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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Radiator grille

Would anyone be aware as to the material the radiator slats are made. I tried to determine whether they were made of carbon steel or stainless steel by placing a magnet on a slat, however it came up as being magnetic. Some stainless steels are magnetic. I was wondering what ours are made from. If they are stainless steel then I will polish mine but if they are made of a carbon steel then I may have to get mine chromed.
Any thoughts.
Thanks.
John...Sydney
J Walton

I don't know on the TD but for the TF the grill slats were made of brass.

Frank
Frank Cronin

John, as far as I know, all the grille slats are made of plain old steel. The later Mark II TDs and the TFs were chrome plated. Don't forget that the MGs were pretty low priced cars in their day.
Jim Merz

This is what I got back when I had my grill re-chromed from Paul's Chrome. These are the original grill slats on the car that were banged up with the chrome removed.

Yellow metal, non metallic. I wish it was gold so I could cash it in....

Frank



Frank Cronin

TF brass...TD steel
MG LaVerne

Thanks to Jim, Frank and Laverne.
looks a though it is just basic carbon steel. I polished a spare slat I had and it came up pretty good but to be on the safe side I think I will get mine chromed. Would have been a lot better if they were brass.
Thanks again.
John
J Walton

Hi John. TD's definitely steel painted the same colour as the trim, unless you have a Mark 2 (TDC) in which case they are chromed. Just spent a few hours straightening & aligning the slats & have made a timber tool to speed up the process. It fits neatly into the profile & works just like a bought one! Also have some rivets if you need to panel beat & refit any of the slats. You have my number.
Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Hi Peter
Many thanks for your kind offer. I am aware that the grille should be painted the same colour as the trim but my wife keeps saying to me that it would look better chromed. Just to please her I will get them done.I know its not correct but "happy wife is a happy life" :)

On another matter I have a problem with the clutch pressure plate. It is new as is the clutch plate however on assembly (twice) I cannot compress the pressure plate. All adjustments are correct and there is no fouling of the clevis' etc. I took it to a clutch place and the boss suggested that the springs seemed to be too heavy and if able to be compressed the springs would bottom out. I am unable to contact him until next Tuesday when he returns from his Christmas break. Have you ever heard anyone experiencing this? Going by the part number stamped on the pressure plate it looks as though it was supplied by PBR so it should be OK.
Regards
John..TD1523
J Walton

I am confident that the original slats for both TD and TF were made from brass.

Replacement grills, from early on, were made from mild steel.
Ian Bowers

I have parts of two original TD slat sets and they are both just mild steel. The slats will have to be perfectly straight and dent free, as any imperfection will look terrible with chrome. It may cost a fortune also. Until recently, Moss had polished stainless slat sets that looked nice, someone may still have a set around. George
George Butz

I have four sets of TD slats, at least two sets are very probably OEM. All are painted (w/rust) steel. Bud
Bud Krueger

Mine are original and steel.
Rich (TD 3983) Taylor

The slats on my TF are stainless steel. I've just scratched the rear of one of them and they certainly not plated. I suspect they are the same material as the hub caps which are made from magnetic stainless steel. I was perplexed by the hub caps being magnetic and tested one by scrubbing a small patch on the inside with coarse emery paper and leaving it outdoors in the rain. After several months there is no sign of rust.

Jan T
J Targosz

My slats are original also I have a couple of replacement slats which have been laying around for 35 years. I took one of them and polished them with Autosol metal polish. It shined up extremely well with no visible imperfections. My next move is to let it soak in some water to determine if it is carbon steel or otherwise. They are not brass however the radiator shell certainly is.
It appears to me to be stainless steel, possibly one of the 400 series.
Hopefully my water test may proove it to me.
John...Sydney
J Walton

This thread was discussed on 03/01/2014

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