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MG TD TF 1500 - Accident, frame bent

I got hit in the back by another car on Saturday. Apron,right fender and bumper are damaged. Worst thing is a bend in the right frame bow just above the axle (exactly where you'd expect it to fold...)
Will need a specialist assessment on this, but it looks salvageable to me. Will keep you posted.
No driving for the coming weeks, though.

Rgds, Mike
Mike Fritsch

You don't have to hit these cars to hard for this to happen. The frame buckles on the arch over the rear axle. They are an easy frame to mend, the factory workshop manual gives very good instructions. I've done two. One was 11 1/2 inches out of square and twisted 6 inches. The other one was hit, as your car was, and the frame was deformed about a half an inch.
Don't stress it, it can be fixed. After a good repair it will be just as good, or better than before the accident. Do you have pictures?
David
D. Sander

Getting hit in the rear is one of my worst fears with a TD. There is 3 to 15 gallons of gasoline in a very exposed fuel tank ready to be flatted and punctured. Was your fuel tank damaged in this unfortunate accident?
John Quilter (TD8986)

Dave is correct. When I took apart my TD for restoration, I found it had been hit just ahead of the passenger rear fender. Had the frame checked and it was pushed forward on the passenger side. Body shop put it on the frame machine and had it as straight as the factory in no time. Fairly easy frame to straighten.
Bruce TD4139 Cunha

Thanks a lot for the re-assurances - makes me feel a bit better. I had to travel early monday morning, so have not hat time to have a pro check it. I will take pics once Iīm back home.

The tank was fortunately not damaged at all, the hit was at an angle, so only one side looks damaged. I dont think the tank was even touched. The other car (mercedes) lost all its radiator fluid, lost lots of bits and looked worse at first sight (but probably has no structural damage). But it had to be towed while I could drive home.

I had a slight neck ache (whiplash syndrome), but the doc did not find anything. Lucky again. Makes me think about putting in head restaints - you just donīt see it coming.

Best Regards
Mike



Mike Fritsch

Mike,

Any accident you can walk away from ... is a good one. The Big Guy upstairs was watching out for you.

Too bad your toy was injured, but it sounds like she/he can be made right again. It would be a shame if one of out "little" cars was permanently put to rest.

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery! Please keep us all posted!

Gene
G Burgess

Mike,

I have a spare chassis frame with front accident damage. The frame is straight from the roll-hoop towards the rear.
You can have it for free...
(I don't know if German TUV accepts a repaired chassis frame though ?)
Best wishes,

Nick (TD3232)
Nick Herwegh

Nick, thanks a lot for the offer. I guess repairing the bend is easier, though. I friend of mine has a TD sitting on a frame thatīs been assembled from two pieces and never had a problem. So I guess itīs possible. Iīll keep it in mind once the details have been sorted.

Were you the guy who sold all the TD parts back in November last year ? What happened ?

Rdgs, Mike
Mike Fritsch

Mike,
FWIW
I made these years ago. I take the TD on lot's of trips and when I get sleepy I pull over and put my head back and take a nap.
They are removable and just slip into the tonneau bar and are not very secure but for a minor rear ender it will prevent whiplash.
Mort

Mort 50 TD

Mort, that's exactly what I was thinking of. Possibly in a combination with a wind guard, made from acryl. It needs to be removable as yours. For this kind of accident, it would have been "just right".
Rgds Mike
Mike Fritsch

Mike,
I later put slots in the back of the passenger head rest to make the height of the pad adjustable.

I like your idea about a wind guard. It's now on my "to-do" list.
Mort
Mort 50 TD

I believe Derrington sold a wind guard in the 50's - one of the UK accessory guys did, I know - and I can picture a contemporary ad with one.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Here's a picture of the damage

Mike Fritsch

The fender-maybe fixable by a good mechanic

Mike Fritsch

And the major issue-the frame above the axle. No idea if the sideways geometry is off, thst needs to be measured.

Mike Fritsch

What I had done when the bumper came back on the car: I thought it rather stupid to have solid distance blocks between the bumper and the frame. So I put rubber blocks in between that could compress by probably half an inch. That may have dampened the impact a bit, but obviously on that level of force way too little. For a parking bump, though, it would surely help.

Rgds Mike

Mike Fritsch

The fender, rear apron and even the bumper look repairable. If that is a repop bumper toss it and replace it. From the picture it looks to be an original. If it is, it would be worthwhile to have a chrome shop fix it. The frame should be done by a shop with knolledge, skills and equipment to straighten frames. The specifications and even straightening instructions are in the workshop manual.
The fender and rear apron can be banged out and repainted by a good body person.
As bad as it looks, it could have been so much worse.
David
D. Sander

The damage on the chassis certainly looks repairable though it's not going to be an easy job with the body sitting on top of it...
Anyway: the offer still stands Mike if you would decide to do otherwise.
FWIW I'm not the guy selling parts, I just happen to have a damaged chassis which I only need for its LHD pedal box. It's of no further use so if I can help a fellow enthusiast....;^)
(Would make a bit space in my shed too....)

Nick (TD3232)
Nick Herwegh

I brought the car to the repair shop today and will see what he thinks.
Nick, where in the Netherlands are you?
Rgds Mike
Mike Fritsch

Near the North Sea coast, about two and a half hours drive from the Duisburg/Aachen area.

Nick (TD3232)
Nick Herwegh

Twice as much from here (Frankfurt area), but not a problem if it's needed.
Someone in NL sold lots of good parts last winter (complete gearbox, xpag, rear axle etc) from a car with a major front accident, that's why I thought if might have been you...
Best Rgds
Mike
Mike Fritsch

This thread was discussed between 21/06/2015 and 29/06/2015

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