the flanged sheet metal ends to butt up against one another and is quasi keyed into place. Flipping the panel and and sliding sideways was enough to allow the quarters to spread and allow the panel to come out. Go Figure. This is one of many a time the old mans help was most certainly appreciated. I just hope I can get this car built in time for him to enjoy a blast from the past.

Regards to all,

B Chasser
TD4834
W. A. Chasser Jr

This thread was discussed between 16/09/2014 and 20/09/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

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