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MG TD TF 1500 - Another point for the 'Correctness' Police

While installing and upholstering the side curtain box on my 52 TD, I came to the point where I needed to install the holding tabs.

I was comparing the new tabs, from Moss to the old ones which I believe are original, and I find a considerable deviation in the widths of the tabs.
I find the ones from moss are at least 1/4" wider.

See attached picture.

This may be another case of one size fits all or perhaps something was lost in the translation of inches to mm?

Oh, the original interior was beige and the PO painted it black?

Jim B.


JA Benjamin

Jim are you able to undo the stitching a little on the original tabs & take a pic of the interior, where the colour of the factory beige Rexine should still be vibrant? I've never seen a pristine, unfaded sample of original TD beige so I think your Rexine tabs are pretty special! As Rexine is not available I'm using a long grain beige from Dalys on my old girl's bespoke trim. I don't like the look of either the tan or biscuit that Moss supply. (It's no secret I'm not a fan of the near enough is good enough approach that some suppliers seem to subscribe to & I'll add the width to my list.) TYIA from a dyed in the wool member of the CP. (That's Correctness Police not Communist Party!) Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Pete
I will try to take it apart tomorrow.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Peter, here is a shot showing some of the original fabric from TD0268. Its in the footwell so should not be too faded. I think we figured out that TD's had a thicker rexine later on?

Matthew.

M Magilton

Thanks guys. Look forward to the pics Jim. I'm intrigued Matthew as to where this shot was taken as the location of the M.G. tag has me confused. Did really early TD's have an additional tag in the footwell? Mine has just the 3 under the bonnet beside the toolbox. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Matthew. Where is that plate located?. Did not see one like it on TD 4139 when I restored it.
Bruce Cunha

It is located by the passengers left knee on the firewall frame. I think only the early TD's had the tag there.

Matthew.

M Magilton

Were those screws brass with nuts inside? My TF had steel screws there. But, I do have a drawer full of brass screws that look like that. PJ
Paul S Jennings

PJ. yes, brass.
Frank Cronin

Peter:
Here is some data. This will take three posts.
I don't think that the inside of the tabs will give you much information. However here is the picture I took today.
This was taken with a Panasonic DMC-TZ3 using incandescent light BUT it was a (large) Quartz halogen lamp.

I put in a piece of the present Moss TAN so you can get a color comparison.

Now my seats were recovered wit black vinyl sometime in the early to mid 1960's BUT the original seat covers were still there. They had been covered up for perhaps 50 years.
Unfortunately just Tuesday I through the better part of the back away.
I did still have the seats and an older, relatively uncontrolled picture of the back which I am attaching.

I got the better of the two seets out of the thrash can. I cleaned it up a bit with Woolite and let it dry a bit.
The picture is taken outside. (Its 26 F degrees here just now)
Again I placed some new Moss material next to it.

CONTINUED

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

Here is the seat bottom cushin.
The 4 panels next to the Moss material have been cleaned.
And gain the camera is the DMC-TZ3 and you are in natural sun light.

CONTINUED

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

Finally, this is picture of the seat back taken late last summer.
I believe the light is natural light, coming through the garage door.
The camera was my cell phone. A Motorola Droid RAZR.

No cleaning was done

I hope this will help

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

Jim,
I noticed the same thing with the tab on my Moss interior. The original was considerably smaller. I guess it could be cut down to size without too much trouble?
JB
J K Barter

Thanks Jim. Nice to see nickle plating. Even some of the nicer restorations don't add that detail.

That first plate is interesting. Be a fun one to identify when they stopped putting that in. Fairly sure my Nov 1950 didn't have it.
Bruce Cunha

Jim. Thanks for the pics. The colour I've chosen is a lot closer to the original than the Moss version, as is clearly shown on the inside of your tabs. It's quite surprising just how different the colours in your three pics are. Sunlight & the ravages of time certainly take their toll. Next batch of plating will include the 3 ID plates to give them their original nickel finish. Bruce my 1st Feb 1951 TD had the three plates under the bonnet so the changeover must have happened prior to your Nov 1950 car. (OT but just been advised I have till the end of the month to find another garage for the old girl.) Bummer! Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Another shot of 0268 showing mostly original features.

Matthew.

M Magilton

This thread was discussed between 18/11/2014 and 20/11/2014

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