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MG TD TF 1500 - Body Mounts Necessary?

I am about to re-mount the '54 TF body to the frame and was wondering about body mounts. When I disassembled the car there were small pads made of a fiber material between the body and frame where the body bolts to the frame. Is this material available from one of the MG parts vendors or elsewhere? The pads I removed looked like a web belt or a thin conveyor belt type material. If I recall it was approx 1/8" thick. Can a piece of rubber be used instead of the material? What have you guys used, if anything at all? Thanks.
L Staller

George Butz just answered a similar question in my thread TD panel assembly procedure sounds like we are doing about the same thing
W. A. Chasser Jr

I used pieces of rubber roofing material. Bud
Bud Krueger

I use 5/16" fender washers with one neoprine washer on the top of the stack.
David
D. Sander

So it seems that most any material will do the job. I particularly like the idea of using something solid like fender washers and a neoprene washer. That way when it's necessary to adjust the body to frame alignment for the best door fitment another fender washer or neoprene washer will do the trick. I just might go out and buy some 5/16 fender washers and some neoprene washers tomorrow and lift the body back on the chassis. I can then start the time consuming task of aligning and fitting the doors. Once I'm satisfied, off comes the body for paint. Thanks for your input.

L Staller

nice job looking chassis LS
W. A. Chasser Jr

Dave's 5/16 is the bolt diameter. These fender washers are fairly thick. The effect on the doors of a second fender washer could be significant. Don't overdo it. Bud
Bud Krueger

Bud, the fender washers I use are quite thin, actually slightly thinner than a conventional washer. The neoprene washers are the same diameter as the fender washers. If no shims are needed, I just use the one neoprene washer.
David
D. Sander

Looks really good LS. If you need a Purolater decal for the oil filter, Rob Grantham in WA has very good quality original looking decals. I used Honda Sable Green Metallic on my Purolater canister which is a good match to the original paint. I hope you don't mind me also saying that the bolts securing the radiator cross mounting rail were originally fitted with the nuts on top. If you maintain your level of detail & finish it will be one very pretty & original car. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Thanks again for all the input. I appreciate all the tips as to the way the factory built the car. I'll pick up some Honda Sable Green paint and some thin fender washers. I'll also reverse the bolts on the radiator cross member. Peter, do you have contact info for Rob Grantham so I can see if he has any decals available? Thanks again for all the help!
(W. A. Chasser Jr, I'm in Huntington Beach are you close by?)
L Staller

G'day LS. Rob Grantham is a regular contributor to this forum. I'm sure he'll be in touch or you could contact me off line @ pjbm at bigpond.com & I'll provide his email address. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I had an extra bit of rubber fish pond-liner; found many many uses for it in restaring both the TF and the MGA.
David Werblow

L. Staller: Your work is beautiful! I don't know if you are striving for perfection, but I am pretty confident that the engine was painted fully assembled, so those nuts and bolts should also be red. Even the brass ones that look so good natural!

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Thanks to all for your kind words about my car. I'm restoring it as I would like to see it, not for judging . I had the fasteners zinc plated because I like contrast, especially against a not so pretty color ( the engine red!) but with a few things plated and some pieces painted a satin black it doesn't like like a "custom car" but it does look sharp and detailed, at least that's my thoughts.
Not long ago I completed a full restoration on my Ferrari 308 and even with that car I made some slight changes that most people don't notice but sure did clean up the overall look of the car. And to my surprise it won 1st place at the Huntington Beach Concours last month!
Perfectly restored cars certainly have there place ( I had a AACA Senior car back in the 70's) but lately I just want clean, well detailed cars. I feel these small changes I make don't distract from the car but enhance it's overall look. Plus, I'm having a ball working on the TF!
Thanks again... Lou
L Staller

I made shims for the body mounts from an old plastic one gallon engine oil container. The stuff was black, rigid, resilient, doesn't soak water and is free! It is also thin enough to allow adjustment by adding or removing shims.

Jan T
J Targosz

Lou, how cool that you have a 308. I recently got to play navigator in a fun rally in a red (of course) 308. The tires/wheels were not stock size, so the odo was way off, had to calculate mileage in my head! George
George Butz

Hi George,
Here's a photo of my '84 308. There are a few enhancements I did that are quite obvious to those familiar with the 308's but not to most people. They just see a clean well detailed car. Can anyone spot them? It's all fun!

L Staller

Sadly no, I'm up in Sacramento Cheers!
W. A. Chasser Jr

This thread was discussed between 05/08/2014 and 08/08/2014

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