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MG TD TF 1500 - Welded Nut - TF radiator side plate

I plan to weld a missing nut to the left side plate on my TF radiator grille tomorrow. Will you tell me if I am about to screw up?
> Side plate = Item #38 in the diagram.
> Missing nut = bottom of left plate in photo at double-headed arrow.

Here's why I'm concerned about screwing up:

The right side plate on my TF radiator grille has a nut attached at the bottom. The nut has no signs of being welded. Perhaps pressed in, kinda like a "D" nut on the foot plate bulkhead. The flats on the nut fit a 5/16" WW wrench instead of the normal 1/4" WW wrench for 5/16" BSF nuts.

The left side plate doesn't have the nut and there is no evidence of a previous weld. I secure the left fender with a 5/16" BSF bolt, washer, and nut through the empty hole in the side plate.

Two more nuts are welded to the side plates about half way up. The welds aren't pretty. The flats on the nuts fit a 1/2" SAE wrench, but the threads are 5/16" BSF. Seems some previous owners also had problems with the nuts.

>> Should I weld a nut to replace the missing one?

Any info about the original nuts in these locations?

Thanks,

Lonnie
TF7211





LM Cook

I found photos of the radiator grille side plates and welded nuts in the archives. One of the posts noted that the TF WSM directions to remove a TF radiator states "Remove the two sets of bolts screwing into captive nuts in the radiator grille at each side, accessible below the wings." (Section DD.2) So the existence of the nuts is confirmed.

But the information and photos in the archives have made me EVEN MORE CONFUSED!!

>>> Are the radiator side plates attached to the wrong sides of my radiator? I feel that they are mounted correctly, but photos by LaVerne Downey show them mounted on the reverse sides of the radiator.

These two photos show the side plates mounted to my radiator and grille as I was disassembling the car for restoration. The radiator grille is wider than the radiator, so the side plates are shaped to meet the grille. See color illustration in my original post.

Lonnie
TF7211





LM Cook

Two photos by LaVerne Downey show the nuts, they are on the outside of the plates. The left side plate appears to be attached to the right side of the radiator, and right side plate attached to the left side of the radiator.

Thread: "hardware for radiator shell TF", Started by J.L.E. van den Boorn, Netherlands, 30-Dec-2015. LaVerne posted photos on the same day.

Lonnie
TF7211




LM Cook

The position of the side plates is difficult to determine in this photo by A R Jones, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom posted 12-Feb-2014. They appear to be positioned like mine, with the side that mounts to the grille wider than the side mounted to the radiator.

If this is so then the side plates have no nuts welded to the insides.

Thread: "TF radiator & shell removal", started by N D Wallace, Cheshire, United Kingdom, 12-Feb-2014.

Lonnie
TF7211

LM Cook

I apologize for dragging out this thread.

For clarification: this photo shows the "outside" of my side plates. The nuts are welded to the other side ... the "inside".

Thanks for any insight and help that you can give to me.

Lonnie
TF7211

LM Cook

My questions have been answered, and I tack welded a 5/16" BSF nut to replace the missing one on my TF radiator side panel.

LaVerne Downey and I exchanged emails about his radiator side plates. He told me that he believes that the side plates in his photos are on the wrong sides. He also said that one of the captured nuts on a side plate must be held by a wrench inserted between grille slats to keep it from turning when the fender bolt is tightened.

So it appears that the original nuts were pressed into the side plates and not welded. Based on LaVerne's experience, the missing nuts in A R Jones' photo, and my radiator plate, it's not uncommon for them to become loose or lost.

If you weld new nuts to the inside of your radiator side plates to replace missing ones, then center them above the holes so that the plates will be positioned properly on the radiator grille. I used a 5/16 BSF bolt to hold the nut tightly against the plate for welding. I wrapped a thin strip of aluminum from a soft drink can around the bolt to center it in the hole.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Lonnie: This was a great thread even though you were the only one participating.

And don't trust LaVerne. He uses a nail to hold his radiator stay in place. :-)
Christopher Couper

Lonnie,

Whilst your are working on this area area of the car , check the plate between the bottom of fthe radiator shell and and the radiator saddle bracket. There should two(2) 'caged' 1/4" BSF nuts toward the front of this plate .They are notoriously missing.

These nuts assist in fixing the front stone guard panel to the shell/and the bottom plate.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
Rob Grantham

Thanks Rob,
I’ll check them tomorrow.

Chris - Don’t want to falsely accuse LaVerne of using improper fasteners. That’s my my radiator with the nail.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Lonnie,

Just to further clarify, the setscrews(2) which go through the shell, through the bottom plate and finally into the BSF threaded nut, are 1/4" Phillips dome head. Rubber grommet (with central hole) goes against the under side of the front stone guard panel, then a washer, spring washer and of course the setscrew.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

This thread was discussed between 28/04/2020 and 30/04/2020

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