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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 - Side Curtain Frames - TD

My project for this spring is to intall a hood on TD 25009 (1953). I suspect that my TD came from the factory with a three bow frame but what came with it is a two bow frame and I've already ordered and received the two bow Stayfast top from Moss so that's what I'm going with. The first snag that I've come up on is that the spacing for the holes for the windscreen pegs to go through are too close together. I notice a weld in the middle of the front flat cross member and suspect that it may have been broken and welded back together. I plan to cut the weld and use the wood top rail (Moss 453-240) to hold the two parts together. Once the spacing is confirmed I'll get someone to tack weld a mending plate over the gap. The gap should not be more than about 1/8 inch. Any thoughts or suggestions will be welcome.

Once I can attach the front cross piec to the top of the windscreen I can work on locating the pivots beside the seat back to get the height of the first bow correct following the procedures outlined on Dave Braun's excellent site. I plan on using brass threaded inserts instead of wood screws so I can easily and repeatedly remove the frame. I plan on using Lift-the-Dots along the back and side so that the hood can be completely removed without too much trouble. I prefer not having the hood at all unless rain is in the forecast.

The next snag that I have (I'm probably way ahead of myself here because I don't even have the frame and hood installed yet) is that when I bought the TD it came with a pair of front side curtain frames that are in pretty decent condition. The paint, what's left of it, appears to be the pinkish tan that may have been the original color. The problem is that they just don't fit and I'm wondering if maybe they are for a TF (or even maybe an MGA). The angle at the bottom front of the frame is 74 degrees (see image attached). The rake on my windscreen is 70 degrees. Is the rake of the windscreen on a TF greater than on a TD? Of course it's possible that the PO back in '74 did not install the windscreen correctly but it looks right.

The frame for the right side has a tag that says "Patent No. 450267." The frame for the left side does not have a tag but it does have a once shiney (chrome?) trim strip attached at the top.

The ange at the top front is 106 degrees and at the bottom bac is 87 degrees. The height between the top and bottom (inside dimension) is 9-9/16 inches.

If these side curtain frames are not for a TD, does anybody have a pair that are that they would like to sell or swap. Does anybody know what car the frames I have might be for?

The fall back is I'm pretty good with wood and I try to build "custom fitted' side curtain frames.

Thanks.

Jud

J K Chapin

Here's a picture of both screen frames.

Jud

J K Chapin

Go to Mossmotors.com, to the interior/side curtain page. It has pictures and dimensions for all of the T-series frames. Shoot an email to me and I'll try to explain the nearly disastrous hood/curtain installation problem I had. George
George Butz

The Moss information can be seen at http://www.ttalk.info/Curtains/index.html Bud
Bud Krueger

George and Bud, thanks.

George, I'm at jchapin3 at aol dot com and I'm all ears 'cause I figger I'll repeat everyone else's disasters and invent a few of my own.

Jud
J K Chapin

I'm looking at image 23, Weather Equipment Hood Removal on Dave B's site and I see the identical weld on the top bow to what I have. So, maybe mine wasn't impropoerly repair but any ideas on why it won't fit the windscreen posts? The holes are about 1/8 inch too close together. I'll try to post a picture later.

Jud
J K Chapin

FALSE ALARM, sorry. Turns out I was attempting to fit the front bow with the frame folded up. That must distort the front bow just a tad. When I opened the frame and tried to fit it the holes lined up quite nicely. The front bow is bowed a fair amount which also brings the holes closer together but the wood top rail straightens it out so it should be ok. I've got quite a ways to go but here's where I stand after pondering and fiddling with it today. I set the measuring sticks at 20-1/2 inches per Dave B's site. That makes the pivot tails horizontal pointing forward. Does that sound right?

Still leaks a bit and some wind still gets in :-)

Jud

J K Chapin

Jud,
I notice your S/C frame lower rails are made from a piece of small angle iron which is how my TF curtains are made. I do not know if that is how TD curtains are made but I know that TC ones are made of flat steel only.

The piece of Chrome trim with the pointed ends is the same as on a TF. I don't know if a TD has the same piece or if the corners of the four trim pieces are mitred like on a TC, others will know.

I am at a similar point with my TF. When I got the car 20 years ago the hood and side curtains were fitted and everything seemed fine. The car is now on its way back together after a complete tear down including mostly new wood in the tub so nothing is positioned quite where it was.

I have compared the frames of both side curtains and the angle of the front pieces that align with the screen are at different angles but they seems parallel with the screen when on the car. The mounting brackets are in the original holes in the top rail of the doors so I can't figure out what is going on yet.
Max Irvine

Max, thanks for the input. Gotta take the boss dancing so this will be short.

I mis-read Dave B's site. What he says is that the 20-1/2 height from Moss is too high. Looks like about 19-1/2 will be right and that will make the pivots locate better.

Let's keep in touch.

Thanks.

Jud
J K Chapin

Jud, check your email. George
George Butz

George, thanks. I'm starting a new thread with the trials and tribulations of installing the hood.

Jud
J K Chapin

Jud.
Something does not look right with that hood frame. It is missing parts and appears way too high.
Sandy
ss sanders

Actually when I draped the hood over it I was concerned that it is too low. Remember, it's only got two bows so whats missing may be the bow between the front windscreen and themain bow.

Jud

J K Chapin

George and Bud, thanks for the reference. Based on the Moss info it looks like I probably do have two-bow TD side curtain framees (I'll measure and confirm this evening) and also based on this infor I think my problem is that the PO mounted the front mounting bracked (Moss 405-300) too low(probably just used existing holes so the location may be correct for three-bow frames). I'll see if simply raising the front mounting bracket solves the angular misalignment.

Jud
J K Chapin

Thanks to the leads from George and Bud, the literature from Moss, my trusty Lowes tape measure and a pair of trifocal augmented MkI eyeballs I've confirmed that the side curtain frames that I have are for the three bow TD. They are too tall for my two bow frame and I don't think I can make them work without serious modification with a hack saw and some welding help.

Does anybody have a pair of two bow frames that want to sell or swap?

Thanks.

Jud
J K Chapin

Jud, I have a set of rear sidscreen frames for a two bow top that I am selling. Send me an email message if you are still looking.
Cheers, Hugh
H.D. Pite

I bought the front and rear side curtain frames and a set of virgin stayfast covers from Hugh. They arrived today. They're absolutely as represented (frames a bit rought but will be perfect with blasting and powder coating, covers virgin). Needless to say, I'm a happy camper. Installation of the hood (pretty conventional except snaps in the rear as suggested by Dave Braun and others and I'm making the front detachable so I can remove all the canvas hood and just fold the frame into the boot and not lose all the boot room - pictures to follow soon) and then final fitting of the frames and covers to line up with the hood. I know this is backwards (all advice is put on the side curtains and fit the hood to them but I think this will work) and I've dry-fitted the side curtains and they appear to line up just about perfect.

IF the weather forecaster on my iPhone continues to work, I hope never to use any of this but I guess it's good to have just in case.

Good stuff Hugh. Thanks.

Jud
J K Chapin

Do us all a favor Jud and take plenty of pictures... I'll be tackling the same project soon... er, well eventually.... Best of luck!
Geoffrey M Baker

This thread was discussed between 15/02/2014 and 18/03/2014

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