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MG TD TF 1500 - Dave TF Engine in T Talk

In viewing this photo in T Talk, I noticed that there appears to be only one port below the goose neck for the temp gage. I see 1500 on the side of the fender panel. I have two ports under the goose neck on my engine, one for the temp bulb and one for a heater hook up. Is Daves engine an XPEG or am I missing something? PJ



Paul sr

The early TF 1500 (up to about # XPEG 1000) did not have the second port for an add on heater. The later XPEG engines all had the addition.
Don Harmer

Paul,
That is XPEG #1212.
There is a "capped tap" on the brass fitting for the temp gage. I have no heater installed, but have one that came with the car, and believe at one time it was hooked up there.
David Sheward

Amazing how your knowledge of these cars is constantly being tested. Guess that's another reason why I like them so much. Their a rolling, (hopefully), learning experience. Don, Dave, thanks for getting me straight on that! PJ
Paul sr

Well, I'm in the fog again. Dave, if your engine is an earlier model, why is it numbered 1212 when mine is numbered 654? PJ

Paul sr

Paul,
The "fog" rolled in early in June 2000 for me!
Izzy was an ebay purchase advertised as "100 point numbers matching TF1500."
Back then it was a bit more difficult to confirm this.
(i.e. You pays your $50 and wait on snail mail from BMHT.)In my case, that came "after" the purchase.

It was obvious from the start that the "broker" had no clue as to "what" a "100 point" car was! At the price I paid ...it would have been deal of the century. Still, it was a car I wanted and the price was what I was willing to spend. (Had wanted a 1500 since I was 3 yrs old.)

Was NOT real happy when I got the trace record from the UK! Several calls and "fax" I did confirm the engine was correct to the car. (If I ever blow-up "1212", I will be looking for "1262" ...since I have BMHT Cert showing it to be "correct". LOL)

Over the years I have seen many examples of "correctness" with these cars being debated here, as well as other places.

IMHO: Conversations with a bloke that actually worked at Abingdon (and built my car in Oct 1954) has brought me to the conclusion that just about anything was possible as far as construction of these cars. Sales were "sagging" and from what he told me, they would do/use "anything" to complete a car! They were, after all, "hand built".

As far as engines, (from one that worked there), those were "pulled" from a "pool" in somewhat random order. If the engine did not pass final "QC", another would be installed. The original engine would then be "re-built" and go back in the "pool".
This (IMHO) would account for a much "earlier" engine ending up in a "later" car.

That's about the best explanation I have heard.
The same guy also told me that it was not unheard of to actually "change" the color of a car at the factory!
i.e. If paint became damaged during construction it could be sent back to the paint booth for re-painting.
So, if a red car went back to the booth and they were doing ivory that day, it would then be an ivory car. (Something my source told me did not always get reflected in production records!) According to him, it was not unheard of to change one to meet an order as well, and he saw several examples "custom" colors that according to "the sources" were never "offered".
My dad's TF1500 was purchased new. It was black w/ tan interior and a black dash. My dad said he saw the car delivered to the dealer so don't believe it was done there.

Again, IMHO, half the fun of these is owning a car that was "hand made, with liberties taken".
It certainly make for some interesting conversations when they "gather". LOL
David Sheward

Oops...forgot to attach this:

David Sheward

This thread was discussed between 31/08/2013 and 01/09/2013

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