MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

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 Stowage Problem

This is both a cautionary tale and a request for help.

A few days ago, at the request of one of our frequent posters who shall remain nameless, I intended to put the side curtains of my 3-bow TD in place and take pictures of them in place. I spent considerable time trying to extricate the side curtains from the stowage area without success. I fear they are permanently lodged in the compartment. I had them out for the only time in over 30 years when I was getting my car back on the road four years ago and I remember how difficult it was to stow them away again when the car was up and running. After much fiddling, forcing, and swearing trying to get them out I looked at the WSM and realized I had put them away using the first stowage method shown on page 10 of the WSM instead of the correct second method shown on page 17. The WSM says "...no attempt must be made to stow them as described on pages 10 and 11" and it also says "If stowage is carried out correctly the use of force is unnecessary." Luckily, I don't ever plan to use them again but it would be nice to be able to remove them.

Two questions: Has anyone else had this problem? Does anyone have any ideas of how to remove the side curtains from their compartment without dismantling or destroying anything in the process?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Joe

Joe Olson

I'm planning on cutting the shelf over the top of the storage box to make it a flip-up lid to hopefully ease insertion and removal of the side curtains. Has anyone done something like this? Jud

ps, thanks for the posting Joe and I hope this doesn't constitute a highjacking.
J. K. Chapin

Joe I hope you can figure a way to extricate your curtains. If they went in then surely they can come back out somehow without damage to the curtains or the interior fixings. I’ve never stowed my curtains so I can’t offer any advise. Interesting that there are two sets of instructions. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t stow mine. I will have to look at the references you’ve mentioned

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

Jud, http://www.ttalk.info/Hinged_Side_Curtain_Lid.htm . It came from Dave DuBois. Bud
Bud Krueger

I think force may be required. I suspect you will have to take them out as one unit.

Really not much can happen to them but bending the canvas and maybe cracking the plastic.
Christopher Couper

Dave’s solution certainly makes stowage an easier task. I hadn’t seen that before. Thanks for sharing Bud

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

It sounds as though if I really want to get them out, I may have to borrow a couple of gorillas from the zoo to force them out or cut the top of the compartment per Dave DuBois' method. I'm still wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem.

Thanks for your comments,
Joe
Joe Olson

As always, thank you Bud and David. Looks like I won't have to invent that wheel. Jud
J. K. Chapin

I had a friend who’s side curtained we’re not put away correctly. Brute force Pull. We put the top down, I put gloves on and got where I was directly over the opening and gave a very firm pull.
When we put them back we followed the direction in the manual and they now come in and out easily.
G D

I might add that you need to pull the bundle from the back towards the front while at the same time pulling up and out from the bottom. And do a little wiggling all at the same time.

This might require two people as GD stated and getting access while the top is there could be a challenge. But it is doable and you really cannot break anything worth keeping at this point.
Christopher Couper

I had the same issue with two bow side curtains. Christopher advice and some brute force. I redid the windows and solved the problem permantly. See picture.

Sits behind the seat.

Joe

JWP Policastro

Something else that will make stowing and removal of the side curtains much easier is to put gripper snaps around the bottom of the rear bottom of the top. As one person, watching me putting luggage behind the seat back on our TD, WOW! a hatch back TD. It makes everything easier to load stuff behind the seats on the TD. Cheers - Dave
DW DuBois

I made these little bags for mine, including the little pockets for the rear curtains "foot". Makes it even harder to get them in and out. :-)



Christopher Couper

I had similar bags for my 4 side curtains which, until two months ago, were stored for 40 years in the compartment. I decided to take them out for an inspection. They turned out to be in perfect shape but ABSOLUTELY REFUSED, even after fighting with them for a hour, to go back in the compartment with the bags so I left some of the bags off.
John Quilter (TD8986)

Thanks everyone. My side curtains are going to stay in the compartment for now, or at least until I can get those gorillas to help force them out. Chris mentioned on my other “Original Top?” thread that they are black. I can only guess how he knows that, and he is correct, but they are black only because many years ago I didn’t like their faded shabby tan color so I dyed them black. I’m certain they are original, but I don’t remember what color the frames are. That’s one of the reasons I was trying to get them out.
Joe
Joe Olson

"Chris mentioned on my other “Original Top?” thread that they are black. I can only guess how he knows that"

I have my secret sources. :-)
Christopher Couper

This thread was discussed between 10/03/2018 and 13/03/2018

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG TD TF 1500 BBS now