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MG TD TF 1500 - Upholstery under Scuttle

There are three bolts on each side of the scuttle that hold the windscreen in place. They hold the under scuttle upholstery panels out. If I fix the upholstery panel in place and the windscreen needs replacement the panels will be in the way.

I can provide clearance holes in the panels at this point easily.

In the pix you can see the bolts on the passenger side. (Right side).

I have a 1/2 punch but I can make a larger one.

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

Dave had cut out a large chunk, which he said was due to "bracket mislocation". I don't believe mine are mislocated.
I think three holes would be less obvious.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

I guess there are two aspects to consider here Jim asthetics & access. The alliteration is unintentional. As there was originally a sheeet of upholstered? fibreboard that covered the entire underside of the dash as well as the top of the panel in question I don't think it matters as the bolts are hidden & this panel would have to be removed to access the bolts in question anyway. I plan to just cut out the holes. The attached pic shows the area in question. (I know it's white but it's NOT my car!)

Though I can't confirm this it should be possible to remove the windscreen without removing the chromed support pillars. I'm just about to reassemble my rechromed screen & have fitted a pair of disconnect pins in the black & green 3mm wiper feed wires (covered with grey heat shrink see pic 2) just below the scuttle so that the windscreen with wiper motor & wire attached can be removed as one unit. Hope this answers your question. Cheers
Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

Pic 2

P Hehir

You cannot remove the windshield with the windshield cowl brackets in place but ...

You don't have to take both windshield brackets off to remove the windshield. Just take the one off nearest the glovebox. Then extract the entire windshield less the opposite bracket as an assembly. And no holes are required in your kick panels. Everything stays original.

I did this just a few months ago and I have an underdash that I left in place. How did I do this you ask? By removing the glovebox and accessing the nuts from the glovebox opening. Then you can pull the kick panel out of the way enough to get your hand in there with a spanner. You need a partner to hold a screwdriver on the Phillips headed machine screws while you undo the nuts.

Be extremely careful that you don't drop the nuts because they will be forever lost in the slot behind the kick panel. I would suggest breaking the nuts loose and then have your partner turn the machine screw while you carefully hold onto the nut and when almost off take it off by hand. I also put a heavy folded towel under my windshield while doing this just in case. Watch the lock washer too.

When all the nuts are off and the machine screws are out the bracket will still support the windshield because it really is resting on the cowl. Now coordinate with your partner while one holds the loose end of the windshield in place while the other goes over to the other side of the car and takes off the wing and dome/lock nuts. Then carefully lift the windshield free.

While you have the glovebox out you might be able to get to the windshield wires but if not, just remove the dash screws and tip it down enough to get access to them.

Reverse the process to replace the assembly but it will take some finesse to put the lock washer and nut on in the blind. Not impossible though.
Christopher Couper

Thanks Chris. It's a good day when you learn something new.
P Hehir

I don't have the under dash panel so I didn't have to go through chris's gyrations but I can confirm his statement that "You cannot remove the windshield with the windshield cowl brackets in place." Been there, Done that. Jud
J K Chapin

Just so Jud and I don't tease you too much.

The reason you cannot take the windshield off of the car without removing the cowl brackets is one machine screw that is on the upright and trapped behind the cowl bracket.

If you left that one screw out then your could potentially remove the other machine screws on the upright bracket (the one with the studs in it) and then the frame would come loose.

So rather than cut holes in your upholstery, just leave that hidden screw out. But you will need an army to hold everything as you disassemble it in place.
Christopher Couper

Doing it by removal of the upright I was able to easily do it solo. I removed one upright and rested the unsupported end of the screen on a towel ahile the other upright held it vertical. I wnet to the other side and removed the wingnut and pivot stud nut (previously loosened and left thumb tight) while steadying the screen. with the nut and wing nut removed and in my pocket I was able to easily manuver (some day maybe I'll learn to spell that word) the screen to my bench. No scratches, no broken glass. Putting it back on was just the reverse of removal. Jud
J K Chapin

When I put my windscreen back, after replacing the glass, I think I did it, initially, with the stanchions in place and leaving out the bottom screws. Then I thought better of it and removed one stanchion..

Attached is a pix of the upholstery with the clearance holes.

I made a 5/8 diameter punch with a center. I installed the panel and tapped on it with a plastic hammer in the screw region. This left indents in the cardboard.
I used an awl to better mark the position for the punch center and then punched out the hole.

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

Thanks Jud, Jim & Chris. I like the idea of leaving that one machine out on each side. When I assemble the frame, wiring & glass on the bench I'll see what effect this has on the rigidity of the assembled item. It sure is a tough one Jud but nothing three vowels won't fix. Just stick an e on the end & an oe between the n & the u & the day will have come when you manoeuvere an A in orthography! Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Brits and Aussies use way too many vowels. Maneuver works to get us colonists around most obstacles. Jud
J K Chapin

That "one machine" should read "one machined screw". Re the vowels, thats's the Queen's English for you Jud
P Hehir

This thread was discussed between 07/10/2014 and 09/10/2014

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