The MGA With An Attitude
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MGTD in Michigan, Inspection - (September 21, 2024)
Saturday- September 21, 2024:
Just after 3-pm we arrive at appointment with a fellow named Earl on a side street in Lincoln Park, Michigan. We were here to inspect an MG TD for sale on Craigslist on behalf of a prospective buyer in Connecticut. Got the keys, remove cover from the TD, walk around start taking pictures.
Missing the bonnet assembly, owner says he has it, but it doesn't fit. We didn't see it, couldn't try it, take his word for it now. The engine is something Mitsubishi, possibly from a Dodge Colt. Not fuel injected, some downdraft carburetor I have not seen before Missing both running boards, none available. The car was repainted some time past, and it looks like the running boards were never installed after painting. Wire
wheels are not original to the TD, guessing the rear axle might be MGA or early MGB banjo type axle, but not sure of origin. Front drum brakes look like original TD parts, while the wire wheel splined hubs might be MGA parts. Tires are 5.60-15 4-ply nylon bias ply tubeless tires, and pretty sure they are too old to have a date stamp, something out of the 70's maybe.
Fit of the rear wings is suspect, but maybe I just don't know what I should be looking for. At the back, the wings are spaced out an inch or more from the body mounting point. On the left side there is a long bolt and a tube spacer. On right side no bolt or spacer, and less space.
The doors strike me as typical fit for an old TD. Loose fitting latches that will latch if you hold the front end of the door at correct height and slam it. Hinges have loose fitting hinge pins, especially the top hinge that allows the door to sag, although the hinge brackets do appear to be secure on the B-posts. There is a bungee cord present that appears to be positioned to clip onto the exterior door handles to prevent doors from popping open.
Interior a bit tatty, dirty, begging for fresh carpet, some harness wiring hanging free. Shifter lever is standard 4-speed H-pattern , push down, then left and back for reverse, don't know what gearbox it is.
Got the keys, switch on, pull to start, it cranks well, good battery and starter, no fire. We sprayed a little starting fluid in the carburetor and cranked again, still no fire, not even a single pop. The owner put a gallon of fresh gas in it, crank gain, still no fire, so he called his mechanic who was fairly close at hand. Mechanic switches key on, ten seconds of fiddling, pull start, and it fired right up. What? Turn this little black knob until that little yellow light comes on, for ignition, then start. Okay, goodbye. Now it was running, but if I don't know how to start it, I don't have enough courage to try driving it. I did notice that the air cleaner with 5-inch bottom aperture did not match the carburetor with 3-inch top aperture, so no seal between the air cleaner and carburetor. People have been driving this car?
Picture of the tail end of the LF wing with large paint blisters on the outboard edge. Rag top not fastened down on the left side. I pushed that down on the peg and tightened the retaining wing bolt inside. Then looking at the disconnected wiper drive, no wiper motor inside, so no spindle to attach the center drive arm.
Picture of the pull start switch near the battery, and some of the aftermarket wiring on a barrier strip. Non-standard wire colors, so it could take a while to figure out the current wiring. It may be more desirable to install a new original type wiring harness, along with a full restoration, maybe? Hint, hint.
Under dash, factory style optional turn signal switch. Face of dash looks mostly normal, I think. Picture of the mismatched air cleaner near the smaller carburetor.
Pictures too close up of rusted out bottom surface of the frame at back near the bumper attachment and leaf spring rear perch. Couple more pictures of he carburetor and odd fuel supply parts.
Back to body work, the dog leg area in front of the LR wheel, with no running board. Looks like Bondo, never finished, painted over, thinking the running board should cover it?
Tail end of the LF wing, sans running board, showing large paint blisters on the outboard edge (hiding Bondo?).
Tail end of the RF wing, sans running board. If you poke the bottom edge of the sill, it is thin and flexible, must be rust behind the paint and Bondo.
I guess the bottom line is, it may drive as-is, as long as you don't kick it in the wrong places. But to be a nice car it would need restoration work to fix rust, and full repaint and re-trimming. So, what does it cost to restore a somewhat rusty MGTD, time and money?
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