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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 - Threshold plates

Another question for the purists. I've reviewed the archives on threshold plates. It is apparent from knowledgeable responders that the threshold plates on TD's were plain and had no writing on them. I've been having a discussion with a friend who says that the threshold plates had writing on them. Is there any documentation proving that the plates were plain? Based on the information that I have reviewed, I'm convinced that I'm correct and have installed Moss plates upside down.


Thanks, Mark
Mark Strang

Mark, I think you are right. I have the ones on my car that say MG and they are not correct as far as I have been able to tell. They are just something for us to personalize our cars and protect that lower door plate area.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

I thought the TD's had "MG" on them but the TF's were blank?
I have the wrong ones on my car ...seems most of us have replaced them over the years with the "LTD" ones.
David Sheward

Mark-
Here is a picture borrowed from Chris Couper's "The Original MG TD midget" site, showing an original 1951 TD. It's hard to see but there is no lettering on the sill plate.

I also can remember an original 1953 I owned back in 1963 which did not have any lettering.

Roy


Roy Challberg

So ...the "MG Car Company LTD" ones most of us have were never actually used on any "T" series car?
I knew they were "wrong" for my TF ...but always figured they had been used on something.
Interesting.
David Sheward

They were factory supplied on the early MGs (perhaps the MMM series and before?)

I took mine and used abrasion to remove the lettering and then gave them a brushed finish.

warmly,
Dave
Dave Braun

Hey guys - let's not forget the TA, TB, and TC when we say "T Series".

I believe I had read that the lettered plates were used on the TC and earlier cars - but not the TD and TF. Many of the prewar cars had lettering on the sill plates - as can be seen in some of the books on the Saloon cars and the early MMM cars - as Dave mentions.

I imagine they stopped using the lettered plates as a cost saving measure just after the war or at some point during the manufacture of the TC run.

I always thought the lettering looked nice on the sill plates.

I have seen a photo recently that can also be used to properly locate the screws for the plates. The pattern is interesting

: . . : something like that with two being used on each end and with the single screws centered on the width of the plate - but offset to the sides.

Jeff
Jeff Delk

Jeff is right. The TC was the last to have the lettered plates. The ones on the TD/TF had a swirl finish to them. You can sort of make out the patern in this picture. One is up side down under the scotch brite pad with the red primer and the other one with the machine swirl pattern is underneath. I trashed em both and went with the lettered ones.


LaVerne

I kept the machine swirl pattern ones from my TF ..but replaced with letters also.
Thought about putting them on upside down, but they looked too nice to hide.
So...were the TD's "swirled" also or just plain?
Curious because I have a pair of plain ones that were in the boot of the TF when I bought it.
They might have been homemade by the looks of them.
David Sheward

I'm not convinced that the plates were engine-turned as yours are, LaVerne. I have had a half-dozen unrestored TD and TFs, and none of them had engine-turned threshhold plates - they were all plain, unadorned aluminium. No lettering, no decoration of any kind.

Tom
t lange

Don't trash any of those old parts LaVerne. Some of us still like that old crap :-)
vping

Here is a photo of what is most likely an original plate - note the mounting screw locations and the plain surface


Jeff Delk

When I got Little-T there were these two pieces of metal taped together and I just thought they were the metal diagonal braces that go from corner to corner on the doors. I took them to the body shop with all the other parts and never bothered to remove the tape and look on the inside. I was surprised when the body guy mentioned the engine-turned threshold plates so I got a screw set from Doug Pelton and found a screw pattern from somewhere (probably here). I really like the classic look and its cool to think someone bought them for the car in the 70's with big restoration dreams and now they are finally attached.
Richard Taylor TD3983

We'll have to get the skinney on these from the original guys...Matthew, Colin or the like.
LaVerne

Hi Richard et al,
I'm about to install new lettered plates on my TF, where did you find the screw pattern? I was going to put BB's in the screw holes, put some nail polish on each, then set the plates down on them to pick up the locations. A pattern would keep my fingers black instead of polish red ;-)
. We got our car back from the upholstery shop last Fri., I'm finishing up some details before taking it to the paint shop Mon. for final buffing, nick fix, etc. Will post a pic or 2 when the sun comes out for pix.
tnx,
Al
A W Parker

Thanks Guys,

Looks like I have enough ammo to satisfy my friend. Moss plates installed upside down and with no machining. Thanks for the help.

Mark
Mark Strang

My TF has the engine turned stainless steel door plates, no writings of any kind. I started polishing one of the threshold plates, and it rubbed off the engine turning. I was lucky enough to find another set at a swap meet this year, so I replaced the one I had polished. I think they are original to the TF, and I like them much better than the Moss ones. My 2 cents.
Larry Brown

Just "plain" aluminium sill plates.
No script on any post war T type.
No machine swirls (the Abingdon bean counters would have had a fit with this one).
No stainless steel on these austere cars.
Clausager and Sherril are in accord with this.

Seven screws, two at the ends and three down the middle. Countersunk with flat-drive (not phillips).

Pic attached of my originals.

Cheers,
Matthew.


Matthew Magilton

Al, I am pretty sure I got it from Doug Pelton's site From the Frame Up. Here is a link to the tech page that gives the dimensions.

http://fromtheframeup.com/Documents/TT%20CR208%20Door%20Sill%20Plate%20Screw%20Pattern.pdf

You will probably have to copy and paste link but it should work.

Regards,
Rich


Richard Taylor TD3983

Larry, in the mid-late 70's, Moss and other suppliers had engine-turned stainless threshold plates, TD dashes, generator covers and some othe things. Pretty sure your plates date to that time period. Rememeber liesure suits and bell bottoms were in too! George
George Butz

Thanks Rich,
I tried my method this PM, OK on abt 4 of the 7, not quite on center for 3. Will try the other side tomorrow.
tnx,
Al
A W Parker

Al, I put the screws in the threshold and chalked them up real good and the set the plate on top of them. Gave good accurate markings for drilling the plates.

George, you are not saying my clothes aren't in style anymore are you?
LaVerne

The threshold plates on my TD are the originals. They are unmarked in any way. Just plain, unadorned aluminum. When I did my restoration, I considered a set of the lettered one, but decided to put the originals back on as they were still in good shape.

George
George Raham [TD4224]

Hey Cjaps,

I'm going to take a stand on this.

I've owned a TC, 2 TDs and 2 TFs. My last TF I bought absolutely new off the dealer's showroom floor and I still have it, unpainted and quite original.

In all my T-series MGs, I never once, saw a new model, displayed with the after-market threshold plates "MG Car Company".

Yup. They're pretty but definitely not original.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A Clark

Matthew M is correct on all counts although I have seen Phillips Head(7) screws on some TF cars as original as well.

The front, outside corner of the plate is slightly rounded off with the forward end of the plate firing at a slight angle back toward the gear lever!Originally also,the plate did cover the joint seam between the front and rear quarter panel.

TCs also only had plain aluminium plates as did TDs.

Be warned,the repro plates with engraving are made out of a heavier gauge aluminium sheet
and often make door closure too close.The originals,after light polishing ended up at only approx 1.18mm.

It is nice to see the correct,original plates in position on well restored cars.

If you have an original example as I did,Laser cutting is a marvellous method of getting accuracy in the shape without any edge distortion.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

George, thanks for your input. That is pretty interesting. When I restored the car I bought a set of the Moss lettered ones, but liked the ones I had so much better. I have not seen a TF with the aluminum originals you described, but will certainly start looking a little closer. No way I could fit in my old leisure suits, wish I could and could grow hair like I did back then!
Larry Brown

Putting the Moss plates on upside down is problematic because of the countersink in the sill plates. That's why I ground mine off and then gave them a brushed aluminum look.

warmly,
Dave
Dave Braun

Laverne,
I tried your method, modified a bit, this AM and it came out OK. My wife had suggested laying parchment paper over the sill and locating the holes thru it. I figured it'd be a bit hard to find the proper center, so I drove the screws in, taped the paper over, and pricked small holes right in the centers of the (slotted) screw heads. But I kinda like the "--- Ltd" ones, particularly since there were none there when we got the car. We're not going to a concours.
thanks, Al
A W Parker

Early 51 TD taken off road in 68. Has plain engine-turned aluminum plates.I believe them to be original.

Brian Warmuth
ZBMan

The fad in the 60s and 70s was to 'engine turn'the threshold plate surface.Not original however on TCs,TDs or TFs.

Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

Just cleaned up the R/H side and installed. It's stainless steel with the turned look. I was in the car when I bought it in 74. Very durable.
Mike


Mike Hart (52 TD 16378)

This thread was discussed between 09/03/2011 and 11/03/2011

MG TD TF 1500 index

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