Paging MG "T" Owners

Wanted to pick your brain here.

Come spring, I will be in the market for another car. At the end of the day, I have been searching for the "right" C5 Z06 since I lost out on the first one back in July.

However, something has come up. A family friend is considering selling her 53 TD some springtime. If I remember correctly, it is a MKII (Teloscopic Shocks, "Bigger" Engine, etc). Car is fairly mechanically sound and body is in good shape. I would put it at maybe a high 3. The steering wheel has some cracks, gauges not functioning, 4th gear synchro is bad.

My memory from the last time I drove it is a little fuzzy, but I believe the hood/curtains and interior were Black (ugh).

I know nothing about the TD market, other than I enjoyed driving the car, albeit @ 40mph. Sure, it is on the opposite end of the spectrum, but it put the same smile on my face.

Would $15k be too much for such an example. The market seems all over the board. TDs obviously go for less than a TC, which I am fine with. However, I've seen "projects" for as little as $5k, up to $30k for a fully-restored example.

It this something I could do a bit of a rolling restoration on, enjoy for a few years, and not lose my ass? Or possibly something to run @ the PVGP.

My Sunday driving is comprised of mostly B-Roads, but I don't want to get completely run over if I have to venture out on the highway. I hear there are some blow-by issues with this type of driving as well.

Thoughts? Opinions?

We looked at buying one two years ago at Hershey. It was in original condition. Ratty, but mechanically acceptable. Asking price was $15k. We offered $10k and he countered at $12k. We didn't buy the car. It was probably a $12,000 car, but I have two MGAs and a Bugeye in the garage, two being years-old projects.

To me, your car sounds like a project. I'd not offer more than $5,000, which might be low, but you can always go up. You're going to spend a few thousand to rebuild the gauges and gearbox and fix the other issues. A 'TD is not something you can run up and down the highway at 80mph. It's probably good for 60. I don't like to cruise at much more than that in my MGA.

Getting from a 3 to a 9 or 10 is expensive. Getting it to a 5 or six is realistic without much outlay. If you can't do the resto yourself, you're going to lose money even if you buy it for a dollar. If you're mechanically inclined and do the interior yourself, you'll probably make a few dollars or break even if you make it a solid driver.

While you're thinking about it, consider this. I'll sell my 53 TD project for 10K firm. It has a modified MGB engine and overdrive trans. as well as rear axle. Other changes are: 4 link rear susps with coil-overs; coil-over front suspension; B f&r brakes; engine mild streetable mods; black with tan canvas top, curtains, and leather; wood rimmed st. wheel; 5 knock off minilite style wheels.

The car has more pros than cons for sure. For details send me a p.m.

Thanks for the input. I should've clarified. By a No. 3 car, I am meaning middle of the road. 1 being a 90-point vehicle (1-6 rating scale). The thing is in great shape, all things considered. I am being fairly conservative on the esitmate. Barring my recollection of the interior color, everything else is all-original. Very few, if any blemishes on the exterior, interior is fairly clean minus aforementioned gauge issues. According to my dad, it carries the proper tan interior and foul weather gear.

Also has period Lucas driving lights, badge bar, and badges from a few rallys it ran back in the 50s over in England.

It's a lot closer to a clean driver than project. Pitting on chrome, etc. The normal type of cosmetic "issues" you'd expect with a car of this age.

Bottom line, 15 seems fair for the described car.

Leo

Knock off wires or steelies?

Any leaks at the fuel tank?

How's the top?

Are the running boards cracked badly before the door opening?

The T Series has the potential to shoot up in value, but a lot of people have been waiting for that to happen for a long time. Better to enjoy it and not put too much into it. Make it mechanically sound and have some fun and sell at a break-even.

If it were me, I'd have the Z06.

Stock steel wheels. Only thing non-stock, barring my brain fart about interior was braided fuel lines (brass fittings, no -an) and TC-style door threshold plaques with "The MG Motor Company" on them.

Hood and all other weather gear seemed to be in good shape. Windows weren't foggy/yellow. Top was down but I'd assume in similar shape to the rest.

Tank was perfect. Didn't recall any corrosion inside. Car stored in climate-controlled garage and driven monthly.

Dot recall any rot near the doors or running boards but I do recall that the doors shut with the "two" clicks as I was told they should. No apparent sagging or misalignment due to poor timbers.

Maybe I wasn't as ignorant about these as I thought. If I truly could enjoy it for a year or two and break eem, I'd be a happy guy. I just don't want to overpay.

You can get a nice TD if you shop, one where everything works including the gauges, for as little as 12,000. This is a car with no rust and decent paint and leather. I know where three are for this price now. The car you described sounds like a 8-10k car. If you really like the car and the color and everything else works offer 11k. Keep in mind to get the gauges to work could cost a few grand if they are a mess and you need senders as well.

I totally get it on these cars and will be getting either a TF or a Morgan soon.

Andy Reid wrote: You can get a nice TD if you shop, one where everything works including the gauges, for as little as 12,000. This is a car with no rust and decent paint and leather. I know where three are for this price now. The car you described sounds like a 8-10k car. If you really like the car and the color and everything else works offer 11k. Keep in mind to get the gauges to work could cost a few grand if they are a mess and you need senders as well. I totally get it on these cars and will be getting either a TF or a Morgan soon.

Thanks a lot for the information. I'll keep an eye out for some more examples to compare this one to.

The Morgan idea intrigues me. No idea why it was never on my radar.

This is the most active forum for MG T owners.

http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&mode=tlist&subject=8

If you post some information there you'll get some informed opinions. But, like most internet forums, opinions vary widely.

Personally, $15k sounds like too much. It is all about condition, though, and there are some hidden bugaboos in a TD. If the wood body framing has never been replaced, for example, it probably needs to be. Engine rebuilds are expensive and there are parts you can no longer get for the transmission.

I've been restoring a TD for a number of years, now.

I looked at a $4500 barn-find about a year ago. It had a Volvo engine swapped in. The seller told me that it was a popular swap back in the sixties.

Woody wrote: I looked at a $4500 barn-find about a year ago. It had a Volvo engine swapped in. The seller told me that it was a popular swap back in the sixties.

I've seen a few different ones with a Cosworth BD in. That was certainly interesting.

I also read a snippet about someone running one in the first Dakar. No idea how true that is.

Andy Reid wrote: You can get a nice TD if you shop, one where everything works including the gauges, for as little as 12,000. This is a car with no rust and decent paint and leather. I know where three are for this price now. The car you described sounds like a 8-10k car. If you really like the car and the color and everything else works offer 11k. Keep in mind to get the gauges to work could cost a few grand if they are a mess and you need senders as well. I totally get it on these cars and will be getting either a TF or a Morgan soon.

Once you go MOG you'll never go back

In reply to Woody: Here's one with a Volvo B16. http://www.fantasyjunction.com/cars/359-MG-TD-Volvo%20B-16

Makes me feel better about working with my brother on a B20-powered Locost.

In reply to AaronBalto:

Hey that motor looks pretty good in the pictures. I had a TD in Southern Cal. in the 60's. But I never heard of anyone putting Volvo motor in one. Actually on my car the engine was one of the best features. I sold it because it needed a top and couldn't keep up with freeway traffic. Which is ironic because the last time I drove the freeways around Santa Ana, about three years ago, I doubt anyone was doing 50!

Back in '98 I picked up a '52 Volvo powered TD at a local garage sale for $650.00. The owners had just wheeled it out of the horse barn where it had been sitting since '79.

Initially I thought the MG was one of those silly VW Kitcars because $650.00 is insanely cheap. Once I realized the car was all steel I jumped on the deal.

The TD has a boxed frame and moisture can collect on the inside causing rust internally. Typically the frame will rust through on the bottom right where it kicks up for the rear suspension.

My TD frame appeared solid but I was able to poke holes through the bottom with a pick hammer. The damaged area was relatively small and I went ahead and stripped the body and drivetrain off the frame to do a proper repair. Stripping the TD down is stupid easy and can be done with two people.

Once I had the body off the frame, I took the wheels off and lowered the chassis right to the ground. I unbolted the engine/transmission and rear axle and lifted the frame up off the drivetrain. No engine hoist was needed!

Repairing the frame was straight forward, however once the welds were complete I had discovered I had encapsulated a ton of debris inside the frame. Apparently hammering the frame had loosened up a lot of rust scale and crap. I had to cut new holes in the frame to empty the debris

Owning a Volvo powered TD upsets MG purist. Most of the TD folks I met assumed I was going to put the original type engine back in the car. When I disclosed the Volvo engine was going to stay, people became visibly upset.

I eventually sold the TD because it wasn't the car for me. The TD seems to appeal to the cheese and wine type and I'm a beer and burger type.