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MG TD TF 1500 - TD Exterior Piping

Been through the archive & the concensus seems to be that the exterior piping should match the body colour. This is what I'd always believed. Chris Couper's site also states this. Malcolm Green doesn't take a position on this one way or the other. Horst doesn't mention it either except to refer to the piping supplied with the kit. His black & white pics suggests his idea is ALL the piping should be the same colour as the interior. This is fine if you have a red car with a red interior. The colour pic of the white TD with the red piping on the cover of his book also makes his thoughts on this clear.

A restorer here has just completed a great restoration of a TD but with the piping matching the trim, not the body. This was supplied as part of a Moss kit. Colour pics of other restorations also show TD's & TF's with piping matching the interior. The local restorer cites Horst as his reference. However neither Malcolm nor Horst actually address the issue of piping colour. As both Malcolm Green & Horst Schach's tomes are acknowledged as the two key reference works in the restoration of TD's, can anyone provide a definitive answer to this question?

Opinions are fine but aren't much good when it comes to settling a question like this, but opinions substantiated with incontrovertible evidence, if it indeed exists, hopefully should carry the day. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I guess if contrasting piping were available when new then this would show up in the B&W photographs of the time. For example, red piping on a cream car would show very distinctly. I have yet to find a period photo showing contrasting piping.

Matthew.

M Magilton

In examining the sales brochures, I cannot find any color or black and white photos where the piping is the color of the interior. You can see a number of the brochures at

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_brochures.htm

I have a few of these and again, the color of the piping matches the body in the color ones I have.
Bruce Cunha

I think some of you are confusing the colour of the grill with the colour of the trim.

I'd like to be proven wrong, but on TDs and TFs: a( Piping always matched the car paint, and on TDs, b) grill slats always matched the interior (except for Mark II).

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A Clark

Thank you gentlemen. Bruce, I didn't think to view Chris's excellent collection of original sales brochures. Having just scrolled through some of them I believe they are more than supportive of the contention that piping & body colour matched. While Moss continue to supply exterior piping that matches the interior in their upholstery kits, it seems the waters will continue to be muddied. (I avoided the Moss kits because the hidem is 5/8" not the original 1/2" & because the fit of most panels is a compromise often requiring modification. I've just added another reason). I am in complete agreement Matthew. Gordon, no confusion here. I believe we three all agree, so it seems very unlikely you could be proven wrong! Great post Bruce. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

The piping on this appears to be body color. PJ



Paul S Jennings

Gord: Grill color did not always match the interior. You could have a red car with tan interior and still have a red grill.

See the comments here:

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_finishes.htm

I won't comment on the use of Horst Schach's book for originality sake. Good book for keeping cars on the road though in a reasonably authentic state.
Christopher Couper

I bought a roll of piping from Moss and it appears to be a rubberized coated fabric. Does this make sense? It doesn't look like the stuff I used on antique American cars back when. It had a shiny bead almost a smooth vinyl look over fabric. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Paul

Are you talking about the car or the "dolly bird"?

Glovebox pattern into the post today.

Graeme
G Evans

Glovebox pattern into the post today.

Ah, thanks Graeme, much appreciated!

What's a "dolly bird"? PJ

















ah

Paul S Jennings

Aussie version of a Doll, as in "Guys and Dolls".

Matthew.
M Magilton

Must be a highly refined phrase as it did not make the cut :-)

http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html#D
Christopher Couper

Probably more Old Dart slang than Skip speak. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

This thread was discussed between 06/11/2014 and 07/11/2014

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