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MG TD TF 1500 - TD Painted Fuel Line?

For today's discussion I thought I would throw out the question of the finish of the hard fuel line from the tank to the fuel pump on the TD.

Was it all natural? All painted? Partially painted and partially natural, and if so where, why and how?

I am not sure there is a definitive answer and like lots of production questions, it may depend on the year or some other factor.

Bruce Cunha and I have been sleuthing over this for the past few days and I thought it would be an interesting topic to debate here. We have sort of come to a conclusion but not an absolute one by any means.

BTW post a picture of your evidence and make sure that you check various sources in the same area to be sure. Also be careful where in the production process your picture comes from. As they say in opera "it ain't over until the fat lady sings".

Have fun. :-)
Christopher Couper

I would think the fuel line would be difficult to paint and would certainly waste a lot of product. Also a fair amount of paint would be scraped off during installation. The paint would surely peel off after a short time especially under the bonnet. A peeling fuel line would not be a very attractive look for a car on the sales floor or soon after sale. Just common sense thoughts, certainly no proof.

Tim
Timothy Burchfield

Was the fuel line on a TD steel? The original line on my TF (and I know a few things changed in a short period of time), was copper. Here's a pic.


PJ Jennings

Copper or was that Couper? :-)
Christopher Couper

Copper or was that Couper? :-) Close very close! LOL
PJ Jennings

On Both the TD's I have owned - since back in 1962 the first one. I believe they were plain copper No paint.

Rod
Rod Jones

I have been told that the chassis were assembled, then painted. The survivor cars I have seen have demonstrated this to be true. The quality of the paint was poor by today's standards. I would conclude most of the paint flaked off the copper fuel lines.
I am looking though pictures now.
D. Sander

The video's we have available seem to show the frame painted and being hung to start attaching items to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nt1rigJyLY

I found this picture. It looks like all the wiring, and lines were added on prior to the body being lowered on.

In this picture, the bolts on the A arm appear to be natural.

There is also a silver looking line on the left lower of the frame. from the bend, I don't think it is a brake line.



Bruce Cunha

Did a little more looking and enlarging. Here is a picture from the assembly line. Note the A arm to frame bolt and the A pan bolts are silver.

Here is a screen shot of them loading the cars onto a car carrier. I do not see silver on the A Pan or the Arm to frame.


Bruce Cunha

Here is the car on the carrier.

I think Chris's "Person with a paint brush" has some validity.


Bruce Cunha

Bruce, I didn't think the person with a paint brush was in question. I think everyone can agree that the four top bolts holding the spare tire carrier were painted at the factory.

Tim

BTW in the MG Factory Abingdon (1950) film look at the 1:31 mark. Note the oil on the floor. That is almost exactly the pattern my car leaves when parked.
Timothy Burchfield

Ok, That is what I will do on the restoration. Assemble and then paint the bolts.

Fuel line will probably stay brass.

Any thoughts on brake lines? I would think they were not painted.

Moss talks about steel lines, but it looks like my brake lines are copper with a nickle coating.
Bruce Cunha

Bruce: Did you try a magnet on your brake lines? I am pretty sure mine are all steel but I have a late 52.
Christopher Couper

Good suggestion Chris. I will do that tomorrow. When I sanded the old ones, I get a brass color under the silver color.
Bruce Cunha

This thread was discussed between 10/07/2018 and 12/07/2018

MG TD TF 1500 index

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