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MG TD TF 1500 - Tonneau Bar (or Blanket Bar), and stone guard

I've been doing a bit of updating of various items on our 1952 TD Mark II. Finally got the crank mounted on the back of the seat and questioned to myself whether the tonneau bar (also known as a blanket bar) across the back of the seat should be painted to match the interior, body color, or black. It is barely mentioned in the books I have. Schacht's manual has a picture that appears to be a contrasting color - possibly black - to the upholstery (black & white picture). Anyone have an educated guess? The car is red with red interior. I think that black would provide a nice contrast, and compliment the black crank clips, crank, and seat brackets at the bottom.

Does anyone have a stone guard mounted on the grille? I have seen one listed in an article on vintage accessories, but have never seen one on a car. Would one help keep debris away from the radiator, or are the vertical slats enough?

Thanks for your input.
John Masters

I have see some, but not all TD models with tonneau bars. Mine (TF) is painted to match the (tan) leather, but it would make only sense if the tonneau bars are painted to match the leather in all cases.

Now that the tonneau on my TF is getting old and has lost most of its stiffness, I find the tonneau bar useful for keeping the driver side tonneau from flapping in the wind at speed.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.



Gordon A. Clark

The various pieces on the rear of my seat (and I believe they are original) were all painted gloss black... seat brackets (bottom of seat to hold bracket from seat bottom), jack clips and tonneau bar (don't think I could get a blanket in there)...!!!!
gblawson - TD#27667

Like Gordon, I don't know where the term "blanket bar" ever came from. About hte only blanket that I know of that would fit between it an dhte seat back is one of the little flannel baby blankets that the send babies home from the hospital with. According to the information on Chris Coupers Original MGTD midget web site, the tonneau bar is black. Like Gordon, the on on our TD was black and that is what I repainted it as. The original tanneau only covered the area behind the seats and had straps that went over the bar and snapped in to LTD studs or gripper snaps on the back of the seat. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

The various pieces on the rear of my seat are as Mr. Lawson discribes. All were painted black but I could not tell if they were gloss black. My TD was in the garage too long and the paint was not pretty, but if I had to guess, it probably started out glossy.

As for the 'stone guard', I can't help you there.

Patrick
D P Earles

This was before I repainted all the hardware....


gblawson - TD#27667

" .. The various pieces on the rear of my seat (and I believe they are original) were all painted gloss black".

Most unusual, and certainly not original. On the TC, TD and TFs, black was never a factory colour for the interior - only red, green or biscuit. Blue was offered on the TA.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Gordon... its the metal bits that were gloss black... the interior is apple green leather/rexine (or whatever green)...!!!
gblawson - TD#27667

John,

I agree with black as the color of the tonneau bar and the clips. I have a chrome wire mesh stone guard on the grille of my TD and I had it made in the UK back in the late 60's. It was made by the same person that was making the stone guards for the lights at the time. I have no idea who it was now as that was a long time ago. I had the stone guards on the headlights and the driving lights and the grille (while some think is too much) did give the car a really nice look. As a joke a couple of friends had a set of stone guards for the parking lights maede up for me also. But I never put those on but rather left them on their walnut presentation plaque.

Sorry I can't be more help with a name of a person to make on for you.

Photo atatached.

George Herschell


George R Herschell

You just have to add the parking lights mesh....!!!!!!
gblawson - TD#27667

Gordon L,

I've had 2 TFs. One with a red interior, and my present one with biscuit. In both cases the tonneau bar was painted to match the interior colour.

It may be different with the TD - I can't recall.

GAC

Gordon A. Clark

Oh, those fancy 'moderized, colour co-ordinated' TF's.... and we TD's with our 'black' accessories!!!
gblawson - TD#27667

And Chrome wire mesh also.

GH
George R Herschell

My car had the original paint when I got it. The bar was gloss black and matched the hand crank.
Russ Oakley

I confirm that my 1950 TD, which had the original seats etc. in 1965, had the tonneau bar painted gloss black. THe upholstery has been restored in 1988 and black "accessories" were kept that way.

Denis
TD 1034, March 1950
Denis L Baggi

This thread was discussed between 07/08/2007 and 08/08/2007

MG TD TF 1500 index

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