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 - TD27991 is for sale.

Good evening group:

It’s time for me to start building my retirement home in the mountains of British Columbia and in order to do that, I’m going to have to sell TD27991. I don’t want to, but all things must pass, and, sadly, it’s my turn.

So, two things:
A] I don’t even know how to start pricing it; and
B] I thought that with the group’s connections, one of you might know of the kind of buy who would properly appreciate the car. I’d like to avoid the eBay dance, if I can. I’m not sure I could handle all of the “But it’s not stock or concours!” chatter in the eBay questions box.

In summary, here’s what I’ve got:

1953 TD #27991. BRG & black in a 30’s Magnette trim scheme. Right-hand drive. Non-original small-clutch XPAG. Judson supercharger. +40 thou overbore. Big valves with stellite inserts. Fanelli roller cam. Forged crank. Ported head. Hand-built 4-into-2-into-1 header. Stebro exhaust. Ford Sierra 5-speed. MGA 4.30 differential. Small MGB front swaybar. Shortened MGB front track springs from Killer Beez. 12-inch alfin drums from Bob Grunau. 12-volt negative ground conversion with Mitsubishi 60-amp alternator. GM electric fuel pump on gas tank. Electric tach – original face with MGB clockwork. Recalibrated speedometer. Walnut dash with additional matching boost and oil temp gauges Thermostatic electric engine fan. Re-cored radiator with MGB catch tank. Inertia-reel shoulder belts. Black Runyan hard top carved to fit standard TD sidecurtains. New Moss biscuit interior with Moss center armrest. Jaguar MK IX steering wheel with tan leather covering. New black Stayfast soft top and tonneau. Dual-hoop rollbar. Plexiglass windblocker. Michelin X 185/16’s on 48-spoke rims – matching spare. Rear tube shocks with TF rear springs. Cycle fenders. Pre-EXU 8” TC chrome headlamp buckets with Lucas PL lights and King-of-the-Road badging. Fog lights. Wire grill. Rheostatically-controlled cockpit heater from a 1953 Pontiac. Air horns. Brooklands screens. I know there are many more details I've forgotten, but you get the picture.

This is definitely not a parade car - rather, it's a car that goes best when its driven quickly – 80 mph is an easy cruising speed, and I believe that I have all the bugs finally worked out. It’s certainly a unique TD.

Additionally, I’ve got a pile of stock spares: Transistorized Moss pos. ground fuel pump. TD diff with stock TD rear springs. Used/tired fiberglass front TD fenders. 1 pair reconditioned 1-1/4” SU’s. Reconditioned/magnifluxed stock crank. Period Lucas cockpit heater for rebuilding. Tired OE 4-speed. And a bunch more I haven’t started sorting yet.

Of course I won't get anywhere near what I've got into the car monetarily, but if any of you have some wise words as to how I can best price the car, I’d appreciate hearing from you via email.

You've all been a great help in the six years I've been building 27991, and I will miss all of this. Though I've only met few of you face-to-face, I've enjoyed your camaraderie and cumulative wisdom.

Thank-you.


Dave



Dave Jorgensen

Cool car! Hope you do well with it.
I think you should consider an auction site, with a "reserve" , so you don't sell it too cheap. Establishing the reserve should be based on the overall condition, and how much you feel you have to get to get the funds you need....
It is obviously a unique car, and you will not be able to find anything quite like it to compare it to, so go through your receipts, and add up your cost....If the cost is exceptionally high , then plan on taking a loss...But , remember, this is a hobby, not a business, so loosing money is not fun, but it is also pretty common.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

The key is to advertise it far and wide and be willing to wait for your price. Of course the lower you price it the faster it will sell. Because the car is unique, it will take a special buyer who has similar tastes in style and equipment... But Gordon Lawson already bought the Lotus 7...
Dave Braun

Dave,
Sorry to see you & 27991 go. I have followed and admired this one for quite a while.
Sincerly wish I was at a point where I could take it.

Ditto what Edward & Dave say ...it's going to take a special buyer so you have to "get it out there".
David Sheward

Dave,

Sorry to learn that you are growing old, but I do understand. I live alone and the transition to retirement was easy. When I have to go without - I just do it. My PA project is a cash pit!

As you know, I have a vested interest in your car, having located the hard-top in Boston, and was able to find a means to get it to you in Leduc, on the top a a TF I was shipping West. Your kind gift of a Robbins tonneau sits on my TF as I write - again - many thanks.

One nice feature you forgot, is that the cycle wings turn with the steering.

I have four suggestions:

a) A great place to advertise this car, would be the TSO. Just joining to place a free ad, would justify the membership in the NEMGTR.

b) Would you consider a project T-Series in exchange, plus a wad of cash? This might make it easier for someone trying to unload a T-Series, and a trade with cash is always more paletable.

c) Being an RHD, you might have a good market in the UK. Consider placing an ad in Safety Fast or MG Enthusiast. In my opinion, your T-Series exemplifies a really superb MG, yet you designed it to be entirely roadable- nothing wild.

d) There is a classified section to this forum. A good place to start ... and its free.

I think I speak for most, if not all
of us - Good Luck Dave.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A Clark

That is a fine looking TD.

With all of the mods it is looking for someone with the ability to keep it all going - no "one stop shop" for this one.

If you go the auction route you're pretty much out of other opportunities unless you place it with an auctioneer who gets it out there for you.

Maybe your best bet is to decide on a high-ish price that is likely to get a serious buyer to make a serious offer. You can use the auction site's "buy it now" and have it out on Hemmings and other sites, too.

It's a head turner for sure. Seems it would make a good impulse purchase for a collector who might want one in there that isn't "all correct," but just a hoot to drive.

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

How about Barrett-Jackson? Pricey sales fee, but this is TD has a unique look along with the added power. I think this would go for a very nice price.
Bruce Cunha

Dave, I've been fascinated with your machine since you started doing it. It's not my cup of tea, but you've done a great job with what you've created. I'm sure that there are other T-enthusiasts out there who would mortgage their firstborn to get it.

I will bet that you could write a great article about its creation. I also think that such an article might be of interest to the NEMGTR folks who produce the TSO.

Why don't you contact fellow BB'er David Sander, Chair of the NEMGTR, and see if he'd be interested. FYI, David is a/k/a dasander (at) aol.com. Good luck. Bud
Bud Krueger

Dave,

Sorry to learn that you are growing old, but I do understand. I live alone and the transition to retirement was easy. When I have to go without - I just do it. My PA project is a cash pit!

As you know, I have a vested interest in your car, having located the hard-top in Boston, and was able to find a means to get it to you in Leduc, on the top a a TF I was shipping West. Your kind gift of a Robbins tonneau sits on my TF as I write - again - many thanks.

One nice feature you forgot, is that the cycle wings turn with the steering.

I have four suggestions:

a) A great place to advertise this car, would be the TSO. Just joining to place a free ad, would justify the membership in the NEMGTR.

b) Would you consider a project T-Series in exchange, plus a wad of cash? This might make it easier for someone trying to unload a T-Series, and a trade with cash is always more paletable.

c) Being an RHD, you might have a good market in the UK. Consider placing an ad in Safety Fast or MG Enthusiast. In my opinion, your T-Series exemplifies a really superb MG, yet you designed it to be entirely roadable- nothing wild.

d) There is a classified section to this forum. A good place to start ... and its free.

I think I speak for most, if not all, of
us - Good Luck Dave.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A Clark

I think Bruce is right!

A few years ago some guy at a local car show I was at had an old Ford 4 door made up to look like "Mayberry Cop Car". (Wasn't even "police equiped", a 6 banger). He was trying to sell it for around $5K. (We all just wanted him to turn off the !@#$%^& "Andy Griffin" theme song that played all day!)

It ended up at BJ and went for crazy $$$! (Like near $50k if I recall correctly.)

Sky is the limit out there, and this machine is so well done who knows what it could bring.
David Sheward

Bobby (Galvez),

(Sorry - don't know how my thread got duplicated!)

A good suggestion, but I doubt that B-J would or any other auction house, would take it. I've been to two of their auctions and the only cars that command the big bucks, are the straight-forward, non-modified, original cars.

They openly discourage anything else. Its a specialty market that doesn't have the attraction of bone-standard original cars. And the specialty cars are harder to sell because their appeal is to a much narrower segment.

We have a big Canadian auction house RM, that has auctions all over the world - RM have a fall auction in the Toronto area, and they might take it - always a worth a try.

But the down-side of putting your car to auction, is that they will try to convince you to enter the car without reserve. That's great if you are offering a 1934 Buccialli Flêche d'Or Berline, but for a fairly common car (no offense intended Dave), the fees and commissions would absolutely sandbag anything you might get on the hammer. I have a 1934 Rolls 20/25 Windover long chassis Limo up for sale right now, and the two auction houses I contacted, basically refused to take the car with any reserve.

If you're not carefull, these guys will eat you alive!

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A Clark

Say it ain't so! Keep the car ...I'll come help you build the house.
LaVerne

Sorry to see this one change hands....you were having way too much fun with it...however....i know the feeling (the Wolseley now has a new home...)

bring a trailer dot com is not a bad site...if you ignore half the comments made...they grab ads found in other places and publish it in a nice format.... you just submit the link to the original ad....

I got three or four serious inquires on the Wols from it....

good luck....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

Dave,

I would just like to say that your car is one of the most beautiful modifications I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. It must be a joy to drive. And if I had the funds I would be on your doorstep tomorrow. I am restoring mine to a stock driver because I got it when my father passed and would like to have it as it was when we were in it together. But if ever I was to purchase a project car I would like to think I could build it as close to yours as possible. Sorry you have to part with it and I hope you get a great price. Sure you wouldn't rather part with an internal organ or two? I would have loved to have ridden in that beautiful car.

Rob
Rob Welborne

Rob, the thought of selling a kidney has crossed my mind - and LaVerne, the thought of a barn raising has also been the subject of dinner table talk.

I would settle for a 600 sq foot house and an 1800 sq foot garage, but my wife, in her silliness, seems to think it should be the other way around. Somehow she seems to think that even though our daughters have moved out, they should still have guest bedrooms to come home to. What a goofy idea.

Thank you all for the good sales ideas. TSO is such an obvious idea, yet I hadn't thought of it, and the UK idea is a good one as well - thanks, Gordon. We won't start building until next spring, so maybe I'll get one more summer with the car.

Hmmm.

Thanks,
Dave
Dave Jorgensen

How much for the kidney? Mine seems to be holding it's own now at 44% but I like the idea of a backup plan. You take VISA? Got a layaway plan?

Seriously I hope something good comes your way and you don't have to part with it. I mean whats more fun than being retired and having something that cool to tool around in.
LaVerne

When you retire is when you will have the most fun with the car. I would keep it and find something else to sell.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

Carefull now ...peep's gonna think all we MG drivers are pimps!
David Sheward

This thread was discussed between 08/05/2012 and 09/05/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

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