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MG TD TF 1500 - Bits Finish

Doing a bit more research on finishes.
Probably the one that I am truly unsure of is the finish of the fender bolts.

It is unclear from Chris's gallery but I do see some that appear to be body color and others that do not.

If they were body color, this would indicate again that they had someone touching up as the fenders were painted off the car. I guess it is possible that they had boxes of painted bolts that matched the colors they were using.

Next is the hood latch catch bolt/nut. These appear to have been black.

The last one is the support that the seat bracket bolts onto. This bar goes through the rear fender from the bottom. I could not find any pictures or information on if it was black or body color. Again, I am thinking black as it was added on after the fender was painted.
Bruce Cunha

My research suggests that TCs had blackened bolts, early TDs likewise, (see the 1st TD in CC's Gallery) and that TFs were cadmium plated. I think it is unlikely that the bolts were ever originally painted. Too much of a hassle both on the line and when the front and rear wings were subsequently removed for whatever reason. When a respray was necessary it would be cheaper, quicker and simpler to just paint them body colour in situ. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

So far I can only find one TD that looks like it's fender bolts were painted body color, TD20609.

The rest to me all look like natural or CAD. Most are so well rusted or covered in dirt it's hard to say. At least one car was resprayed so paint there is suspect.

The hood latch catch machine screws were painted body color. Perhaps left brass but ...

The nut could have been painted black but not sure why. The latch is all CAD plated.

The backing plate for the seat adjuster was either natural steel that rusted or perhaps cheaply painted black. Only pictures I have are either rusted or encrusted in dirt.



Christopher Couper

All of the original bolts TD I have were black oxide or painted over black oxide.
I don’t think CAD bolts were used.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Interesting Thread.

On original TFs at least, a lot of areas on the car had CAD plated bolts,nuts,washers, often contrary to opinion!

Cheers
Rob Grantham
Rob Grantham

Chris, I saw that one. It does look more like it was painted after.

On TD 23834, the front fender bolts clearly do not look painted.

https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/Pictures/TD23834/Thumbnails/mgtd_gallery_td23834.htm#

But if you look at the rear, it looks painted (could just be road crud) https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/Pictures/TD23834/Thumbnails/mgtd_gallery_td23834.htm

Then there is this picture. Front fender bolts very dark, but look at the small bolt in the upper left of the picture. It appears to have some paint on it.

I am probably going to go with black, now to determine if I go with Oxide black bolts or painted black.


On the latches. You bring up another of those HMMM. If the small screws that hold the latches on the hood were painted body color, did they put them in paint the hood, and then add the latch? Or did they put the latch in and tape off the handle? Anyone have the actual latch mechanism showing body paint.

What about the latch receiver and hood bumper on the fender? Black nuts
Bruce Cunha

FWIW I have only seen black oxide on chassis bolts.

I have no clue on the painting of the latch screws. I suspect it was done by hand afterwards since you would paint both sides of the panel at the same time. There is some evidence that they might have been left brass too.

The latch receiver and bumper were probably black given that they are black. That famous bucket of black paint was always handy. :-)

But the pictures I have that show this area have no paint and just rust which leaves me to believe they just ignored these and the plating either wore off or was never there to begin with. Painting these black would stick out like a sore thumb.

So I would go with whatever you decide to do with the rest of the fender bolts.
Christopher Couper

I wonder if the same guy who went around painting the hinges (by brush) went around and painted the bolt heads by brush as well. At least the ones that showed.

I read somewhere that the brass hinges were painted after installing the doors to the colour of the car during touch-up and inspection.

Just a thought.
... CR
CR Tyrell

CR. The doors were put on prior to paint. Others have pointed out a lack of body color under the hinges. This picture at the body assembly factory appears to be where they are adding doors to the tubs. You can see doors not on the bodys on the other assembly lines.

Bruce Cunha

"FWIW I have only seen black oxide on chassis bolts"

Chris, I assume you are talking of TDs here, not TFs?

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

This thread was discussed between 27/08/2020 and 31/08/2020

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