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MG TD TF 1500 - Bill's Car

Getting close to being done with Bill's car so I can start working on my own junk.

L E D LaVerne

Been here since mid February.

L E D LaVerne

Lovely job LaVerne. Are they 60 spoke chrome wheels. I was considering getting them also for my TF. The green seats are an interesting choice.
D Lamb

Lovely job LaVerne. Are they 60 spoke chrome wheels. I was considering getting them also for my TF. The green seats are an interesting choice.
D Lamb

60 spoke and I would highly recommend them over the 48 ones I have. The green seats are a long story and not my choice but its not my car.
L E D LaVerne

Nice work LaVerne. A credit to you.


No doubt about TFs,they are simply exquisite and beautiful in form, all at the same time !

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

Whilst I have "chromies" on my TF, They are originals that I bought directly from Dunlops in 1957.

They differ from today's chrome wires in that they are entirely chromed and polished, whereas today's chromed wheels are made in India and are not polished on the inside beyond the spoke-line.

If you're at all concerned about unsprung weight, there's quite a difference in weight, between the 48-spoke painted wheel and the 60-spoke chromed wheel.

If I had to do it again, I'd go for the 60-spoke painted wheels - they look so authentic.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

PS ..as usual LaVerne, nice job.
Gord Clark

Wow, that is indeed really nice!
Dave Clark Arizona

Nice job-looking very good!

As for green seats-green seats work for me....
JB

JK Barter

Even the dollies are clean. How do you do that? My whole garages is one fine layer of dust. Beautiful job BTW.

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

LaVerne,

Was that the original paint job or a new one?

Gene
Gene Gillam

Great job, LaVerne. Another example of your meticulous work and attention to detail...
Jim
Jim Merz

La Verne,
I was also wondering if you had to re-paint Bill's car- it looks great!
JB
JK Barter

Bill bought this car 45 years ago about 50 miles from here. He trailered it home and he and a friend took it apart and painted it. They sorta put most of the sheet metal back on and that is as far as it got. The plate says it was originally black. He says it was red when he got it. They only thing I painted was the bulkhead, fuel tank side panels and the dash panels. There was some of the red hiding on the dash panel which showed that it was more of a metallic pink..ugh. Bill had never started the car ... it just sat in his barn all this time next to his TC that we got running a couple of years ago. This wasn't really a restoration. More of a resurection...just fixing what was needed and leaving a some things as we found them. But it did get quite a lot done along the way. The plan on this one is it will be going to his grandson ....also in California, but it sounds like it will stay here for maybe a year and his wife says she does plan on driving it as a grocery getter.

L E D LaVerne

Sitting in his barn

L E D LaVerne

The red found on the dash

L E D LaVerne

I wasn't planning on painting the bulkhead when I brought it out here but when I found this it just made sense to do do so while it was off.

L E D LaVerne

Part of the challenge for me is Bill wanted to help as he did on the TC. He is always willing. He is usually out here 3 days a week and we work short days. About 3 or 4 hours.

L E D LaVerne

Those we Dunlop Gold Seal tires that still had the stickers on them....but they were scary looking. He had someone give him the wire wheels and the fixing to mount them on the car. Which they did but they didn't grease the splines. Had quite fight getting them off the first time.

L E D LaVerne

Welded in a couple of plugs that were cut out for a long gone heater along with a cut out in the battery box

L E D LaVerne

They came out pretty well.

L E D LaVerne

I forgot...the new wood also got some paint.

L E D LaVerne

I cut the hub down that they send out on these wire conversions and welded it to the old rack as he really didn't want to kick out the 500 bucks for the correct plug and knock off. I had originally just bolted it on but most of you that have done that on a TF know that you have to put the license plate outside of the bumper if you do. Same if you center the hub I have here. It got tacked a number of times and this is where it had to go to work. It got beaded up after this shot. And most can't thell that it sits just a tad higher.

L E D LaVerne

Bill bought a hide from a now defunct local tannery not long after he got the car and had a local shop do the seats. There is a little black mixed in it and I quite like them. I would have prefered that the interior be all green or the tan Moss kit that he bought back in the 80's but the seats should be easy enough yo change later if his grandson decides to do so.

L E D LaVerne

The 4th shade of green (body,piping, seats and) on the crash rail he had covered years ago along with the rear wood was something I just couldn't live with and he let me recover them in tan.

L E D LaVerne

So I'll end this now. This is just the tip of the work we have done. Much thanks to Dan Craig for his help along the way and also to Dave for the rebuilt pump and many others who have helped me be able to do these things.

L E D LaVerne

Here's one of many products "someone" could use someday. This one is red to tan. Web is full of info.

http://www.furnitureclinic.com/How-To-Change-The-Colour-Of-Leather-Car-Seats.php
efh Haskell

Nice work LaVerne, what is the paint color and source for the steering wheel and dash instrument panel? My '51 TD is ready for that part of the process of getting it back on the road. thanks, Mike
Mike Hipsher

I had a can of the Moss dash paint left over and used it all on the dash and the steering wheel center Mike. Last time I looked they showed in N/A. It's just a tad to light to be the correct color but I have used it on several cars.

All the sheet metal on and the wiring is all done and functional...except the clock , but it's right twice a day. I think Bill might want to polish up the 45 year old paint before we put the trim on. I think she can go home in a few days

L E D LaVerne

I rolled his dirt brother out for a family photo (couple of weeks difference).

L E D LaVerne

Nicely done LaVerne.

If you ever get bored - I have a TD that could do with some engine work and a touch up in the paint dep't :)
Can't swing a cat in my new garage and yours looks so clean and absolutely huge... love it.

Rod
R D Jones - Ex Pat

This thread was discussed between 16/07/2016 and 20/07/2016

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