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MG TC
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Do you like or dislike the new dashboard ?
Yes I do like the new dashboard
100%
 100%  [ 7 ]
No I do not like the new dashboard
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
Total Votes : 7

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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

badhuis wrote:
Quote:
There is a brace that links the rear wheel arches across the middle of the car. This cross brace is shaped like a bulls's horns and that is what - in T series circles - it is known as. This came out of my original body but does not fit the new one. It should fit the wheel arches snugly... it's not even close!


It would be nice if the brace would fit the wheel arches snugly, but it seems not mechanically necessary. The brace is there to keep the distance (car width) between the wooden wheel arch support members, not the metal wheel arches.


You are right that the brace doesn't need to fit the arches snugly to still do it's job.. but that isn't the issue. The problem is that the trim material that goes over the wheel arches also covers the brace. It should fit snugly or will stick out like a sore thumb.

I had considered 'boxing in' the whole area but changed my mind.

I don't possess a forge or oxy/ acetylene (and don't know how to use it anyway) I will take the brace to Mr Oldknow, our local blacksmith. I expect he will sort it out for a reasonable price.

This is not my car but shows how the cross brace is covered by the trim material. I don't much care for it and have considered boxing it all in... I probably won't though.

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badhuis



Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1390
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why not put a layer of horsehair / closed cell foam over the wheelarch, below the final trim material? That would bring the wheelarch closer to the brace.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

badhuis wrote:
Why not put a layer of horsehair / closed cell foam over the wheelarch, below the final trim material? That would bring the wheelarch closer to the brace.


The trim kit comes ready cut to shape. If the arch is not to standard shape/size it will not fit. The brace came from my old body and if it's like everything else has been "got at". I have advertised for a replacement brace but so far without success.

I am sure it can be made to fit eventually.

A more worrying finding is that the bonnet is longer one side than the other. Unfortunately, the long side is too short even if the short side fits O.K.

To add to this dilemma; there is a 'taper' panel gap to one side of the bonnet but not the other. This means the gap cannot be corrected by tilting the radiator backwards or forwards slightly... that is the only adjustment...

The only solution (as far as I can see) is to mount the body as far forward as I can and trim the bonnet to fit.

Fortunately, there is no fold on the front or rear edges of the bonnet sides so it shouldn't pose too much of a problem.

All good fun! Very Happy
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The good news is that the new body tub is now bolted up to the bulkhead/scuttle. It was a bit nerve wracking drilling 20 x 5/16" holes in the frame but it had to be done. I applied just a little grease to the bolts; most of which were original and could be reused. A 1/4" thick rubber gasket with pre drilled holes ( supplied by Octagon Car Club spares ) in three sections is sandwiched between the bulkhead flange and the Ash bonnet support fillets. The steering column support bracket is now in place and the steering ready to be connected up...but there is a problem...

I knew the drop arm fouled one of the exhaust manifold down pipes but I hadn't realised quite how tricky a problem it would be.

Looking up at the underside of the steering box it is clear that something needs to be done.



I have tried a number of things; 1) I tried to move the steering box further along by elongating the 3 holes in the mounting bracket. The larger holes provide clearance for rivet heads in the chassis rail.




2) I filed down the end of the steering box casting so it will butt up to the engine mount. It can't go any further.



3). I reduced the head size of the clamp bolt from 19mm to 17 mm and reduced it's thickness.



4) Filed a slightly deeper flat on the drop arm clamp to take the bolt head slightly further away from the point of impact.



5) tried (reluctantly) to put a small dent in the stainless pipe.

...then I realised that the same pipe was fouling the clutch lever....at which point I realised I was wasting my time and the exhaust manifold would have to come off.!! GRRR.



The plan now is to take the manifold to an exhaust specialist and get them to put a couple of bends in it.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This morning, before tearing down all my hard work, I went to see if there was anything else I could do.

As luck would have it, I found that by clamping the exhaust pipe further over it would clear the clutch lever. Smile

The good thing is that although the drop arm still touches the down pipe, it now only does so on full lock.

You don't use full lock very often.

Although I still need another 1/16" to fully clear the down pipe, with any luck, I shall eventually be able to move the pipe over enough. Very Happy
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Things have moved on since my last post. My neighbour and fellow old car enthusiast Abey pointed out that I would never get any insulating wrap to stay on the exhaust pipe if the drop arm kept hitting it.

The only solution would require the pipes to be bent out of the way so I removed the manifold and as Abey needed a part making for the exhaust on his MGC, we both went over to PD Gough exhaust specialists at Watnall (Notts).

Proprietor Richard was rather scathing about the quality (or lack of it) of my manifold which seems to have been made up from a series of "bought in" bends welded to short bits of straight pipe. The reason why this part has given me so much trouble was beginning to emerge. Evil or Very Mad

Abey's part was quickly made. No trouble.

My manifold was nearly consigned to the bin but Richard has agreed (reluctantly) to fix it for me. £150.

======================================================================

Returning to the bodywork; I have been busy stripping the paint and surface rust from the off side rear wing. I think this is the worst of the two as it looks like a repair section has been welded into place with the join hidden by the wing/body piping. There is a rather ugly hole where the wing was seemingly ripped from the body in some long forgotten trauma which will need attention but for the time being I am getting the panel back to bare metal.





Another challenge is the double humped scuttle top which I have now nailed to the frame. Being the only panel surviving from the original body tub it has required a lot of work with hammer and dolly. I have removed every spot of rust and treated the surface with nitric acid; cleaning off thoroughly before applying epoxy primer and filler. More sanding, filling and primer followed in time honoured fashion.

Problematically, the scuttle top wouldn't fit without much filing and sanding of the dashboard subframe. Eventually I was able to make the ends meet the sides and it could be clamped in place while I secured it permanently.

After much filling, sanding, filling and sanding again I am getting nearer to an acceptable surface but as good as it looks in the photos, this is still work in progress.



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badhuis



Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1390
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow Ray. You really have dived far into this car. I did not remember how the car was when you bought it so went back to page one to see a very nice gleaming red TC. I have been following your story and am surprised by the amount of work you have done so far. From your first post:
Quote:
this is a usable car that I can tinker with.

and
Quote:
I couldn't be happier.

Still happy with the car? Would you have bought it if you knew its real condition?
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

badhuis wrote:
Wow Ray. You really have dived far into this car. I did not remember how the car was when you bought it so went back to page one to see a very nice gleaming red TC. I have been following your story and am surprised by the amount of work you have done so far. From your first post:
Quote:
this is a usable car that I can tinker with.

and
Quote:
I couldn't be happier.

Still happy with the car? Would you have bought it if you knew its real condition?


HA! Good question. The fact is I was duped so the answer to your question is no.

When I discovered I had bought a lemon I had a choice; either put the car straight back on the market and let someone else take it on or build a TC to my own design. There was no way that this assembled basket case could ever be "original" - after all, a car can only be original once. There seemed little point in trying to recreate what MG had churned out of it's hard pressed factory just after the War; warts and all, so I decided on a build that would be devoid of all the design flaws - (or at least most of them) that I could use as a daily driver.

It is not possible to have everything you want in life. The new body taking 2 years to the day being a case in point.

If things had gone to plan I would be on the road by now!
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A call from Richard of PD Gough exhausts to say he had fixed the manifold. He has managed to retain all the pipework so the cost would be just £80. I'm happy with that and will fetch it tomorrow. Fingers crossed that everything goes back O.K.
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I fitted a P.D. Gough system to my SS in 1993 and it's still giving good service to this day in spite of one half being ripped of by me taking a full load over a fold down bollard. It went back together easily.

Peter
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1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon
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Peter_L



Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Posts: 2680
Location: New Brunswick. Canada.

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Bollards"... as they say.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I had not just jumped at the Peter Edney offering I expect I could have had Goughs make me what I wanted for half the price...and it might even have fitted first time!

Rolling Eyes

We live and learn...

..except some of us never do Embarassed
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Peter_L



Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Posts: 2680
Location: New Brunswick. Canada.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ray White wrote:
We live and learn... ..except some of us never do Embarassed


There are times when you are too hard on yourself Ray. There are many who would bathe in their success and hide their failures.

Those who never made mistakes, made nothing. I "pinched" this text from a sign in the Winnipeg Aviation Museum (and likely elsewhere). I have it in my Garage/Workshop.

"I have made so much, for so long, from so little, that I now believe it is possible to make anything from nothing"
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6286
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello Peter. You are probably right.

I don't like to brag but if I had to blow my own trumpet it would probably be the one virtue I live by... as summed up in the words of my dear old Granny:

"do as you would be done by and you won't go far wrong".

(taken from Sermon on the Mount, I think.)


Wink
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Peter_L



Joined: 10 Apr 2008
Posts: 2680
Location: New Brunswick. Canada.

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ray White wrote:
Hello Peter. You are probably right.

I don't like to brag but if I had to blow my own trumpet it would probably be the one virtue I live by... as summed up in the words of my dear old Granny:

"do as you would be done by and you won't go far wrong".
(taken from Sermon on the Mount, I think.)
Wink


Different versions of the Sermon appear in both Luke and Matthew but "Dear Old Granny" provides a perfect interpretation.
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