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MG TD TF 1500 - TD-TF Pedal Box variants

Another troublesome area if previous threads are to go by ! My Nov. '54 TF 1500, a USA export has in the past been converted to RHD swapping parts from a (unknown) TD owner who moved to Europe. The dreaded pedal box is therefore an original but has no large round hole in the bottom to facilitate access. I understand a TF box should have this hole - did this come in when the rod replaced the cable on TDs or is it unrelated ?

It seems that LHD boxes are really difficult to work on but RHD are not a piece of cake either and I'd like to put the correct hole in. Could someone tell me what the size of this hole is and location ?

Also did the clutch pedal stop only come in on LHD cars or RHD as well ?

Looking at the Factory Parts Book it seems there was originaly a cork gasket under the side plate - how thick I wonder, since clearance with the clutch pedal is very tight. And if there was a big access hole on later cars what was the point anyway !

Any info. on the above would be much appreciated,

John.
J.C Mitchell

The hole underneath is handy for hooking the return springs on the pedals or the anchor in the box. Otherwise, it's just a way for dust and grime to enter the pedal box.

I have a RHD TF, I'll try to give you some measurements when I get home from work. IIRC, it's circular, and about 2" diameter.

Interesting information about the cork gasket. The clearance between the cover plate and clutch pedal on my car was so close that the clevis pin had worn a shallow depression in the cover plate, following the arc of pedal travel. I probably should have used a gasket. It wouldn't seal anything, due to the big hole in the bottom.

One of my friends has fabricated a cover for the bottom hole. I'm now sure that that is necessary. In any case, you'd want at least a small hole, to drain moisture or fluids if any should come into the box.

My RHD TF definitely has the clutch pedal stop. I think it's a good thing to have to keep from bending the clutch rod, or other parts of the linkage that could happen if you put the pedal all the way to the firewall.

Mark B.

'I'm now sure that that is necessary' should be 'I'm NOT sure that that is necessary'. Completely different meaning.
Mark B.

Mark, I am about to pull the engine and transmission from my RHD TD. This is the perfect time to install a clutch pedal stop. Can you provide the two measurements I will need to drill the hole? One from the front edge to CL and the other from the inboard side (excluding the cover plate thickness)over to the CL of the hole.
My car was changed from a cable type to a rod before I bought the car.
Jim Merz

Jim, I don't have measurements handy, but Bud Krueger's excellent website does have a good photo, appears to be a left hand drive, but it may help.
Dallas

http://ttalk.info/Tech/Clutch_stop.html
Dallas Congleton

The stop is almost exactly 2" from the back of the box and about 1/4" from the inboard edge of the box. I think you would do better for the second measurement by positioning it in line with the pedal, I wasn't able to get a real good measurement because the fuel line was clipped to the pedal box and I didn't want to move it.

The stop keeps the pedal from moving past about where the front of the dimmer switch bracket is. Not the switch, but the bracket it mounts on. For a RHD car, the dimmer switch mounts on a bracket that is screwed to the bottom of the battery shelf.
Mark B.

Mark - many thanks for info. on pedal stop. Could you also measure diam. of large hole + location ? I think I'll cut one in for access reasons although as you say box is then more open to road dirt etc.

The side plate gasket came as a surprise to me - never seen any ref. to it before. In the Service Parts List it's called 'Seal - Cork-cover-plate' Part No. 126965 (cover plate is 126966 ) Should be easy to make from sheet 'cork' material and will help give clearance to the pedal. If necessary you could also heat bottom of pedal to red heat bend and then quench in oil - I'll certainly need to do that but the job will wait 'til Autumn.

Cheers John.

J.C Mitchell

Thank you for the dimensional information. I have the stop part and can use it for the diameter of the required hole. I wonder if the hole should be elongated a bit to permit a small adjustment forward or back? Now would be the time for me to do the job right and most easily.
I didnt know about the gasket used for the side plate. I'll make one of those too while I'm at it.
Jim Merz

>I wonder if the hole should be elongated a bit to permit a small adjustment forward or back?

That seems like a good idea. I don't remember whether mine did, but the photo that Dallas posted above seems to indicate that this is the case. Mine has a rather large washer on the bottom, so I couldn't tell you whether the hole is elongated.

J.C. The hole is almost exactly 2" in diameter. I'll get back under the car tonight and see if I can measure the position. It's kind of sad, really, only about 1,500 miles since the resto, and it's fairly oily down there. I'll take a roll of towels down with me and do some wiping down of the frame rails.
Mark B.

I wonder if one of the rubber plugs made for the brake master cylinder inspection hole on the LHD cars would fit the access hole on the bottom of the pedal box? Maybe not for those who already have the hole but it might work for those of us thinking about cutting the hole.
Jim Merz

Jim, my LHD drive brake/clutch pedal box does not have a cover on the hole but it seems like a good idea. A simple way to do this after cutting the hole, wold be to make a square plate slightly larger than the round hole. Drill and tap the four corners, and use a gasket. Similar to the side plate access.

Dallas
Dallas Congleton

Mark - your info. on pedal box is much appreciated - did you ever get round to measuring the location of the '2inch hole' ? No one near home I can look at and not easy on British wet grass at a rally !

Thanks for you help,

John.
J.C Mitchell

Sorry, J.C. that it took me so long to get to this. I have no excuse except that it's very hot in my garage, and somewhat oily underneath the car.

The hole is 1 7/8th" in diameter and the front edge of the hole is 1 7/8" from the front of the bottom panel of the box. It's centered from left to right as close as I can tell, about 5/8" from either side edge.

If I were you, I would find a blanking plug, and cut the hole to whatever size will hold the plug. That might not work if the blanking plug fit far enough in to interfere with the clutch rod, though. As far as I can tell, the only purpose of the hole is for access while installing the clevis pins, cotter pins and springs. As long as you have a big enough hole to do that, the dimensions aren't critical.
Mark B.

Mark - thanks for the info. and very quick response. Could do with some heat in my garage - I know the British Isles are temperate but it's all gone wrong this year - ground frosts in some parts during the last few days and chilly at night round here.

I'll cut the hole and put in the clutch stop this Autumn when the floorboards come out - will bend the bottom of the clutch lever too at the same time.

Again many thanks - hope the side cover gasket gives you enough clearance or you'll be bending your lever too ! Interesting to know if other levers are as tight to the side cover.

Cheers John.
J.C Mitchell

This thread was discussed between 17/05/2006 and 31/05/2006

MG TD TF 1500 index

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