Nitty Details

The following items are the hardest to achieve for a person who is trying to create an absolutely original car. In a Concours d'Elegance these would be the items that could differentiate two winning cars. Some of these items will most likely be impossible to achieve but they are interesting goals to pursue if you want the ultimate in originality.

It may well be that there never was an original TD once it left the dealer showroom/lot, especially in the United States. It appears that modifying the car was one of the major features of the model. This is attested by all the accessories that were available at the time from dealers and parts suppliers such as Arnolt and others.

Note: To see a picture of the detail item in a seperate window click on the icon.

Item		Source
Engine number that matches body plate		N/A
Size of front splash apron piping (smaller diameter than rest of exterior piping)		Make it yourself by taking the cord out of a piece of the piping that you used on the rest of the body and replace it with a 1/4 inch diameter cord
Exhaust pipe diameter
Original engine oil pan bolts
Original soft metal tappet cover bolts
Original flat gray windscreen wiper wire
Rubber rear license plate lamp wire cover		Hardware store or automotive supply
Correct battery (series, Lucas, vented caps)		Abingdon Spares
Cap style battery cable connectors at battery		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares, Rhode Island Wiring Services
Black braided negative battery and starter cables		Rhode Island Wiring Services, The In-Point
Rubber starter switch (not nylon) and rubber boots
Horn wire to battery cable clip
Original spark plug wires (plastic coated black cloth braided wire)		Check NOS at classic car parts shops
Original spark plug caps (black bakelite)
Spark plug wire retainer at distributor (red fiberboard)
Black painted bolts on valve cover		N/A
Original black coil		Moss Motors
Correct dates (within a few months prior to car date) on starter, generator, and coil		British Auto Electric
Braided and cloth covered wires and loom, black sheath with dual yellow tracer		Rhode Island Wiring Services, The In-Point
Correct (small diameter) braided fuel lines
Wooden battery box liner		Moss Motors, 407-710
Rubber pads between battery and battery clamp		Local hardware store
Correct profile dashboard attachment washers
Double slotted temperature gauge conduit clips for radiator stabilizer tubes		Moss Motors
Radiator drain pipe
Appropriate front rebound rubbers (short - late or tall - early)
ID plates finished in nickel silver		Moss Motors 408-730, 408-740
Oil cap finished in nickel silver
Correct oil cap chain covered in rubber tubing		The rubber cover may not be original. Most people from the period have no memory of it.
Etched 'Auster' windscreen emblem
Correct nuts (fat) on windscreen frame
Brass finished flat 'D' washer and lock nut on windscreen sideframe (under Acorn nut)
Dunlop tires 5.50x15		British Wire Wheel
Andrex shock absorbers on TD Mk II
Glass tail and side lamp lenses		Moss Motors 157-908
Lucas "Anchor" quartz iodine headlamps
Wide topped bumpers
No rubber packing on bumper overriders		N/A
Front license plate with correct 'Z' brackets to bumper
Original ignition switch with correct labeling (not the 'window' variety)		While I do not know of a source for the switch,Abingdon Spares, has a decal for the labels. It is part number 39/2D. You can also retain the original facia and knob and marry it to a replacement body and switch.
Original tachometer and speedometer cables
Original starter and choke cables
Under dash cover in black Rexine		Abingdon Spares, Moss Motors 451-795
Original interior materials (Rexine)
Leather on map pocket tops and door piping, seat tops		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares
Correct number of pleats on seat cushions (6) with wider borders		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares
Correct holes on firewall (there were some empties, see manuals)
Original top/tonneau materials
Original half tonneau cover		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares
Correct radiator hoses (large hose pebble finish)
Correct (thin and textured) radiator webbing strip
Tapered rubber packing under headlamp arms to fenders. Not straight sided.		Abingdon Spares
Correct routing and copper carburetor overflow lines with clip on front engine plate		This arcticle from Just Brits will show you how
Original hose clamps (radiator hoses, air cleaner, steering column)		Moss Motors 326-388
'Mickey Mouse' air cleaner wing nut
Original tan marbled steering wheel		I have not been happy with the reproduction units as I feel the color is too dark. If you have an old wheel you might want to check with Kimble Engineering, in the UK. They reportedly have the original mold tooling for the steering wheel and has them made in the original materials (even in the original city). Also note that I believe the centerpiece to be darker than what is generally accepted today. See finish details for more information and the attached image.
Original steering wheel center piece		Moss Motors 262-340
Plain door threshold plates
Original width running board strips and rubber
Original Karvel unbound carpeting		Moss Motors, Abingdon Spares
Original transmission dipstick cover wing nut
Mahogany marine plywood floorboards
Tan leather steering wheel excluder at scuttle with correct clamp		Moss Motors 454-040
Sewn in rubber footwell with MG logo
Painted interior color fuel tank strap bolt heads and washers		N/A
Painted instrument faces rather than decals		Vintage Restorations
Original flocked lined glove box		Moss Motors 454-155
Original tools and tool case		The In-Point and www.britishtool.com for reproductions
Original hand crank with brass handle, clips on rear of seat back		Moss Motors 386-150
Original operation manual, workshop manual, parts catalog
Original dealer brochures
Original Factory Accessories
Direction of and correct type of bolts and nuts (see manuals for guidance on positions)		N/A

Note that depending on the Concours d'Elegance that you are attending, accessories that were available during the production run of the MGTD may or may not be acceptable. This varies from event to event, judge to judge.

Page last updated on January 1, 2007